ABB and the University of British Columbia extend research collaboration

November 1, 2018

ABB and the University of British Columbia (UBC) have signed a three-year partnership agreement, focused around the research of computer science professor Thomas Fritz, an expert in the practical applications of biometric sensing. ABB will provide a total of $300,000 in funding ($100,000 per year), which will be matched by the Government of Canada.

The three-year partnership with UBC will enable several doctoral and post-doctoral students to work on projects under Professor Fritz’s guidance, in concert with ABB researchers.

“By pairing the deep expertise of academic researchers with the industry focused expertise of our researchers we accelerate ABB’s integration of new technology,” said ABB Chief Technology Officer Bazmi Husain. “Professor Fritz’s expertise on biometric sensors and productivity make him an ideal partner.”

Professor Fritz has a track record of successful partnerships with ABB. In previous collaborations he co-developed the FlowLight, a personal stoplight that reduces interruptions for knowledge workers in an office environment. In addition to providing a productivity boost for ABB office workers this technology has been licensed to Embrava Pty Ltd., providing continued capitalization of this innovation.

Innovating through research and development (R&D), through collaborations like the partnership with UBC, has a long history within ABB. A small sampling of the many universities ABB collaborates with worldwide includes the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Carnegie Mellon and Stanford Universities in the United States, Cambridge University in the UK, the Indian Institute of Technology, China’s Tsing Hua University, and Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology.

Supporting R&D has also been a strategic imperative. Last year alone, ABB invested some $1.5 billion in R&D, operating corporate research centers in seven countries: China, India, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. ABB’s highly skilled international team of engineers and scientists are focused on areas that align with ABB’s core technologies: communications, control, electromagnetics, materials, mechanics, power electronics, sensors, software and switching.

Related Articles



Editor’s Pick: Featured Article

Weidmüller’s u-control 2000: The Automation Controller

Weidmüller’s u-control 2000: The Automation Controller

Weidmüller’s scalable engineering software, u-control 2000, adapts individually to your requirements. And, the u-control is powerful, compact and fully compatible with Weidmüller’s I/O system u-remote. This article looks at what makes u-control the heart of your automation.

Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are one of the main components of any automated system. A typical control system has inputs, outputs, controllers (i.e., PLCs), and some type of human interaction with the system, a human machine interface (HMI), for example.

Read More



Latest Articles

  • Trapezoidal vs Sinusoidal Servo Brushless Amplifiers

    December 4, 2024 Servo brushless amplifiers are critical components in motion control systems, providing precise regulation of brushless motors for torque, velocity, and position. The two most common types of brushless amplifiers, trapezoidal and sinusoidal, differ significantly in their operation and performance characteristics. This paper provides an in-depth comparison of these amplifier types, outlines their… Read More…

  • HARTING: Industrial Connectivity Made Possible

    December 4, 2024 By Krystie Johnston Proven connectivity solutions are necessary for multiple industrial environments and mission critical applications. HARTING has set the gold standard in connectivity by delivering these solutions and pushing performance since 1945. The connectors that join industrial technology to data and power are particularly important. They ensure that communication and energy… Read More…