Amanda Hacio / en 'A password you can't change': 茄子直播 alumnus Karl Martin on how to keep biometric data safe /news/password-you-can-t-change-u-t-alumnus-karl-martin-how-keep-biometric-data-safe <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">'A password you can't change': 茄子直播 alumnus Karl Martin on how to keep biometric data safe</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/lukenn-sabellano-RDufjtg6JpQ-unsplash.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=RYKjnNOd 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/lukenn-sabellano-RDufjtg6JpQ-unsplash.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=q1ZLp1la 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/lukenn-sabellano-RDufjtg6JpQ-unsplash.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=q9YcAehO 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/lukenn-sabellano-RDufjtg6JpQ-unsplash.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=RYKjnNOd" alt="Image of a fingerprint scan icon on a smartphone"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2020-02-24T08:47:53-05:00" title="Monday, February 24, 2020 - 08:47" class="datetime">Mon, 02/24/2020 - 08:47</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p>Karl Martin, a biometrics expert and alumnus of 茄子直播's Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, says biometric data is increasingly used as an added layer of security to authenticate users on handheld devices (photo by Lukenn Sabellano via Unsplash)</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/amanda-hacio" hreflang="en">Amanda Hacio</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">茄子直播</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cyber-security-0" hreflang="en">Cyber Security</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/electrical-computer-engineering" hreflang="en">Electrical &amp; Computer Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>If you unlock your smartphone with facial recognition or your fingerprint, you鈥檙e using biometrics.</p> <p>In the past few years, biometric data 鈥 positioned as an added layer of security to verify a person鈥檚 identity using unique physical traits 鈥&nbsp;has become a reliable method of authentication for access to handheld devices.</p> <div class="align-left"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2023-05/karl_martin.png" width="300" height="300" alt="Karl Martin"> </div> </div> <p>But there are strings attached to this convenience: there鈥檚 a risk of identity theft, data gathering without consent&nbsp;as well as physical and online surveillance.</p> <p>鈥淚f our biometric data is stolen, it鈥檚 equivalent to stealing a password that you can鈥檛 change,鈥 says&nbsp;<strong>Karl Martin </strong>(left), an alumnus of the University of Toronto鈥檚 Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering who is also a biometrics expert and entrepreneur.</p> <p>Writer <strong>Amanda Hacio</strong>&nbsp;recently spoke with Martin to learn more about the security implications of giving out our most personal and unique data.</p> <hr> <p><strong>What is your experience with biometric data?</strong></p> <p>I co-founded 鈥 and led for many years 鈥 the company&nbsp;Nymi, <a href="/news/changing-tack-how-u-t-startup-nymi-found-unexpected-lucrative-niche">which developed a biometric authentication wristband</a> that simplifies authentication and compliance for workers in regulated industrial settings. The&nbsp;Nymi Band&nbsp;uses fingerprints and the electrocardiogram (ECG) to ensure high trust while maintaining privacy and usability. Prior to this, during both my PhD studies and while running a boutique consulting firm, I was involved in developing systems that used facial, ECG and handwritten-signature recognition.</p> <p><strong>What were some of the security concerns and challenges you ran up against when creating Nymi?</strong></p> <p>From the beginning, we recognized the importance of handling biometric data with a high degree of care. We took a stance that the biometric data must only be stored in the local device controlled by the user. We had to ensure that users could trust that no one could access the data.</p> <p>Additionally, the communication between the wristband and other systems, such as mobile devices and computers,&nbsp;was based on Bluetooth, which is generally considered an unsecure means to communicate information. We had to develop a proprietary protocol that assumed that third parties would be snooping.</p> <p><strong>What are the security concerns related to biometric data more broadly?</strong></p> <p>We鈥檙e increasingly relying on biometrics to enable easy and reliable authentication to devices and systems. If our biometric data is stolen, it鈥檚 equivalent to stealing a password that you can鈥檛 change. Our accounts and data become vulnerable to being accessed without our authorization by people impersonating us using our biometric data.</p> <p>Another danger is unauthorized surveillance. If biometric data is being gathered without our permission, it may be used to monitor and track us through a variety of sensors such as surveillance cameras or our online presence.