A Partnership Grant in Applied Research and Technology to Support Businesses
A Partnership Grant in Applied Research and Technology to Support Businesses
Montréal, September 8, 2022 – Cégep André-Laurendeau has received a $450,000 grant over two years under the Applied Research and Technology Partnership (ARTP) program of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
Through its two Centres collégiaux de transfert de technologie (CCTT) — the Institut d’innovation en logistique du Québec (InnovLOG) and the Centre de technologie physique et photonique de Montréal (Optech) — Cégep André-Laurendeau (CAL) has carried out several large-scale applied research projects in recent years with companies working on various integrations of optical microsystems and logistics technologies.
Supported by CAL’s Office of Research and Innovation (bRI), the two CCTTs are combining their expertise with a common goal: to find innovative solutions to companies’ logistical challenges.
OptiLOG: Developing operational synergies between innovative optical systems and high-performance supply chains.
With this new grant, Optech and InnovLOG are joining forces to accelerate the technological development of companies seeking to optimize their supply chains by creating and introducing new physical sensors — particularly optical ones — to generate new data that, when combined with artificial intelligence, will enable optimized logistics. This approach will leverage a hybridization of data processing — merging physics-based AI with data-driven AI — to produce higher-value data.
This funding is aimed at companies already aware of the need for innovation and seeking to establish long-term sustainability within their organization. The program’s purpose is to address delays in adopting technological tools and digitizing value chains.
“The OptiLOG program is an opportunity for our two CCTTs to further unite our strengths for the benefit of Canadian companies seeking innovative solutions to improve their productivity and optimize their industrial, technological, and logistical processes. Through this initiative, a multidisciplinary team will be mobilized, including CCTT experts, as well as teachers and student interns from CAL’s Physical Engineering Technology and Transportation Logistics programs. This will ensure knowledge transfer and synergy between academia and industry,” said Naoual Rahali, Executive Director of InnovLOG.
For Maroun Massabki, Director of Optech, the OptiLOG program “will quickly support Canadian SMEs in their innovation needs. Being multidisciplinary, OptiLOG will simultaneously enable the applied development of hardware and algorithms for companies’ automation and digitization requirements — from information capture to exploitation.”
About Cégep André-Laurendeau
Renowned for its quality of life and teaching, Cégep André-Laurendeau offers 26 academic programs in fields of excellence such as management, science and technology, humanities, arts, literature, and communications. This offer is complemented by numerous credited programs and continuing education courses. CAL also provides a unique campus experience with its sports center, performance hall, and sociocultural activities.
Founded in 1968, CAL is a public French-language higher education institution that welcomes more than 5,000 students in regular programs, continuing education, and French immersion. It hosts two CCTTs: InnovLOG, specialized in logistics, and Optech, specialized in optics and photonics. Since 1991, CAL has been part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) network.
About the bRI
The Office of Research and Innovation (bRI) is part of CAL’s Academic Affairs Directorate. It manages funding, oversees research activities, and provides support services to staff involved in developing or conducting research projects. Its activities are supported by CAL’s Research Committee, composed of staff members from CAL and the two CCTTs, InnovLOG and Optech.
About InnovLOG
InnovLOG is a center of excellence in logistics technologies and the only CCTT recognized by the Québec government and authorized by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Economy and Innovation to act as a transfer center in logistics since 2008. InnovLOG is a non-profit organization, a member of the Synchronex network, and affiliated with CAL. Its mission is to improve the performance and productivity of Québec SMEs by strengthening innovation processes to continuously enhance their logistics functions.
About Optech
Optech is a CCTT incorporated as a non-profit organization specializing in applied research in optics and photonics. We help companies carry out their R&D activities through optics and photonics technologies — from feasibility studies, design, and prototyping, to testing under simulated and operational conditions. We also provide specialized services in photo-radiometry and training in various areas of optics. Additionally, we assist businesses in identifying the most suitable tax programs and grants for their projects.
Our expertise is structured around five key areas: optical fibers, illumination and imaging, metrology, microsystems, and AI in optics. This enables us to serve companies across diverse sectors such as medical technologies, multimedia, and industrial production. For more information, visit www.cctt-optech.ca.