MIT’s Remote-control Robot System Puts VR to Work

MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) has come up with a use for virtual reality headsets that goes beyond firing them up, checking out a new game, muttering “cool” briefly after 5 minutes of use and then putting them back in the closet: Controlling robots remotely for manufacturing jobs. Read more.

Construction Industry ‘Particularly Vulnerable to Cybercrime,’ Northbridge Warns

Large and small construction contractors are vulnerable to cyber crime, with “smart” building devices and lucrative engineering drawings in particular presenting vulnerabilities, Northbridge Insurance warns. Read more.

Three Ways Today’s Research Will Improve Bridges of the Future

There’s little question that the country’s infrastructure needs more investment, and its bridges are no exception. But successfully implementing the necessary monitoring, repairs and other upgrades requires more than money. The strategic application of new materials, effective construction techniques and comprehensive data capture are just a few of the tactics engineers today are using to increase bridges’ lifespans. Read more.

New Industrial Centre Rises from Construction Debris

The new, $350-million Richmond Industrial Centre, spread over 170 acres off Blundell Road, is rising up on the remains of construction debris. It was made possible through a unique arrangement with the B.C. Ministry of Environment, the City of Richmond and a development company. When built out, the city will see a once degraded site return to its natural setting reflecting the native vegetation found around the Fraser River. Read more.

Five Futuristic Ways to Pave Roads

From cracks to potholes, there’s a lot that could go wrong with roads as time goes on. While some places are confronting these headaches by simply reverting back to gravel roads, other cities are open to trying out new ideas from scientists and engineers. And in 2017, there are a lot of those going around. Whether the goal is to patch streets up more efficiently or harness them for greater public good, here are the road-transforming ideas you should know. Read more.

Cannabis and Construction: Contractors and Unions Getting Ready

If the repercussions from the legalization of cannabis by next July 1 are already preoccupying certain workplaces, the topic is of particular interest to areas of work in which health and security questions are omnipresent, such as construction sites. Read more.

Contest Seeks Transformational Projects to Boost Canadian Economy

The corridors that have come to define Canada are hardly relics. The country still depends on the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Trans-Canada Highway. But they are the grand dreams of past centuries. For all the ways they connect Canada’s vast territory, the connective tissue of its future is largely yet to be seen. Read more.

CanaData Speaker Bullish on Construction Growth

Construction stakeholders attending the recent CanadaData East conference in Toronto were alerted to growth possibilities for their sector emerging from several different global sources. Read more.

Infrastructure Ministers from Across Canada Convene to Discuss Future Bilateral Spending

Federal, provincial and territorial insfrastructure ministers gathered in Ottawa on Sept. 21 with federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amerjeet Sohi announcing afterwards that “productive discussions” had taken place on the next phase of infrastructure spending. Read more.

Ontario’s marijuana framework receives mixed reviews

Key players in the construction industry say one important element is still missing with the Ontario government’s recently released cannabis framework — giving employers the tools they need to maintain health and safety on the jobsite. Read more.