The Faculty Recognition Reception honoured recipients of Teaching and Community Engagement Awards, Merit Awards and those granted Tenure. Hosted by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic), the event marked an occasion to celebrate the achievements of some of UM’s dedicated faculty members.

Congratulations to all the honorees:

Dr. and Mrs. H. H. Saunderson Award for Excellence in Teaching (2023)

• Bruno Dyck (I.H. Asper School of Business)

University of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association (UMGSA) Teaching Award (2023)

• Youngjin Cha (Price Faculty of Engineering)

Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Campbell Outreach Award 

• 2022 – Hee Jung Serenity Joo (Faculty of Arts)
• 2023 – Randy Herrmann (Price Faculty of Engineering)

Annual Community Engagement Award (2024)

• Polina Anang (Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Science)
• Julien Arino (Faculty of Science)
• Jacquie Dawson (Desautels Faculty of Music)
• Adam Muller (Faculty of Graduate Studies)
• Janine Newton Montgomery (Faculty of Arts)
• Brandi Smith (Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management)
• Katinka Stecina (Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Science)
• Mario Tenuta (Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences)
• Shirley Thompson (Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources)
• Heather Watson (Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Science)
• Andrew Woolford (Faculty of Arts)
• Carla Zelmer (Faculty of Science)

Community Engagement Fund Award (2023)

• Shawna Ferris (Faculty of Arts)
• Zana Lutfiyya (Arthur V. Mauro Institute for Peace & Justice, St. Paul’s College)
• Emily McKinnon (Access & Aboriginal Focus Program, Extended Education)
• Victoria Sparks (Desautels Faculty of Music)

Merit Award (2022)

Each year, Merit Awards are awarded to faculty members for their outstanding achievements in teaching, research, scholarly work and creative activities, and service in three different categories. View the 2022 recipient list here.

Tenure (2024)

• Kjell Anderson (Faculty of Law)
• Devi Atukorallaya (Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Science)
• Yik Au (I. H. Asper School of Business) 
• Nandika Bandara (Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences)
• Denice Bay (Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Science)
• Lori Blondeau (School of Art)
• Cara Brown (College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Science)
• Leo Butler (Faculty of Science)
• Amine Choukou (College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Science)
• Susan Cooper (Faculty of Science)
• Andrew Deruchie (Desautels Faculty of Music)
• Philip Ferguson (Price Faculty of Engineering)
• Julia Gamble (Faculty of Arts)
• Aleeza Gerstein (Faculty of Science)
• Jason Gibbs (Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences)
• Colin Gilmore (Price Faculty of Engineering)
• Jesse Hajer (Faculty of Arts)
• Sarah Hannan (Faculty of Arts)
• Cameron Hauseman (Faculty of Education)
• Mohammad Khan (Faculty of Social Work)
• Bradley Klus (Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Science)
• Christian Kuss (Faculty of Science)
• RJ Leland (Faculty of Arts)
• Xihui (Larry) Liang (Price Faculty of Engineering)
• Robert Martin (Faculty of Science)
• Neil Minuk (Faculty of Architecture)
• Hee Mok Park (I. H. Asper School of Business)
• Jeremy Patzer (Faculty of Arts)
• Leslie Roos (Faculty of Arts)
• Soodeh Saberian (Faculty of Arts)
• Ben Schellenberg (Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management)
• Jillian Seniuk Cicek (Price Faculty of Engineering)
• Tanveer Sharif (Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Science)
• Olivia Wilkins (Faculty of Science)

The year associated with each award differs due to the timeframe of program. Learn more about the awards on the Faculty Awards webpage.

The tool, a “smart glove” called iManus, was developed by Dr. Amine Choukou, associate professor at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, along with Tactile Robotics, a local start-up housed at the UM Smartpark at Fort Garry campus.

The light plastic glove, outfitted with multiple sensors, is attached to a patient’s hand and works via Bluetooth and a smartphone app to connect in real time with a therapist virtually in any location. On their mobile device, the patient can see their therapist as well as a computerized image of their hand and the movements they are doing. On the other end, the therapist sees more detailed hand movements and can download a report that provides detailed measurements such as the range of motion of each finger and the wrist.

