Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop visited the University of Guelph this week to learn how the University is helping develop commercial solutions to challenges in sectors across Ontario’s economy through technology research and innovation.

The pair toured the BDDC Facilities and had a chance to interact with GIGAS, the Guelph Intelligent Greenhouse Automation System.  

The researchers and students behind the development of these made-in-Guelph innovations showcased how research at our University is leading to commercialized products that directly solve challenges in sectors across Ontario’s economy – from agriculture to automotive and more.

The premier and minister were given a demonstration of GIGAS, a “smart” robot under development by an interdisciplinary team at U of G to help automate tasks in Ontario’s greenhouse sector. 

Researchers in U of G’s School of Engineering explained how GIGAS is being trained to monitor greenhouse vegetable growth, detect disease outbreaks, prune leaves and harvest produce.  

At the BDDC, researchers demonstrated how agricultural waste products are made into biomaterial pellets, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support a circular economy.

The premier and minister toured the BDCC with director Dr. Amar Mohanty, the OAC Distinguished Chair in Sustainable Biomaterials and Dr. Manjusri Misra, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Sustainable Biocomposites, and interacted with the trainees.

For More Information: UofG News