</p> <p>If stored locally within a device, it鈥檚 less likely to be targeted by attackers since there鈥檚 less of an opportunity for a mass, scalable data breach. It鈥檚 worth noting, however, that not all device-based storage is created equal. At the secure end, some devices such as Apple鈥檚 Touch ID and the Nymi Band use cryptographic hardware for secure storage. On the vulnerable end, a typical app on your phone is not secure and may itself be the source of a breach.</p> <p><strong>What can companies and users do to make sure the biometric technology they鈥檙e using isn鈥檛 stealing personal data or information?</strong></p> <p>I believe that people should not accept applications that move their biometric data into the cloud. Users should demand a 鈥減rivacy-by-design approach,鈥 which ensures that system design puts user privacy at the forefront. However, individual users are often at a disadvantage with a lack of transparency on how their data is being handled. I believe this is where regulations have a role in ensuring transparency and adoption of best practices when it comes to the design of systems.</p> <p><strong>What do you do if your data is already in the cloud?</strong></p> <p>The now classic adage is unfortunately true: Once something is on the internet, it鈥檚 there forever. But all is not lost, depending on the situation. If you鈥檙e enrolled in a system that stores your biometric data in the cloud, it鈥檚 worth un-enrolling yourself and attempting to have your data deleted. Unfortunately, there鈥檚 no guarantee that the service provider will comply or execute a secure deletion.</p> <p>More generally, it鈥檚 likely for most of us that our face-image data is already online and associated with our identity through various social media sites. Given that this data is already out there and even&nbsp;being exploited, this is where regulations come into play. We should all consider advocating for regulations that prevent corporations from exploiting our data without our permission. And at least in the short term, we should give preferential treatment to companies and products that follow the Privacy by Design framework.</p> <p><strong>What unconventional forms of biometrics are being collected that the average person might not be aware of?</strong></p> <p>Two modalities that are now actively commercialized, but not well known, are electrocardiogram (ECG) and gait 鈥&nbsp;our individually distinct manner of walking. At Nymi, we were the first to fully commercialize ECG recognition into a market-ready product. Gait, while not a strong identifier, can be used in video surveillance along with other factors to identify individuals, often without their knowledge.</p> <p><strong>As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more sophisticated, what security concerns do you think will arise with biometric technology?</strong></p> <p>One of the applications of biometrics is emotion recognition, which can use a variety of signals such as facial expression and heart rate. While this technology is still in its infancy, there are both positive and negative potential implications.</p> <p>On the positive side, it creates the opportunity to build applications that are adaptive to a user鈥檚 state of mind, delivering more customized and relevant experiences. On the negative side, with the proliferation of AI technologies, there is a risk of mass population manipulation&nbsp;such as what we saw with the&nbsp;Cambridge Analytica scandal&nbsp;鈥&nbsp;should biometric data not be protected and controlled by individuals.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 24 Feb 2020 13:47:53 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 162869 at 茄子直播 alumna co-founds company after spotting blemish in skin-care industry: Lack of natural and affordable products /news/u-t-alumna-co-founds-company-after-spotting-blemish-skin-care-industry-lack-natural-and <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">茄子直播 alumna co-founds company after spotting blemish in skin-care industry: Lack of natural and affordable products</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/alumni---laura-burget_48498071521_o.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=rgGMiRhY 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/alumni---laura-burget_48498071521_o.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ZjrgFml4 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/alumni---laura-burget_48498071521_o.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Bx0u_Raa 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/alumni---laura-burget_48498071521_o.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=rgGMiRhY" alt="Portrait of Laura Burget holding up one of her fragrance products"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-09-13T11:14:11-04:00" title="Friday, September 13, 2019 - 11:14" class="datetime">Fri, 09/13/2019 - 11:14</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Chemical engineering alumna Laura BUrget co-founded a skin-care company, Niu Body, after noticing there was an untapped market for affordable and natural skin-care products (photo by Roberta Baker) </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/amanda-hacio" hreflang="en">Amanda Hacio</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">茄子直播</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/chemical-engineering" hreflang="en">Chemical Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/startups" hreflang="en">Startups</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>As early as her second year in engineering at the University of Toronto, <strong>Laura Burget</strong> knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur.