November 25, 1996
(Executive Council)

Three Newfoundland companies awarded five space-tech contracts

All Canadians will benefit from the earthly application of space technology announced today by John Manley, federal Minister of Industry responsible for the Canadian Space Agency and ACOA, the Brian Tobin, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Bonnie Hickey, MP - St. John's East, because three Newfoundland high-technology companies have been awarded over $2.4 million in contracts, to develop various products and technologies with both international commercial markets and applications to the International Space Station.

The contracts are being sponsored by the Canadian Space Agency�s STEAR Program through various cooperative initiatives involving the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), PRECARN Associates Inc. and the participating Newfoundland companies. The STEAR Program was established to encourage Canadian companies, universities and research organizations to develop new robotics and automation technologies with both commercial and space applications.

"The STEAR Program is an essential part of the successful partnership between government and the private sector, aimed at using space technologies to enhance the competitive advantage of Canadian products in the global marketplace," said Mr. Manley. "By investing in these companies today, we are helping build a community of world-class high-technology companies in Newfoundland and Labrador."

"All citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador - indeed all Canadians - will benefit from the jobs and economic prosperity we are helping to create through research and development projects like those being announced here today," said Premier Tobin. "Economic prosperity comes from the expertise of our local companies. They are world leaders in their respective fields and have developed technologies and a depth of knowledge that is second to none anywhere. In six years, Newfoundland and Labrador companies have gone from zero participation in the space program to contributing high quality products to the Canadian Space Agency, NASA, and the European Space Agency."

The first modules of the International Space Station are scheduled to be launched in late 1997. Canada�s main contribution to the project will be the Mobile Servicing System, a platform of robotic arms and manipulator hands that will be used to help construct and maintain the huge spacecraft as it orbits high above the Earth. Each of the five contracts being announced today has a potential application to this robotic system.

Canpolar East Inc. of St. John�s has been awarded three of the five contracts for the following projects:

• Canpolar is developing a unique "smart" video surveillance system which can automatically inspect fish fillets moving along packing-plant conveyor belts. The same technology may also be used in space to detect and identify different kinds of damage to the exterior of the International Space Station caused by colliding space particles. Funding of over $2 million is being provided by PRECARN Associates, made up of a consortium of industry and government research organizations ($1 million); STEAR ($500,000); the Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador ($150,000 through a federal/provincial Cooperation Agreement); the project team members ($508,000); and a working capital loan from ACOA ($396,000).
• A $600,000 STEAR contract has been awarded to the Atlantic Canada team of Canpolar East and Measurand of Fredericton to complete development of Kinotex, an innovative textile material with hidden sensors which detect contact. As an "electronic carpet", the product has widespread applications to the security industry and for industrial plant safety. In the future Space Station, Kinotex could have a variety of uses in damage detection and warning systems. Canpolar will contribute an additional $125,000 to the project.
• Canpolar is also developing computer-enhancement of video images taken in extreme lighting conditions where there are also requirements for very clear pictures, one of the most persistent problems plaguing both astronauts in space and conventional security-camera systems here on Earth. The $50,000 initial conceptual-design contract is being funded under the Atlantic Canada STEAR Initiative (ACSI). Under ACSI, half the funds are provided by STEAR, while the balance is jointly funded by the federal Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Two other $50,000 STEAR contracts have been awarded under the ACSI funding formula (which also includes corporate contributions) to Instrumar Ltd. and Coretec Inc., both of St. John�s, for the following projects:

• Instrumar Ltd. has developed a unique sensor technology to alert airline pilots to the formation of ice, snow or liquids on their aircraft prior to take-off, a major cause of winter air crashes. The sensor system also has numerous potential applications to the Space Station, such as adding certain sensory capabilities to the Canadian-made robotic arms. The ACSI contract is to help the company convert its product to digital technology which would make the sensors smaller, lighter and easier to repair. It would also reduce the cost of manufacturing the aircraft ice sensors, allowing the company to maintain its international market advantage.
• Coretec Inc. has developed an "intelligent" guidance system for docking large ships in harbors and maneuvering through confined waterways. The ACSI contract is to help the company integrate its guidance system with ship controls, creating an automatic pilot requiring little or no intervention by a ship�s crew. The automated-guidance technology has direct applications to the operations of the Canadian-made robotic arms that will be used to construct and maintain the International Space Station. Two of the three ACSI projects will be selected for follow-on Phase II contracts worth $185,000 each plus corporate contributions, to build a prototype to prove the concept.