“The finger sensors pick up the flexion of the fingers and the other sensors pick up the orientation of the device in the room,” Müller said. This enables the platform to automatically calculate the performance of the patient.

The app, he noted, comes with nearly 100 different exercises that clinicians can customize to the patient’s progress. Additionally, the app features video demonstrations of how each exercise should look.

It also includes an in-app texting feature that Müller qualitatively analyzed. This feature allows for direct SMS-like conversations between the patient and therapist.

“It actually works better,” Choukou said. “Normally you’d have to wait a week, or however long, until you see your therapist in person to tell them about problems you are having with your exercises, and by then you might forget. Here, you can text right away. It’s a real-time discussion with your therapist.”

Following a single subject trial and assessment of technical reliability, Choukou said the next step is larger-scale clinical testing, pending funding availability, so the technology can be commercialized.

The studies so far have been focused on people who have had strokes, but the technology can also be used for those who’ve had hand injuries or have illnesses like Parkinson’s or diabetes.

While on a 12-week scholarship from Mitacs, a national training and resource organization, Müller tested the reliability of the glove’s values and measurements, while also observing clinical testing, which was performed by Jasem Banihani, a graduate student in the M.Sc. in Rehabilitation Sciences program at UM.

Müller has been impressed with the technology, which he says aligns with his goal of using biomedical technology to help people with mobility and sensory issues.

“My grandma had a stroke 20 years ago and still has problems moving her upper limbs and doesn’t get out of the house,” he said. “I remember this one time before I started my studies and I was on a hiking trip with my dad and we went up a mountain and I saw this beautiful panorama. I thought ‘I can do this, but what about people like my grandma who can’t anymore?’ That motivated me throughout my studies to develop technologies that help people move and experience nature again.”

The project is one of 17 in Canada that received a combined $800,000 from the organizations to develop new technology-enabled solutions to improve the lives of older Canadians from diverse populations.

Dr. Amine Choukou, associate professor of occupational therapy (OT) at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, and Margaret Hart, Ininiw Scholar in the OT department, are leading the project in Pimicikamak Cree Nation (PCN).

The plan is to develop digital health approaches for the elderly in PCN, located in Cross Lake, about eight hours north of Winnipeg, that can then be used as a roadmap for other First Nations in Canada. The solutions could be existing or newly developed, depending on the community’s needs as expressed by the Elders and tech literacy.

“We first need to understand the needs of the community to see what technologies elderly people and their families use now and what they can use in the future to access information to make the best health decisions. Then we can develop digital health solutions accordingly,” Choukou said.

Potential solutions include social media and more advanced technology, such as telepresence robots, a remote-controlled computer, tablet or smartphone-controlled interactive device. The robot could be outfitted with a video-camera, screen, speakers and microphones to help the individual interact with its operator – often a family caregiver – and the operator can simultaneously view what the robot is “seeing” and “hearing.”

“We installed a telepresence robot at the new health centre in PCN and will be using it at community meetings to show how we have enabled telerehab and telehealth in general,” Choukou said.

Choukou and Hart applied for funding after meeting with the community’s health director to get their endorsement for the initiative, create momentum and engagement and receive ethics approval.

“We must work from the local level first to develop processes, ethics and protocols as defined by community. Rooting traditional knowledge systems and customary laws is reconciliation in practice,” said Hart, who grew up in Pimicikamak.

The researchers’ next step is to hire a community health worker. “Having someone from the community who speaks Ininimowin is an essential part of the project. All our Elders speak their original language,” Hart said.

Dr. Jacquie Ripat, associate dean, research, College of Rehabilitation, speaks at the opening of the smart suite at Health Sciences Centre.

The Jetsons’ like kitchen – featuring height-adjustable counters and kitchen appliances that can be controlled using a mobile app – will be used to assess kitchen ergonomics for clients that support aging in place and safe and independent living.

The 850 sq. ft. smart suite also features two bathrooms designed to demonstrate flexible options for accessibility and a bedroom where appliances and electronics can be controlled independently through voice or remote switches.