</p> <p>鈥淚 actually ran two businesses while I was in school 鈥&nbsp;I managed the engineering bookstore and a College Pro&nbsp;franchise,鈥 says Burget, who graduated with a bachelor's in chemical engineering. 鈥淭he business knowledge I gained from these two experiences made me realize I had the skills to turn my natural skin-care products into a business.鈥</p> <p>In January 2017, Burget and&nbsp;Connie Lo, who has a background in business and accounting, gave themselves a challenge: equipped with only $4,000, they would try to launch an natural, vegan and cruelty-free skin-care brand in just three months.</p> <p>They succeeded.</p> <p>Their&nbsp;company, Niu Body, was inspired by a course Burget took while pursuing her chemical engineering degree at 茄子直播.</p> <p>鈥淚n my fourth year, I took the entrepreneurship course Entrepreneurship and Small Business, which required us to develop business ideas,鈥 she says. 鈥淎s a consumer, I was really interested in natural skin-care products. I loved learning about natural ingredients and trying different home remedies 鈥&nbsp;I was basically conducting chemistry experiments in my own kitchen which fostered a sense of curiosity in me for the natural beauty space.鈥</p> <p>The course inspired her to delve deeper into researching the skin-care industry, leading her to&nbsp; discover a nearly untapped market for affordable, natural products.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淭he main issue we want to address is inflation in the natural skin-care industry,鈥 says Burget. While natural ingredients tend to be more expensive than chemically produced ones, Burget says the markup&nbsp;on&nbsp;finished products, such as face serums, can be 100 per cent or even higher.</p> <p>鈥淐onsumers are demanding better quality, more natural ingredients and at an affordable price,鈥 she says. 鈥淥ur company鈥檚 mission is to create natural skin-care products that won鈥檛 break the bank.鈥&nbsp;</p> <p>The first ingredient Burget worked with was coconut oil, which inspired the name of the company 鈥&nbsp;<em>niu</em>&nbsp;means coconut&nbsp;in Hawaiian 鈥 and the company鈥檚 first product, a coconut oil-based makeup remover.</p> <p>In addition to using high-quality, natural ingredients, overall product sustainability is important to Burget in building her brand.</p> <p>鈥淲e鈥檝e designed our packaging in a way that it鈥檚 sturdy enough to be reused and repurposed for travel,鈥 says Burget. 鈥淎nd because it鈥檚 made of paper, it鈥檚 much easier to recycle and break down compared to a lot of brands that use plastic. All of our manufacturing is done in Toronto. We try to source locally as much as possible to limit our carbon footprint.鈥</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/alumni---laura-burget_48498247097_o.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Niu Body uses primarily paper and glass packaging for their products, so the packaging can break down more easily in the recycling process (photo by&nbsp;Roberta Baker)</em></p> <p>Burget says that launching a startup can be intimidating, but that her chemical engineering courses were great preparation.</p> <p>鈥淸My background] helped with problem solving, which is one of the crucial skills engineering graduates leave with,鈥 she says. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e trained to break down problems into their smallest form and determine where inefficiencies might be and how to develop a new system.鈥</p> <p>Burget鈥檚 engineering background also gave her the confidence to communicate and work effectively with manufacturers and prospective investors.</p> <p>鈥淲hen I tell manufacturers and investors I have a chemical engineering degree, it tells them I know what I鈥檓 talking about and what I鈥檓 capable of,鈥 she says.</p> <p>In just two years, the number of retailers&nbsp;carrying Niu Body products has grown from one&nbsp;to over 300, with shipping available across Canada and the U.S. In the year ahead, Burget is focusing on product development and forming new retail partnerships.</p> <p>鈥淲e have a busy 10 months ahead of us,鈥 says Burget. 鈥淲e鈥檙e launching six new products and we鈥檙e headed to New York for the largest cosmetics trade show in North America to showcase our company.鈥</p> <p>For engineering students thinking about starting their own business, Burget鈥檚 advice is to take advantage of entrepreneurship offerings at the university, and not let the fear of failure get in the way: 鈥淩emind yourself that life is going to throw you curveballs, but amazing things can come out of failures, and your studies have well equipped to find solutions,鈥 she says.&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 13 Sep 2019 15:14:11 +0000 geoff.vendeville 158248 at 茄子直播 student team places third in national competition for app that helps children with autism spectrum disorder /news/u-t-student-team-places-third-national-competition-app-helps-children-autism-spectrum-disorder <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">茄子直播 student team places third in national competition for app that helps children with autism spectrum disorder</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Overlook%202.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=8ovpTeZd 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Overlook%202.