The TVC is a prestigious competition designed to encourage post-secondary students to act on their innovative ideas. Thirty-five technology-based business proposals were submitted.

The two Carleton finalists are:

Muhammad Arsalan and Atif Shamim

Their business plan focuses on monitoring vital signs of patients using wireless technology and reducing power consumption of wireless devices. As doctoral students in the department of electronics, Shamim and Arsalan, along with faculty advisor, Dr. Langis Roy, have already made international headlines for their innovative research. They developed a prototype that extends the battery life of portable gadgets such as the iPhone and BlackBerry, by getting rid of all the wires used to connect the electronic circuits with the antenna. One judge said: “Clearly stunning to be where they already are. Technical credibility and differentiated technology with some reasonable marketing savvy thrown in.” Another judge commented: “Very well articulated and a strong business case presented around a novel technologically rich idea.” The two researchers have won many other entrepreneurial awards, including the Canada-wide 2009 Enterprize Canada Business Plan Award. In 2008, they were awarded the Ottawa Centre of Research Innovation (OCRI) Student Researcher of the Year Award. Their first-of-a-kind wireless dosimeter for cancer patients won the national ITAC Strategic Microelectronics Council Industrial Collaboration Award at Canadian Microelectronics Corporation TEXPO (2007).

Kostyantyn Khomutov

Khomutov is working with Carleton’s Rotorcraft Group and engineering professors Daniel Feszty and Fred Nitzsche to test and launch an innovative system that will drastically reduce vibration and noise on helicopter blades and wind turbines. This innovative, first-of-its-kind technology will enable a jet-smooth ride for helicopter passengers and crew by increasing speed in level flight while decreasing maintenance costs and associated health risks for pilots and crew. The developed prototype can also be used to reduce noise and large maintenance costs for wind turbines. Khomutov is using the $100,000 prize money from his 2008 Martin Walmsley Fellowship from the Ontario Centres of Excellence to create a new start-up company, Smart Rotor Systems (SRS), to commercialize the product. Khomutov is pursuing a master’s degree in aerospace and mechanical engineering at Carleton.

The final competition is being held at Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive, Nepean, on Tuesday, May 12. The team pitches are at 7:00 p.m. and the award presentations begin at 8:30 p.m.