At the official opening, Dr. Peter Nickerson, vice-provost (health sciences) and dean, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, said the facility will give students and faculty in the College of Rehabilitation Sciences enhanced learning and research opportunities.

“This state-of-the-art smart suite has been years in the making, and I know throughout the conceptual, design and building processes there has been a great deal of support and input from many stakeholders and partners,” Nickerson said.

“On a Rady Faculty level, the dean’s office was pleased to offer $440,000 to support this important endeavour and work with the College of Rehabilitation Sciences to open this innovative space.”

(Left to right) Dr. Jacquie Ripat, associate dean, research, College of Rehabilitation Sciences; Dr. Peter Nickerson, vice-provost (health sciences) and dean, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences; Dr. Reg Urbanowski, dean, College of Rehabilitation Sciences; Steve Friesen, a dealer development representative for Decor Cabinets; Dr. Amine Choukou, associate professor of occupational therapy, College of Rehabilitation Sciences; and Eric Koskie, a recent occupational therapy graduate. A telepresence robot is in front.

Nickerson also praised the college’s commitment to technology-enhanced care initiatives, including the development of telepresence robots, one of which has been incorporated into the suite.

“This technology revolution is enabling rehabilitation scientists to come to the forefront and lead many of the things that will provide a higher quality of life for the patients they are serving.”

The suite is located at HSC’s rehabilitation hospital, on the same floor as some of the college’s other research and training facilities.

“Recreating this accessible living space provides an unparalleled opportunity for occupational, physical and respiratory therapy learners and researchers to look at ways to advance their clients’ independence through tele-presence, tele-monitoring and assisted living technologies,” said Dr. Reg Urbanowski, dean, College of Rehabilitation Sciences.

“This has created possibilities to think broader and that’s what excites me about the future.”

Urbanowski acknowledged and thanked Decor Cabinets, the Morden, Man.-based company that supplied the adjustable kitchen cabinets for the suite and pointed to their private-public partnership as a “huge success.”

Steve Friesen, a dealer development representative for Decor Cabinets, said seeing the project come to fruition after five years and through a pandemic was inspiring.

“It’s going to change people’s lives. Not only will it change the lives of people who come and get assessed in this facility, but it might blaze the way for more opportunities for businesses to collaborate with universities in the future,” Friesen said.

Maribel Abrenica, office manager, College of Rehabilitation Sciences, demonstrates the adjustable bedside table.

Eric Koskie, a recent occupational therapy graduate who now works in the assistive technology program at HSC, said the smart suite will allow him to show clients the possibilities they have in the community to enhance their daily living.

“The adjustable cabinets are awesome because I think for people who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids, it will allow them to better position themselves to do their dishes and laundry and things like that,” he said.

He also said it would provide great training for students.

“It will give them the opportunity to see the latest technology that is discussed in class in person and consolidate that learning.”

The smart suite is already being used for training for rehabilitation sciences students. In the coming weeks, clinicians will start working with clients for specialized technology assessments. The college is also using the suite to host interdisciplinary collaborations aimed at generating innovative research for new home-based technology concepts and solutions.

Dr. Jacquie Ripat, associate dean, research in the college said an occupational therapist is collaborating on a project with UM Faculty of Architecture researchers utilizing the smart suite. They are working with older adults assessing counter heights, environments and functions to make kitchens safer for them to use, so they can continue to live in their homes longer.

View CTV’s coverage of the smart suite opening: video and article. 

The Canadian Mother-Child Collaborative Training Platform (CAMCCO-L) received more than $2.5 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to launch the project. CAMCCO-L is one of 13 interdisciplinary teams from across the country to receive CIHR funding through its new initiative called the Health Research Training Platform.

“It’s very exciting,” said Dr. Sherif Eltonsy, assistant professor at the College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, and one of CAMCCO-L’s principal applicants and the Manitoba site lead. “It’s something we’ve worked hard to get and we’re thrilled to be one of the teams that were funded. I’m excited for the next steps.”

The training platform is led by Anick Berard from the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, which is affiliated with the University of Montreal.

