On AI Appreciation Day, IDEAWORKS is proud to celebrate the researchers, students, and industry partners using artificial intelligence to solve real-world challenges. Our focus on applied research means we’re not just exploring AI in theory. Instead, we’re putting it to work in ways that are practical, ethical, and impactful.
Here are three powerful examples of how IDEAWORKS is advancing applied AI across industries:
1. Faster, Smarter Environmental Assessments
Led by Professor Amin Azmoodeh from the School of Engineering Technology and Aviation, the Centre for Emerging Research Initiatives (CERI) collaborated with GSPrimo Design Inc. to develop an AI prototype that automates the generation of Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) reports.
Through this project, Mohawk College software development students trained large language models (LLMs) to streamline data extraction, summarize findings, and standardize outputs. The result? A system that enhances accuracy, speed, and consistency in environmental reporting, giving GSPrimo the ability to handle more assessments with greater confidence.
2. Empowering Carbon Reporting with AI
In partnership with 360 Energy Inc., the m-Health & e-Health Development and Innovation Centre (MEDIC) helped launch Envirally, a first-of-its-kind AI-powered platform that automates energy and carbon reporting for Canadian organizations.
Designed to simplify compliance and improve sustainability tracking, Envirally offers audit-ready reports at the click of a button. The platform demonstrates how AI can support Canada’s net-zero goals by helping companies make smarter, data-informed energy decisions without added complexity.
3. Preserving History with Ethical AI
AI isn’t just for energy or environmental science, it’s also helping us connect with our past.
With the “Remembering Their Faces” project, Professor Stephen Adams and a team of 54 students, working though the Centre for Emerging Research Initiatives (CERI), worked alongside the National Air Force Museum of Canada and other partners to use AI-driven facial recognition to identify unknown Canadian veterans in historical photographs.
Over 2,000 photos have been digitized, catalogued, and analyzed, helping museums and families preserve Canada’s military aviation heritage. This project is a leading example of how AI can be used responsibly; with clear ethical guidelines, a deep respect for privacy, and a commitment to cultural preservation.
