Published by Communications and Public Affairs (519) 824-4120, Ext. 56982 or 53338
News Release
November 05, 1999
Prof wins grant to study telerobotics in Europe
University of Guelph Prof. John Zelek, School of Engineering, has received federal funding to jointly study telerobotics applications with counterparts at universities and research institutions in Poland.
The grant from the Going Global-Science and Technology with European Partners (STEP) program will enable Zelek to travel twice to Poland in the next six months to work with six researchers in Warsaw, Poznan and Wroclaw.
Administered by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, the STEP program helps Canadian universities establish research and development ventures with partner institutions in Europe.
Under the collaboration, Zelek and his new colleagues plan to investigate applications for telerobotic mobile systems in biomedical, environmental and remote transportation fields. Zelek, who studies dynamic vision and path planning, says mobile robots are needed in forestry, space, nuclear reactors, environmental disasters and industry.
"In order for the robot to successfully complete a set of tasks, it must dynamically adapt to changing environmental circumstances," he said.
Zelek will receive $3,500 initially and plans to apply for additional funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council to pay for exchanges of graduate students and for organizing symposiums.
Zelek has been studying telerobotics with U of G's Intelligent Systems Research Group.
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