International attention for UOIT Engineering students' award-winning automatic door opening mechanism design

As part of their Capstone Design course, the team, comprised of recent engineering graduates Mark Bernacki, Ben Fagan, Mike MacLeod and Matt Van Wieringen, designed an innovative automatic door opening mechanism that stores energy in the form of compressed air each time the door is manually opened, subsequently using the stored energy for assisted automatic openings. The door remains functional during emergency situations or power loss, which is extremely beneficial for people who rely on automatic doors as part of an accessible community, and is also energy-efficient since it does not rely on electricity for operation.

"We are extremely pleased with the success of our project," said MacLeod, a Manufacturing Engineering graduate and currently a lab specialist in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at UOIT. "I am happy to have had the opportunity to work with an excellent team and collaborate with world-class professors. It's a rewarding experience to develop an idea that could greatly impact communities - and it's good for the environment too."

The prototype won first place at the UOIT Capstone Design competition, an internal competition, in the fall of 2007 and one of the judges suggested the team pursue a patent for their design. Taking the judge's advice, the team approached Dr. Mike Szarka, manager of UOIT's Office of Technology Transfer and Commercialization (OTTC), and with his guidance and assistance, patent submissions for the design were completed in November 2007 in both the United States and Canada.

"Research projects at UOIT continue to gain international recognition and this innovative design is a wonderful example of the outstanding work conducted on campus every day," said Dr. Szarka. "The OTTC is committed to assisting our students and faculty in turning their ideas into real solutions that benefit society. We look forward to working with industry to commercialize this product and bring it to market."

Since the prototype does not use electricity, an electrician is not required for installation and the inexpensive pneumatic components make the door opener competitive in price to electric systems. The design is the same size as electric mechanisms and can easily replace existing ones.

The team was recognized with a second-place finish in the Minerva Canada James Ham Safe Design Awards contest, which they entered on the suggestion of their supervising professor, Dr. Remon Pop-Iliev, an associate professor of Mechanical Engineering with the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada-General Motors of Canada Chair in Innovative Design Engineering .

In addition, they were selected as one of two teams to represent Canada at Talente 2008, an annual international competition aimed to promote young people with a particular talent in applied arts and technology and their inventions. The competition was held in early March, in Munich, Germany. The team then displayed the prototype in April at the annual Industrial Accident Prevention Association conference in Toronto, followed by the Ontario Centre of Excellence Discovery conference in Toronto in May.

Currently the OTTC is seeking partners from industry interested in supporting commercial development of the door design and licence or purchase the patents.

 "I am extremely proud of these students," said Dr. Pop-Iliev. "Their innovative design is another affirmation of the valuable hands-on research opportunities that students are exposed to at UOIT. Our students have many opportunities to work on projects that have great potential for society."

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About UOIT

As an innovative university, UOIT delivers a leading-edge learning environment that uniquely combines academic knowledge, research opportunities, hands-on skills and a vibrant student life. UOIT's 5,000 students are taught by professors who are experts in their fields from around the world. As Ontario's first laptop-based university, the university offers a diverse array of challenging undergraduate and graduate degree programs through its faculties of Business and Information Technology; Criminology, Justice and Policy Studies; Education; Energy Systems and Nuclear Science; Engineering and Applied Science; Health Sciences; and Science. UOIT's commitment to research excellence has resulted in millions of dollars in grants and awards, including five Canada Research Chairs. To find out more, visit www.uoit.caor call 905.721.8668.

About Ontario Tech University
A modern, forwarding-thinking university, Ontario Tech advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. We inspire and equip our students and our graduates to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world. For us, it’s not only about developing the next tech breakthrough. Understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology differentiates us as university. Learn more at ontariotechu.ca.

Media contact
Melissa Levy
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.8668 ext. 2513
melissa.levy@uoit.ca