Application of artificial intelligence in various fields and in the development of prototypes (machining, 3D printing and electronics).
The Centre for Expertise in Smart Prototyping (CEPI) is an applied research center at Collège La Cité that develops an array of prototypes for private companies. The Centre specializes in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and prototyping.
For artificial intelligence, CEPI has a highly qualified team of employees with doctorates and masters degrees in AI, who can provide state-of-the-art AI models and prototypes. The team uses a variety of algorithms in multiple fields, including computer vision, natural language processing (NLP), and data analysis. The team can use a common AI language and an Internet-standard AI platform, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, or Azure.
For prototyping, the Centre has access to state-of-the-art machining, 3D printing (polymer and metal), modeling, and simulation tools, among others.
The benefits of collaborating with CEPI are twofold: access to grants that can cover most of a project’s costs, and transfer of intellectual property (IP) developed by the team during a project to the company.
- Fabrication and mechanical assembly with CNC machine and 3D printing
- Precision machining and welding
- Intelligent manufacturing (additive and digital) with 3D printers
- Electronic prototyping
- Artificial intelligence prototyping
- Healthcare and social services
- Information and communication technologies and media
- Manufacturing and processing
- Professional and technical services (including legal services, architecture, engineering)
- Transportation
Specialized labs and equipment
| Specialized Lab | Equipment | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical workshop | GF Manufacturing Solutions P550 wire cutting EDM machine | Electrical discharge machining (EDM). High precision (± 0.0001 in). Easily cuts conductive materials with precision. |
| Haas UMC-750 5-axis CNC | Numerically controlled milling machine (CNC) 5-axis (X,Y,Z,B,C). High-precision subtractive machining. | |
| Haas TL-2 numerical control lathe | Manufacture cylindrical components. | |
| Printing area | Desktop Metal metal 3D printer | Bound metal deposition (BMD) 3D printing. Polymer is melted, powder is then fused through a sintering process. Materials used: stainless steel, Inconel 625, copper, Ti-6Al-4V (an alpha-beta titanium alloy). |
| Formlabs Form 3BL 3D printer | Stereolithography 3D printer (SLA). Prints structural, transparent, elastomer and biocompatible resins. | |
| UniverSTEM collaborative space | Nvidia graphics cards Jetson, Jetson Orin™ and Jetson Nano | Development kits with different capabilities to run modern AI workloads. |
| Stratasys F370 FDM 3D printer | Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). printing of structural polymers including filament reinforced by carbon fibre. | |
| 5 GHz capable spectrum analyzer | Analyze electromagnetic waves up to 7 GHz, such as 4G-5G communications. | |
| Meta Quest 2 Virtual Reality (VR) headsets | Virtual reality equipment for training purposes and to execute classroom projects. | |
| RobotLAB Pepper Robot | Develop AI and execute classroom projects. | |
| RobotLAB NAO Robot V6 | Develop AI and execute classroom projects. | |
| Hiwonder JetAuto ROS robot car | Develop AI and execute classroom projects. | |
| Modelling and simulation space | Mechanical simulation tools | Stresses and strains, motion, mass optimization, fluid flow and heat transfer. |
| Collège La Cité | DELL server with four (4) high-end graphics cards from Nvidia | Server with virtualized instances, graphics cards for advanced artificial intelligence. Designed for heavy compute AI workloads. |
Private and public sector research partners
- Northern Nanopore Instruments
- Plantaform
- Rosecape
Additional information
| Title | URL |
|---|---|
| La Cité’s Office of Research and Innovation’s projects and innovations. | https://www.collegelacite.ca/bri/projects-and-innovations |
| CEPI, an innovative center serving companies in AI and prototyping. (video) | https://youtu.be/wlzEicI0u08?si=CbCUWoZfHbss8D4r |