The CSA joins the other departments and agencies within the federal Industry Portfolio in showcasing Canadian innovation and achievement, and emphasizing the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to Canada's economy and quality of life.

Contact:

     Pierre Maltais                     Cathy Dornan        
     Manager STEAR Program              Office of the Premier         
     (514) 926-4459                     (709) 729-3570      
     pierre.maltais@space.gc.ca

     Bill Milliken                      Sylvie Cloutier
     Mr. Manley's Office                Canadian Space Agency
     (613) 995-9001                     (514) 926-4349
                                        sylvie.cloutier@space.gc.ca

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BACKGROUNDER: CANPOLAR
Project to give astronauts better vision in space

Canpolar East Inc. of St. John�s, with the assistance of the Canadian Space Agency, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, is developing a unique technology to enhance video images in extreme lighting conditions where there are also requirements for very clear pictures, one of the most persistent problems plaguing both astronauts in space and security camera systems on Earth.

In space, the lighting ranges from pitch blackness to blinding sunlight unfiltered in the absence of atmosphere, conditions which defy the normal capabilities of both the human eye and conventional video camera systems. (The problem is essentially a more extreme version of trying to drive your car - or take a picture - directly into the sun.) At the same time, space vision systems require high picture clarity for automated positioning of robotic systems.

For many years, researchers around the world have been trying to solve this vision problem, mainly by attempting to develop new imaging technology which could cope with extreme lighting conditions. Canpolar is taking a radically different approach with its planned Image Enhancement System (IES), focusing instead on developing computer software which would enhance the pictures received from a conventional video camera.

The computer-enhanced video system is ultimately intended to help astronauts operate the Canadian-made robotic arms which will be used to construct and maintain the International Space Station, the first modules of which are scheduled for launch late in 1997. The IES technology would give astronauts continuous visual surveillance outside the Space Station, regardless of extreme lighting conditions, as they perform various precision tasks with the robotic arms.

The same technology being developed for space vision also has a wide variety of potential Earth-based applications such as better security surveillance cameras which could operate in all lighting conditions, and the ability to enhance pictures beamed back from various spacecraft and orbiting satellites.

The objective of this joint initiative is to sponsor and promote the development of advanced technologies with potential space and Earth- based applications that will enhance the international competitiveness of Newfoundland and Labrador companies. Team members involved in the IES project include C-CORE, a private research organization at Memorial University in St. John�s.

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BACKGROUNDER: CORETEC
New guidance system aids ships at sea
and Canadian robotic arms in space

Maneuvering and docking ships in harbours, confined waterways, and pilotage waters is difficult, time-consuming, and potentially dangerous. Normal vessel operations are often complicated by winds, tides, currents, reduced visibility, and the approach of other ships.

CORETEC Inc. of St. John�s, has developed a unique "intelligent" navigation system, the Ship Predictor system (SPS). The SPS incorporates vessel characteristics, control parameters, and environmental conditions into advanced mathematical and artificial intelligence models. This information is used to generate high- precision prediction of the vessel's trajectory, heading, and speed for up to 20 minutes ahead of its present position.

CORETEC, in alliance with Control Advancements Inc. of Waterloo, Ontario, will further develop the SPS and incorporate in it, a course correction or "autopilot" capability for the ship. The SPS autopilot involves the development of remote sensor inputs, automation software and vessel control robotics. This phase is jointly sponsored by the Canadian Space Agency, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and CORETEC.

These unique technologies will be evaluated for applications in the Canadian Space Program. For instance, it may be possible to adapt the CORETEC "autopilot" technology for use in the large robotic arms currently being developed by Canadian companies for eventual installation aboard the future International Space Station.

