Distributed Digital Intelligence Network (D2IN): Development of disruptive and low-cost microsystems for edge computing

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Government of Quebec are co-funding this projet with a total value of $16.9 million. Today, we present this project led by Professors Sylvain G. Cloutier, Georges  Kaddoum and Ghyslain Gagnon.

Researchers in the “Distributed Digital Intelligence Network (D2IN): Development of disruptive and low-cost microsystems for edge computing” believe that edge computing could be an alternative to the current artificial intelligence model that centralizes data in cloud computing and is supported by a high-performance telecommunications network, such as 5G and 5G+.

To do so, they want to develop hardware and firmware designed for edge computing, including advanced sensors, embedded systems integrating artificial intelligence and new telecommunications signals. They also want to design energy-efficient, low-cost, small-scale technology solutions that will benefit not only the information and communications technology (ICT) market, but also society as a whole by making these solutions less polluting and more accessible.

In addition to the ÉTS, the network will include four other partner universities: The Université de Sherbrooke, McGill and Concordia Universities, and the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). At the ÉTS, researchers Georges Kaddoum, Sylvain Cloutier and Ghyslain Gagnon, all from the Department of Electrical Engineering, will be working on this project. 

The CFI and the Government of Quebec jointly contributed $3,2 million to the ÉTS to finance the acquisition of state-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment which will be used to carry out this project, the total value of which is $16.9 million.