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=3z33cYb8 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Overlook%202.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Yi2sV9Lx 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Overlook%202.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=8ovpTeZd" alt="Inside Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>noreen.rasbach</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-07-29T09:37:35-04:00" title="Monday, July 29, 2019 - 09:37" class="datetime">Mon, 07/29/2019 - 09:37</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Ripley's Aquarium of Canada is one of the locations looked at by the MuseGO app designed by three 茄子直播 graduate students (photo courtesy of Ripley's Aquarium)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/amanda-hacio" hreflang="en">Amanda Hacio</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/resarch-innovation" hreflang="en">Resarch &amp; Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/accessibility" hreflang="en">Accessibility</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/app" hreflang="en">App</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-information" hreflang="en">Faculty of Information</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-students" hreflang="en">Graduate Students</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A team of three University of Toronto graduate students has designed an app for caregivers that can help improve the accessibility of museums for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).</p> <p>The innovation earned the team third place at the 2019 Universities Canada <a href="https://www.univcan.ca/meet-the-2019-idea-competition-winners/">Innovative Designs for Accessibility (IDeA)</a> student competition, which aims to inspire university students to develop innovative, cost-effective and practical solutions to everyday accessibility-related barriers.</p> <p>For their entry, <strong>Keren He </strong>and<strong> Yifan Zhang, </strong>both master鈥檚 students in engineering,&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Christina Park, </strong>a master鈥檚 student of museum studies in the Faculty of Information,&nbsp;decided to focus on the barriers faced by children with ASD when visiting community spaces such as museums.</p> <p>Children with ASD can experience sensory defensive challenges, meaning they have a low threshold for response to stimuli and tend to avoid certain kinds of sensory input. However, some children with ASD experience the opposite, referred to as sensory seeking challenges, meaning that they have a high threshold for response to stimuli and tend to seek out extra sensory input.</p> <p>The app, named MuseGO, maps out the indoor environment according to sensory criteria, such as noise level, lighting and temperature. The virtual map then informs an augmented reality interface that places icons on the screen describing sensory experiences visitors can expect to find in each area.</p> <p>This additional information helps visitors decide whether to avoid or visit certain areas. By making sensory information visible, the app improves overall guest experience, minimizing stress, exhaustion and confusion.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/MuseGo-gif.gif" alt></p> <p><em>MuseGO is an app that overcomes systemic barriers in museums&nbsp;</em></p> <p>鈥淢useGO was inspired by a guest speaker in a museum studies course I took at the Faculty of Information,鈥 says Park. 鈥淭he speaker discussed their institution鈥檚 sensory-friendly programming, so we decided to explore the potential of using a personal mobile device as a tool to break barriers for children diagnosed with ASD in accessing cultural institutions as well as other community spaces such as universities, hospitals, libraries, museums, and shopping malls.鈥</p> <p>Park took the idea to Creative Applications for Mobile Devices, a course&nbsp;taught by <strong>Jonathan Rose</strong>, a professor in the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering, in which students work in multidisciplinary teams to design and develop smartphone apps for a wide range of uses.</p> <p>By the end of the semester, He, Park and Zhang had a working prototype of MuseGO.</p> <p>After completing the course, the team decided to pit their creation against 55 other projects in the national IDeA competition. Their third-place finish in the attitudinal/system barriers category comes with a $1,000 prize. They were also encouraged by the positive feedback they received from the IDeA judges, industry and peers.</p> <p>鈥淚t鈥檚 been very rewarding to have put our learning and skills together to create this app which has been recognized by the greater community,鈥 says Zhang. 鈥淲e鈥檙e currently working on improving the technical and design aspects of the app to create more intuitive and accurate indoor navigation. On-site user testing in public spaces is one of our key next steps.