CAMCCO-L will provide year-long training in the areas of pharmacogenomics, pharmacoepidemiology, toxicology and artificial intelligence. The initiative will offer 10 bursaries each year for its four-month summer school. The bursaries are in collaboration with universities in Montreal, France, Spain and Brazil, and will cover travel costs to those locations.  

CAMCCO-L will include a standardized curriculum with modules in equity, diversity and inclusion, sex and gender, hands-on virtual and in-person training, and professional development.

“The main goal is to provide early career researchers and trainees with new skills to make them experts in their fields. It will also help us retain qualified researchers,” Eltonsy said. “You could be a pharmacoepidemiologist who is interested in machine learning, but also would love to learn more about how pharmacogenomics can help.”

In addition to the summer school, online training will be provided to even more early career researchers and trainees than the 10 bursary recipients.

“Mentors will be able to link with mentees,” Eltonsy said. “This experience wouldn’t have been possible without this program.”

Two more Rady Faculty of Health Sciences professors are involved in CIHR Health Research Training Platform projects. Dr. Amine Choukou, assistant professor of occupational therapy at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, is part of a team working on a national platform that’s focused on the delivery of technology for older Canadians with complex health needs and their caregivers. And Dr. Richard Keijzer, Thorlakson Chair in Surgical Research and director of research for the surgery department of the Max Rady College of Medicine, belongs to a team that’s developing a platform that will offer dedicated training, personalized mentorship and experiential opportunities for Canadian research trainees and early career researchers focused on improving the health and well-being of parents, children and families.

Thirteen interdisciplinary teams across Canada will receive approximately $2.4 million each in funding through a new initiative called the Health Research Training Platform. Researchers will receive training and development opportunities to build Canada’s research capacity in several areas, including women’s health, dementia, kidney disease, diabetes and the mental health of LGBTQ/2S populations.

Participants will conduct research while receiving extensive mentorship and training that goes beyond what standard research training programs usually offer, including diverse and inclusive research, such as respecting Indigenous Ways of Knowing, sex- and gender-based considerations in research and recognizing unconscious bias.

“At CIHR, we care deeply about strengthening Canadian health research capacity, and we cannot do this without enhancing training and career support for the next generation of health researchers,” stated CIHR president Dr. Michael Strong.

Faculty members from the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences are playing roles in two of the projects funded through the new initiative.

Dr. Amine Choukou, assistant professor of occupational therapy at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, is the prairie lead of a national platform that is focused on the delivery of technology for older Canadians with complex health needs and their caregivers.

Led by Alex Mihailidis at the University of Toronto, the Early Professionals, Inspired Careers in AgeTech (EPIC-AT) platform will provide one-year fellowships to at least 127 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and early career researchers at Canadian institutions from 2022-2027.

The platform is an extension of the EPIC training program at AGE-WELL, a Canadian network focused on improving the quality of life for older adults and caregivers through technology. That program has educated and supported over 1,000 trainees at various levels since 2015, including Choukou when he was a postdoctoral fellow at Laval University.

“EPIC-AT will provide mentorship and support to both early career researchers and trainees working on technology for aging well,” Choukou said.

Participants will be equipped to develop, implement and evaluate digital technology solutions across areas such as information and communication technologies, telemedicine, artificial intelligence, sensors, smart environments, robotics and wearables.

“These solutions will help older Canadians age safely, independently and with dignity in the setting of their choice,” Choukou said.

Dr. Richard Keijzer, Thorlakson Chair in Surgical Research and director of research for the surgery department of the Max Rady College of Medicine, is part of a project being led by Dr. Susan Samuel at the University of Calgary that brings together 16 Canadian pediatric academic health centres, affiliated universities, research groups and networks focused on child health

The team is developing a national training and mentoring platform called Empowering Next generation Researchers In perinatal and Child Health (ENRICH). The platform will offer dedicated training, personalized mentorship, and experiential opportunities for Canadian research trainees and early career researchers focused on improving the health and well-being of mothers, fathers, infants, children, youth and families.

“We brought together multiple groups for a total of 193 collaborators – including 11 from the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences – who are all going to work on this together transnationally,” said Keijzer, who is also a researcher with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba.

