Windsor, ON: St. Clair College has received federal and provincial research grants to partner with Uni-Fab Inc., a Leamington based manufacturer of fabricated metal products. The research team will assist in designing and testing a prototype enhanced personal mobility device which the company intends to take to market in 2015 via a new venture called Able Motion.

Abe Fehr, President of Uni-Fab Inc. is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with St. Clair College and move the innovation forward. “Having the right research and testing done prior to going to the market is key when you’re launching a new product,” says Fehr. Fehr says he is pleased to have students involved in the process. “It is a great opportunity to put their academic training into practice and understand what the innovation and product development life cycle is all about.”

Scott O’Neil, Director, Applied Research and Development for St. Clair College, says the timing on this announcement is perfect. “This project will give faculty and students in our new Biomedical Engineering Technology program, which launches in September, the chance to engage in applied research in an area that compliments their studies,” says O’Neil. “This is exciting for the College as it signals a new era of research at St. Clair College which combines our expertise in both health sciences and advanced manufacturing.”

The College expects to have forty eight students enrolled in the new Biomedical Engineering Technology program starting in September and this will provide direct, hands-on experience for students that they would not otherwise have received. The students will be involved in design engineering and testing research on the prototype personal mobility device.

The research funding has come from three separate agencies via the Voucher for Innovation and Productivity program including the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP), and the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE),as well as a financial commitment from Uni-Fab.

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