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 29 Jul 2019 13:37:35 +0000 noreen.rasbach 157384 at Racers, start your (fuel efficient) engines鈥 /news/racers-start-your-fuel-efficient-engines <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Racers, start your (fuel efficient) engines鈥</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2018-04-16-Supermileage.jpg?h=3fcbca33&amp;itok=eMPru3dt 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2018-04-16-Supermileage.jpg?h=3fcbca33&amp;itok=Huqp7bEn 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2018-04-16-Supermileage.jpg?h=3fcbca33&amp;itok=IewxfRCg 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2018-04-16-Supermileage.jpg?h=3fcbca33&amp;itok=eMPru3dt" alt> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>ullahnor</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2018-04-16T12:15:41-04:00" title="Monday, April 16, 2018 - 12:15" class="datetime">Mon, 04/16/2018 - 12:15</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Supermileage Team co-captains Melissa Fung (left) and Callum Bartlett (right), and their teammates, examine their hyper-efficient prototype vehicle, called Shadow, which will be competing at the Shell Eco-Marathon Americas race (photo by Roberta Baker)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/amanda-hacio" hreflang="en">Amanda Hacio</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/global-lens" hreflang="en">Global Lens</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The 茄子直播 Supermileage Team's newest vehicle&nbsp;鈥&nbsp;a black, bullet-shaped prototype called Shadow 鈥 will be competing this week in the Shell Eco-Marathon Americas (SEMA) race against more than 90 teams at the NASCAR-grade Sonoma Raceway in California.</p> <p>Now in its fifth year, the 茄子直播 Engineering student team designs, fabricates, builds and races hyper-fuel-efficient vehicles. This year's vehicle runs on a 30-millilitre engine with a maximum recorded efficiency of 5,505 kilometres per litre (3,421 miles per gallon), meaning&nbsp;Shadow could drive the 541 kilometres from Montreal to Toronto on about 25 tablespoons of fuel.&nbsp;</p> <p>To improve their performance in Sonoma, the team has made a number of changes from previous years.</p> <p>鈥淟ast year at the competition we had some difficulties with our rear drive train, so we completely redesigned it to withstand higher torques and we鈥檙e hoping that will give us some efficiency improvements,鈥 says Supermileage Team co-captain <strong>Callum Bartlett</strong>. 鈥淲e have also been working on our engine to make it more efficient and that included rewiring the whole system, which was a big project for us this year.鈥</p> <p>The Shell Eco-Marathon event, from April 18 to 23, challenges engineering students to think small when it comes to the amount of energy required to power a vehicle. Over several days, contestants&nbsp;drive a set number of laps around the race track in Sonoma, Calif. At the end of the competition, organizers calculate the distance traveled and measure the amount of fuel consumed by each vehicle. The team with the most energy-efficient vehicle in each category wins.</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__8072 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2018-04-16-supermileage2.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"><br> <em>A rewired 45 cc engine&nbsp;is one of many upgrades the 茄子直播 Engineering student team made to the&nbsp;new vehicle&nbsp;(photo by&nbsp;Roberta Baker)</em></p> <p>This&nbsp;year, the Supermileage Team has been hard at work enhancing the&nbsp;vehicle's design with the goal of reclaiming their <a href="http://news.engineering.utoronto.ca/u-of-t-engineering-supermileage-team-wins-shell-eco-marathon-in-detroit/">2015 first-place title in the gasoline prototype internal combustion category</a>.</p> <p>Co-captain <strong>Melissa Fung</strong> is optimistic that the 茄子直播 team will come out on top, but will be keeping a close eye on long-time rival Universit茅 Laval, which took the title for the past two years.</p> <p>鈥淟aval is always our toughest competitor, but I think we have a really good chance of placing first this year because of the upgrades we made to the vehicle,鈥 says Fung.</p> <p>Improvements include clearer windshields and side windows to enhance driver visibility.</p> <p>One challenge the team faced in preparing for the competition was the limited amount of space in their current work room. This fall, Supermileage will be one of seven 茄子直播 Engineering student clubs and teams moving into the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship. The team will have a dedicated garage space and direct access to prototyping tools and equipment, and additional storage.</p> <p>鈥淸The Myhal Centre] will give us more space for fabrication, design work and theoretical modeling,鈥 says Bartlett. 鈥淭his will be important to the future success of the team because it will enable us to take our prototypes to the next level.鈥</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__8073 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2018-04-16-Supermileage3.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"><br> <em>The team with its hyper-fuel-efficient prototype vehicle Shadow (photo by Roberta Baker)</em></p> <h3><a href="https://www.shell.com/energy-and-innovation/shell-ecomarathon/americas.html">Follow the team鈥檚 journey at SEMA</a></h3> <h3><a href="http://news.engineering.utoronto.ca/ceie-floor-by-floor-part-1/">Learn more about the Myhal Centre鈥檚 innovative student spaces</a></h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 16 Apr 2018 16:15:41 +0000 ullahnor 133543 at