He noted there will be different levels of training for approximately 30 to 40 trainees each year, as well as a learning management system that can be accessed by anyone interested.

“We really wanted to make this available to anyone in child health,” Keijzer said.

Both platforms will also emphasize recruitment and training of undergraduates and PhD trainees from underrepresented minorities.

A telepresence robot is a remote-controlled computer, tablet or smartphone-controlled robot, which may include a video-camera, screen, speakers and microphones. This helps the person interacting with the robot to view and hear its operator – often a family caregiver – and the operator can simultaneously view what the robot is “seeing” and “hearing.”

Over 1,500 names were submitted from across the province in a month-long contest held by the three organizations, who each selected five winners. The contest was promoted heavily on various social media platforms, reaching thousands and thousands of Manitobans and beyond.

“We were honoured to receive so many creative and heartfelt ideas from Manitobans of all ages,” said VGHF executive director Charlene Rocke.

Rocke said names were chose to represent the role these telepresence robots would play in the lives of families and in advancing innovation in the province.

“These robots will bring companionship and hope to individuals living with dementia and caregivers in need of support, so we immediately connected to ‘Buddy’ and ‘Hope’ as two of our favourite names.”

Judi Bahl, manager of strategic partnerships at Research Manitoba, said the selection process wasn’t easy, given the significant response.

“There were so many personal or ‘made in Manitoba’ stories that resonated with our team, which made it extremely hard to narrow the overwhelming number of choices down,” she said. “Our organization chose five names that convey power and strength, recognize the community effort and passion associated with the caregivers and family members these robots are meant to support and help, and connect to our commitment to advance research in Manitoba.”

Bahl said one of her favourite names was ‘Koda.’

“The contestant stated that Koda means ‘little bear’ in Cree and noted that bears are strong, smart and protective, which makes this is a perfect name for one of the telepresence robots,” she said.

Dr. Amine Choukou, assistant professor of occupational therapy, said the chosen names had to be easy to remember or relate to the telepresence robot’s ability to provide companionship for the people of Manitoba in need for such innovation. 

“I liked the name ‘OLIVE’ because it stands for ‘Online Live Interaction Video Experience.’ It helps explain what the robot does, but it’s also a name that sounds friendly and relatable,” he said.

Choukou is co-leading the two-year project for UM with Dr. Reg Urbanowski, dean of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences.

Urbanowski noted the robots will help people in the community living with dementia, who often require support from informal caregivers.

“Some caregivers sacrifice so much to take care of their loved ones,” Urbanowski said. “We anticipate these robots will help them live healthier, more balanced lives.”

The full list of winners is:

Buddy – Patricia Alison, Winnipeg

Hope – Rebecca Buchanan, Winnipeg

Vic – Melinda Sasek, Winnipeg

Robbie – Barbara Somerville, Winnipeg

Toba – Dea Barrio, Winnipeg

RoSIGMA – Amani Heni, Winnipeg

Spock – Marilyn Kendall, Winnipeg

Winnie – Kathy Watson, Carman

Trakster – Kathy Trakalo, Winnipeg

OLIVE – Richard  Pua, Winnipeg

Ally – Cindy Gach, Winnipeg

Koda – Terry Haluik, Winnipeg

Link – Kate Jaworski, Winnipeg

Mani – Vrunda Patel, Winnipeg

Dakota – Lori Ranta Rodrigues, Winnipeg

Dr. Amine Choukou has been awarded the Gerry McDole Professorship in Improved Healthcare Delivery to Rural, Remote and Underserved Populations of Manitoba.

The professorship, funded by AstraZeneca Canada, will enable Choukou to develop and test a VR-based rehabilitation program to help stroke survivors rebuild their physical and cognitive abilities. 

“A person in a rural or remote community who is recovering after a stroke typically has to travel for rehabilitation appointments,” said Choukou, assistant professor of occupational therapy at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.

