NEXTGEN University Innovations: Humber College
A Chat with Orest Sushko, Director Broadcast-Broadband Convergence B²C Lab Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
A leader in global polytechnic education, Humber College provides career-focused education to more than 33,000 full-time and 23,000 part-time and continuing education students across three campuses in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The college was founded in 1967 and was recognized as an Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning (ITAL) in 2003. The ITAL status allows Humber to offer up to 15 per cent of its programs as four-year bachelor’s degrees. There are more than 265,000 alumni.
Tell us about your lab or research initiatives as it relates to ATSC 3.0. Located in the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation at Humber’s North Campus, the B²C Lab is a 100% front-facing industry lab and the first R&D test bed in North America equipped with both ATSC 3.0 IP-based broadcast ecosystem and 5G core network combining the best of global data delivery standards technologies. The mission of the lab is to explore multi-sectoral applications of the ATSC 3.0 standard, to facilitate commercialization through innovation as well as technology transfer and adaptation in the marketplace – with the aim of supporting adoption of the ATSC 3.0 in Canada.
The lab offers a world-class ATSC 3.0 OTA multi-transmitter/antenna configuration across 3 T/Rx sites in the Toronto, Canada area and currently Canada’s first and only ATSC 3.0 developmental broadcast license. The test bed is designed to support development of an ATSC 3.0 IP/5G based Inter-Tower Communications Network (ITCN) and SFN development. Expansion with a 4th T/Rx site is currently underway with a host station atop the CN Tower. This additional coverage will allow Humber’s test signal to reach 25% of Canada’s marketplace. A custom RF anechoic chamber (450MHz- 20 GHz) in the lab offers support, development and testing of a wide range of wireless devices and prototypes.
Why was it important to you and the institution to begin research or work in the ATSC 3.0 or terrestrial broadcast ecosystem? Building on Canadian innovation.
- Directly transferring knowledge and technology to our industrial partners
- Supporting development of new products and services, enhanced functionality of services, and the creation of valuable intellectual property (novel and patentable)
- Offering access to highly qualified faculty with advanced technical, digital, entrepreneurial and soft/essential skills
- De-risking innovation
- Offering leading-edge infrastructure and innovator-friendly intellectual property (IP) policy that will make R&D more cost-effective for companies, providing a supportive, low-risk environment where they can transform ideas into operational efficiencies, technological advancements, and marketable solutions
- Becoming a knowledge hub for multisectoral business applications of the ATSC 3.0 standard and convergence applications and disseminating this knowledge broadly to industry, community, and other academic/research institutions
- Willie Perez – Lab Engineering Manager: As our ‘technical captain’ Willie has designed and built our lab from the ground up. This includes a world-class custom 3 site ATSC 3.0 OTA transmitter/antenna test bed covering the Toronto area. Willie will also be implementing our 5G core network due for installation-implementation later this summer.
- Himanshu Sharma – Lab Technician: Himanshu works closely with Willie and Humber students working in our lab as research assistants on industry and applied research projects. Himanshu is currently developing a custom ATSC 3.0 Broadcast App for use in the lab to provide a portal for various research applications. The custom Humber BA also serves as an ideal teaching-training tool for students who are interested in exploring the power of ATSC 3.0 television interactivity.
- Harleen Sachdeva – Project Manager, Lab Industry Liaison: Harleen ensures the lab operations run smoothly and harmonizes aspects of our operation in concert with the Office of Research and Innovation and internal College stakeholders. She is also involved with industry relations and supports the development of new projects coming into the lab.
- Alex Kappen – Project Analyst: Alex is the newest member of our team and support the project planning and management of our various ongoing industry and applied research projects. He brings great enthusiasm to the role and looks to become increasingly integrated into the technical research aspects of our work in the lab.
Posted in ATSC News
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