New Carleton research chair is dedicated to IoT

Nov. 11, 2015 – Carleton University and Cisco Canada have announced a $1.8-million grant over the next nine years to establish a Research Chair in Sensor Technology for the Internet of Things (IoT), appointing Dr. Mohamed Ibnkahla to the position.

Dr. Ibnkahla will be working at Carleton as a professor in the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering. The focus of his research is to develop new, innovative sensor networks and technologies for the IoT. Prior to joining Carleton, he was a professor at Queen’s University.

“This Research Chair underscores our longstanding relationship with Carleton University and together we recognize the countless opportunities the Internet of Things and sensor-based technologies hold for broadscale innovation in this digital age,” said Bernadette Wightman, president of Cisco Canada. “We look forward to Dr. Ibnkahla and his team joining our Cisco innovation community.”

“With this chair, Carleton and Cisco confirm a strong partnership dedicated to bringing the technology of the future to the service of society,” added Roseann O’Reilly Runte, president of Carleton University.

The IoT sensor solutions could apply to a variety of areas, including advanced manufacturing, food traceability, smart homes and buildings, intelligent transportation systems, and more. According to the parties, these solutions will help companies and industries improve bottom-line value by reducing costs while increasing efficiency and reliability.

“The Internet of Things has the power to establish intelligent cities that are culturally vibrant, healthy, environmentally conscious and well-governed,” noted Dr. Ibnkahla. “Today we connect with the Internet through our devices when we activate them. Tomorrow’s objects will connect with us, exchange information, support business processes and create knowledge.”

According to a Cisco study published in 2013, the IoT will drive $14.3 trillion of net value at stake globally over the next decade, with $400 billion in Canada alone. This value at stake is the potential bottom-line value that can be created, or that will migrate among private-sector companies and industries, based on their ability to harness IoT over the next few years.

Dr. Ibnkahla’s research has made “significant breakthroughs,” says Cisco, in the fields of sensor networks and wireless communications and he has been leading several collaborative projects with industry, academia and government.

At Carleton University, he will explore transforming advances in technologies into sensor solutions for the IoT, which will involve expertise in areas such as big data, cloud computing, sensor communication protocols, signal processing, and machine-to-machine and machine-to-people communications. With Cisco’s support, he hopes to apply the IoT in areas of manufacturing, energy, transportation, environment, and more.