The US Space Shuttles currently use a robotic manipulator arm (the "Canadarm") to extract and deploy large payloads (e.g. satellites). The International Space Station will utilize similar, but more advanced, manipulator systems to move payloads as large as a city bus, through the Space Station's cluttered environment. Just as the momentum of a large ship entering harbour precludes any sudden stops or turns, so too does a robotic arm need advance "thinking" capabilities to predict its path in order to move with pinpoint accuracy.

The eventual commercialization of the complete SPS autopilot for ships will enable CORETEC and its corporate partner, Control Advancements Inc. to preserve their competitive advantage in global markets, one of the primary industrial objectives of this joint initiative.

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BACKGROUNDER: CANPOLAR
Automated fish inspection system
may also keep an eye on spacecraft

Canpolar East Inc. of St. John�s, is developing a unique "smart" video surveillance system which can automatically inspect fish as fillets move along packing plant conveyor belts.

In a prototype system, images of each fish fillet passing along a conveyor are captured by a video scanner, converted to digital signals, and analysed by complex computer software which can distinguish the defects and other marks on the fish. The commercial version will automatically sort the affected fillets.

The system will offer improved quality control and lower costs by ensuring consistent inspection through automation. The project is being sponsored as part of a joint initiative to support and promote space- based technology development with Earth-based commercial applications. The Canpolar technology has the potential to both create significant global market opportunities for automated fish inspection and to enhance the international competitiveness of the Canadian fishery.

This same advanced image-analysis technology has numerous potential applications to the Canadian Space Program, and particularly to Canada�s role in the construction and maintenance of the International Space Station. For instance, it could be used for continuous surveillance of the exterior of the Space Station, automatically distinguishing different kinds of damage caused by colliding high-speed space particles.

The Canpolar East technology is being developed under a $1.5- million contract supported jointly by the Canadian Space Agency under its STEAR program ($500,000), and by PRECARN Associates Inc. ($1 million), a consortium of industry and government research organizations. Another $150,000 will be contributed under the Canada- Newfoundland Strategic Investment Industrial Development (SIID) Agreement between ACOA and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador while the project team members will contribute $508,000. In addition to Canpolar East, project members and contributors include the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation, the Fisheries Council of Canada, the Seafood Development Unit of the Marine Institute and C-CORE, a private research organization at Memorial University in St. John�s. ACOA has also provided a $396,000 working capital loan for the duration of the project.

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BACKGROUNDER: INSTRUMAR
New ice sensors for aircraft
could prevent fatal crashes

INSTRUMAR Ltd. of St. John�s, and its alliance partner, AlliedSignal Aerospace Canada, have developed a unique sensor technology, the Contaminant & Fluid Integrity Measuring System (C/FIMS). C/FIMS is an aircraft-based system for use on ground before take-off for the detection of ice, frost, and snow and for monitoring the effectiveness of the applied de/anti-icing fluids. This system has been developed in response to the concerns of airline operators and the aviation regulatory authorities for improved methods to ensure aircraft are safe for take-off during conditions of icing. The existing methods for detecting ice and for monitoring the conditions of the applied de/anti-icing fluids are manual only and are considered subjective.

C/FIMS has received Appliance-Type Approval from Transport Canada and is currently undergoing regulatory approval in the US

With the assistance of the Canadian Space Agency, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and AlliedSignal Aerospace Canada, INSTRUMAR is now assessing the next generation of the sensor technology to maintain the company�s international competitive advantage.

This development work will be applicable to INSTRUMAR's full range of tactile and proximity sensing applications with added application to the Canadian Space Program. For example, the same type of technology could add certain tactile and proximity sensing capabilities to the Canadian-made robotic arms to be used in the construction and operation of the International Space Station. The sensors may also have critical applications in monitoring liquid and gas flows in the spacecraft�s various on-board systems.

The focus of this project is to develop a new generation of sensors using digital interfaces, as opposed to the present analog technology, thus resulting in a product that will be smaller, lighter and easier to repair. Such capability will help INSTRUMAR maintain international, competitive advantage and will go a long way in assisting the commercialization of its various technologies, including C/FIMS, MPFM - a multi-phase flowmeter for the oil and gas industry, and D/FIMS - a fibre sensor that measures weight and finish in an on-line environment for the textile industry.