“We believe that rural stroke survivors will benefit from guided rehabilitation sessions in a virtual-reality environment. They can do this in their own homes, with a VR headset and laptop computer that we will supply. Community volunteers will help the stroke survivors with the technology at each session. The yoga movements will be in a sitting or standing position.”

The Gerry McDole Professorship, valued at $50,000 per year, is presented to a new faculty member in the Rady Faculty for research in health service delivery or health policy development and offered for a three-year term.

It is supported through a generous endowment created by AstraZeneca Canada Inc. in honour of Gerry McDole [B.Sc./60] on his retirement as president of the company in 2003. The professorship continues to pay tribute to McDole, a former Manitoban who understood the unique challenges of delivering health care to rural and remote populations.

“I’m pleased to congratulate Dr. Choukou,” said Dr. Neil Maresky, vice president – scientific affairs of AstraZeneca Canada. “The road of recovery and rehabilitation following a stroke can be incredibly challenging for patients, particularly those who don’t have ready access to support services. Dr. Choukou’s research into VR-based rehabilitation has great potential to support stroke patients and a health-care system that is stretched.”

Dr. Reg Urbanowski, dean of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, also congratulated the professor. “This well-deserved honour recognizes Dr. Choukou’s leading-edge use of technology to help people maintain their independence in their own homes and reduce the burden on family caregivers,” Urbanowski said.

DR. AMINE CHOUKOU

Choukou’s overall research focus is on digital technologies to help people with cognitive challenges or rehabilitation needs connect with off-site caregivers. These technologies range from robots that are remotely controlled by caregivers to sensors built into an apartment to detect when a resident needs help.

The professor says other researchers have tested VR games for stroke recovery, but he believes his is the first study to explore post-stroke VR yoga training. In a lab at UM, Choukou’s team will create the 3D virtual environment that participants will experience.

The 12-week pilot study, expected to start in the fall of 2021, is a randomized controlled trial. Choukou’s team will recruit 60 participants who are discharged to their homes after having a stroke. Twenty of these will be rural or First Nation residents who will make up the VR group. The remaining 40 participants will be assigned to a control group and a comparison group in Winnipeg.

March of Dimes Canada, a not-for-profit organization that provides services to stroke survivors and caregivers through its After Stroke program, will help facilitate the study.

Three times per week, participants in the rural/remote group will be guided through a one-hour session consisting of 20 minutes of VR-based yoga for upper limb recovery, 20 minutes of yoga led via Skype for the lower limbs and balance, and 20 minutes of VR-based memory training.

“We expect to see improvement in participants’ arm and hand function, balance and mobility, and cognitive performance,” Choukou said. “We also predict reduced frailty and fewer falls.”

The research project received $360,000 in funding from a new partnership between Research Manitoba and the Victoria General Hospital Foundation (VGHF) announced Sept. 24 during World Alzheimer’s Month.

A telepresence robot is a remote-controlled computer, tablet or smartphone-controlled robot, which may include a video-camera, screen, speakers and microphones. This helps the person interacting with the robot to view and hear its operator and the operator can simultaneously view what the robot is “seeing” and “hearing.”

People living with dementia in the community often require support from informal caregivers, usually family members who need a constant connection to their loved one while maintaining a career, home and social life.

“Telepresence robots provide an effective solution for minimizing the burden on informal caregivers of people living with dementia,” said Dr. Reg Urbanowski, dean of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences. “There are different kinds of telepresence robots, but the kind proposed here provides two-way communication for the caregiver and the person they are caring for when the caregiver is out-of-home, which could help them maintain a career, home and family life.” 

Urbanowski is co-leading the project with Dr. Amine Choukou, assistant professor of occupational therapy, who held a demonstration of the first telepresence robot to be used in the project for media and invited guests at the Miracle Garden outside Victoria General Hospital.

“The idea, very basically, is a lot like teleconferencing without requiring its user to answer a call. You can make a call see, hear, talk, interact, and go anywhere,” Choukou said. He noted the caregiver can control the movements of the robot via a smartphone or computer, following the person with dementia around the home and even taking pictures.

“And if I am the person with dementia, I can see my family member or caregiver calling me on the screen and hear their voice. I also know they will be helping me get the robot back to the charging station, I don’t need to think about it,” he said.

