Five teams receive $7.5M to apply AI and creative technologies
THROUGH THE YORK-LED CONNECTED MINDS: Neural and Machine Systems for a Healthy, Just Society initiative, five teams from York University and Queen’s University received $1.5 million each to tackle everything from artificial intelligence- (AI) driven communication technologies for Canadians with speech impairments to wearable electroencephalogram (EEG) devices to better monitor epilepsy. The new funding further enhances York’s commitment to the field of AI. York took the top spot among Canada’s comprehensive universities for advancing understanding of AI in artificial intelligence publications in the latest edition of Canada’s Innovation Leaders, by Research Infosource Inc. The inaugural Connected Minds Team Grants, funded through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, will help develop unbiased AI and creative technology tools that will benefit all of society equally.
Creative Collectivities: Rehearsing Equitable Futures Through Participatory Technologies
Led by Professor LAURA LEVIN of York University’s School of Arts, Media, Performance & Dance (AMPD) and Assistant Professor Michael Wheeler of Queen’s University, this team will explore how AI, virtual reality and immersive theatre can reshape social connection and collective behaviour. Collaborating with equity-focused theatre companies and community groups representing Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, racialized and disabled communities, they will co-create experimental platforms centred on diverse voices and expand access to cultural participation.
Wearable EEG for Personalized Epilepsy Management
Current epilepsy monitoring tools can be uncomfortable, inaccessible and limited when supporting real-time care at home. Led by York University Associate Professor HOSSEIN KASSIRI of York’s Lassonde School of Engineering and Queen’s University Professor Gavin Winston, this team is developing a smart, wearable EEG headset device designed for clinical accuracy, long-term comfort and ethical use in everyday environments. The device integrates AI-powered chips to detect abnormalities and forecast seizures in real time, while accounting for diverse anatomical and hair-type differences.
Co-creating Intelligent Neuro-technologies for Healthy Aging (CINTHEA)
Older adults often face challenges related to mobility, cognitive health and social isolation. Led by York University Professor JAMES ELDER of York’s Lassonde School of Engineering and Queen’s University Associate Professor Vincent DePaul, the team is developing AI-powered systems, such as lab-grade mobile assessments and socially assistive robots, to monitor the cognitive, physical and social well-being of older adults while promoting independence and connection.
When People Talk, Listen Completely
Canadians with speech impairments face significant barriers to employment, often due to stigma and a lack of accessible workplace supports. A team, led by Queen’s University Associate Professor Claire Davies and co-led by York University Associate Professor SHITAL DESAI of AMPD, is developing AI-driven communication technologies, educational tools and workplace strategies to improve employment access for Canadians with speech impairments. The team is advancing four interconnected research streams: AI-powered assistive technologies, inclusive workplace design, employer education and long-term strategies for equity in employment.
The Biskaabiiyaang Indigenous Metaverse: Ethical Virtual Environments Rooted in Indigenous Knowledge
Indigenous communities face ongoing barriers to cultural preservation and digital sovereignty in spaces often shaped by colonial frameworks. This project is led by York University Associate Professor MAYA CHACABY, Glendon Campus, a research associate in the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages, and Associate Professor REBECCA CAINES of York’s AMPD and program coordinator of creative technologies at the Markham Campus. It blends Anishinaabe knowledge with immersive technology to create Biskaabiiyaang, an Indigenous-governed virtual learning environment designed to support language revitalization, cultural resurgence and healing. Co-created with Indigenous communities, this project charts a path for ethical innovation that advances Indigenous cultural resurgence, strengthens digital sovereignty and reshapes how technology serves diverse knowledge systems. Chacaby also received Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funding for this project.
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