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BACKGROUNDER: CANPOLAR
Company develops "magic carpet"
to keep workers and astronauts safe

The Canadian Space Agency is sponsoring the Atlantic Canada team of Canpolar East Inc. of St. John�s, and Measurand Inc. of Fredericton, New Brunswick, to complete development of an innovative fibre optic textile product with hidden sensors that can detect contact. As a space-age carpet, it has widespread applications in the security industry and for industrial plant safety.

The product, called Kinotex, is designed to detect intruders stepping on it or touching valuables draped in a sheet of it. In industrial safety applications, mats made of Kinotex could be installed around dangerous machinery to trigger an automatic shut-down of the equipment - or prevent it from starting up - in the event workers accidentally stray hazardously close to the machinery.

Kinotex may also have numerous applications in the construction and operations of the International Space Station, the first modules of which are scheduled for launch in late 1997. Inside the spacecraft, for instance, Kinotex could be used to monitor and report accidental contact with sensitive equipment. Outside the Space Station, any kind of collision damage could be detected and monitored by a Kinotex covering on vital moving parts such as the Canadian robotic arms that will be used for construction and maintenance of the spacecraft.

The Kinotex project is being supported by the Canadian Space Agency under its STEAR program in keeping with the CSA�s mandate to sponsor and promote space-based technologies with Earth-based applications which enhance the international competitiveness of Canadian industrial products. Kinotex draws on fibre optic sensing technology developed by Measurand through a series of CSA contracts.

Canpolar East won the $600,000 contract under STEAR in competition with five other contractors from across Canada. Canpolar will contribute an additional $125,000 towards the project. Other team members include VE Technologies of St. John�s and C-CORE, a private research organization at Memorial University, also in St. John�s.

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BACKGROUNDER: STEAR
The STEAR Program

The STEAR Program, sponsored by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), was established to encourage Canadian companies, universities and research organizations to develop new robotics and automation technologies which have both commercial applications on Earth and the potential to become part of the future International Space Station.

With STEAR currently in the eighth year of its 11-year mandate, the CSA has awarded more than 150 contracts involving over 100 Canadian companies supported by about 50 universities and research organizations. To date, roughly 75 per cent of STEAR�s $51-million budget has been invested in the development of advanced technologies.

Most of the STEAR technology being developed has direct applications to the Mobile Servicing System, Canada�s main contribution to the Space Station. The highly automated system will consist primarily of robotic arms and manipulator hands, similar to the famed "Canadarm." Initially it will be used to help assemble the modules of the giant spacecraft, the first of which are due to be launched in late 1997. Later, the Canadian system will be used to maintain the exterior of the Space Station in order to minimize the amount of time astronauts will have to spend outside the spacecraft making repairs.

One of the primary objectives of the CSA is to sponsor and promote space-based technologies with potential Earth-based applications to enhance the international competitiveness of Canadian industry. The STEAR Program is therefore highly focused on the development of those technologies for the Space Station which also have potential commercial markets. In fact, all STEAR contractors are required to produce market assessments for each of the technologies being developed, along with detailed plans for introducing those products to the commercial marketplace.

STEAR contractors are also encouraged to form strategic alliances with potential end-users of the technology being developed in order to ensure the finished product meets the technical and market requirements for successful commercialization. The CSA makes available its Automation and Robotics Testbed laboratory facility in St. Hubert, Quebec for testing, evaluation and demonstrations of the technologies developed under the STEAR Program.

Following the completion of a contract, the STEAR Program manages the technology which has been developed. While the Crown maintains ownership of the new technology to ensure the CSA has access to it for government purposes, the company which developed it can acquire a sole licence from the government to commercialize the product without having to pay fees or royalties.

The STEAR Program promotes joint-venturing and collaborative efforts among Canadian companies, and between the private and public sectors. Most contracts require corporate contributions of varying proportion depending on the nature of the development project.

The Canadian Space Agency has also undertaken joint-funding initiatives with other agencies interested in advanced technology development, including provincial partners in Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Western Canada. In addition, the CSA has a joint-program with PRECARN Associates Inc., a consortium of industry and government research organizations.

The acronym STEAR stands for "Strategic Technologies for Automation and Robotics."