The college will be looking at different robots with different functions and capabilities over the two year project, with the goal of supplying 15 robots to VGHF.

“The ability to leverage capabilities and funding to support not just one but several health-related projects that advance [VGHF’s] research aspirations under one agreement is a great example of how this program can maximize benefits for Manitobans,” Sean McKay, interim CEO of Research Manitoba, said at the event.

Urbanowski noted that over the next two years, his research team will be supported by Alzheimer’s Society of Manitoba, Manitoba Association of Seniors Centres, UM faculty from rehabilitation sciences, computer science and business, and an international network of researchers, including some from the Netherlands and Switzerland.

“Over the next two years, with this robot or one like it, we will see how we can help people with dementia lead more meaningful and engaged lives in their community,” he said. “We have technology that we can use to be innovative in the way we reach out and support people.”

Conference co-chair Dr. Amine Choukou said there were challenges with moving the event online in terms of keeping keynote speakers, presenters and attendees engaged at the same level as they normally would have been.

“People participate in the conference for connection and networking. Switching it to online just put a barrier in front of all the interactivity one can have in-person,” said Choukou, an assistant professor in the college’s occupational therapy department. “But so many international events were just cancelled, and we were surprised by the reaction of people to the current situation. Many emailed the organizing committee to get more information leading up to the conference.”

Choukou said this year’s conference was built on the idea of bridging the gaps between engineering and health sciences, with presentations from computer sciences, robotics, sport and neuro-rehabilitation.

There were 27 presentations in total from universities and technology companies across Canada, the U.S., Asia and Europe. Ten of the presentations were affiliated with UM, including three led by Choukou and his teams at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences. His projects included one that aims to benefit the safety of patients with dementia and another that looks at using a real-time sensory system to record and monitor a person’s motion during physical rehabilitation.

All presentations are now published in Association for Computing Machinery’s International Conference Proceedings Series. The conference awarded cash prizes to three presentations, two from Japan and one based at UM.

Prototype of the “smart utensil” built by Zuoyi Zhang’s team at UM’s HCI lab.

First place was awarded to a project led by Masato Sekine from Joshibi University of Art and Design in Tokyo, which looked at sensors and smart materials being used to expand the function of clothing as a form of non-verbal communication. The sensors, Sekine said, could be used to determine the stress level of the wearer.

Second place went to a project on augmenting human thermoregulation using shape changing clothes by a team led by Haoran Xie from the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

Third place recognized a project led by Zuoyi Zhang, a M.Sc. student from UM’s Human-Computer Interaction Lab, which demonstrated a “smart utensil” for detecting food-pick-up gesture and amount while eating. Zhang said the device is designed to raise the awareness of one’s eating habits, helping fast eaters eat at a healthier rate.

“High eating speeds can lead to serious health problems, such as elevated risk of obesity. In contrast, studies show that a reduced eating rate is associated with improved health,” he said.

Keynote speakers inspire

The event was anchored by presentations from two renowned keynote speakers, Wei Li, director of Huawei Canada’s human interaction lab in Toronto, and Dr. Rory A. Cooper, a professor with the University of Pittsburgh’s rehabilitation science and technology department.

Dr. Rory A. Cooper speaks from his home in Pittsburgh.

Li discussed the evolution of smart devices and the development of new technologies that use human movement to control devices like smartphones and smart TVs. “The idea is we try to provide the most natural remote control experience without the remote control,” he said.

Cooper, who was paralyzed from the waist down while serving in the U.S. military in 1980, shared some of the advanced mobility devices and assistive technologies he’s developed since working in rehabilitation sciences, including a smartphone app to control power wheelchair seating and “intelligent bed technology” that can weigh people in bed and measure their sleep quality.

“I like the title of this conference about ‘augmented humans’ because that’s really what I am. I’m a wheelchair user, I use eyeglasses, I have an adapted vehicle and an adapted home,” he said. “All of us use smartphone technologies, and in a way that makes us [all] augmented humans.”

Video highlights of the conference are available through the Rehabilitation Technologies Lab.