The City of Calgary has officially launched the Wave Tech Centre, a Council-approved initiative designed to foster technological innovation and enhance public services.
Supported by Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) through its Regional Innovation Ecosystems program, the new facility marks a significant milestone in the city’s digital transformation efforts.
“Congratulations to The City of Calgary on the grand opening of Wave Tech Centre,” stated The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan.
“Technological innovation presents a major opportunity for cities across Canada – and that is especially true for Calgary. This new Centre will play a key role in enabling innovators and local businesses to experiment and test new solutions that improve service delivery for Calgarians.”
As a key part of Calgary’s Smart Cities program, the Wave Tech Centre offers city teams a dedicated space to explore and implement new and emerging technologies.
“At Wave Tech Centre, City teams will be able to test new ways to use emerging technologies so we can invest in solutions that are the best fit for our city and bring it to where it is needed most, quickly and reliably,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek. “The Centre will allow the City to make informed, data-driven decisions, ultimately leading to enhanced services for all Calgarians.”
The Wave Tech Centre features advanced digital tools and infrastructure, including a Virtual Reality (VR) immersion room, high-compute infrastructure for AI and machine learning, and robofabrication capabilities in partnership with the University of Calgary. The Centre aims to accelerate Calgary’s digital transformation by providing access to cutting-edge technologies like augmented reality, robotics, and quantum computing.
“Technologies are advancing more rapidly than ever before, and the ability to explore these technologies at Wave has the potential to make a real positive difference in the delivery of City services,” noted Jan Bradley, Chief Information Technology Officer for The City of Calgary.
In collaboration with Denvr Dataworks, the Centre’s high-compute infrastructure utilizes liquid immersion cooling technology to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainability. This innovative cooling method enhances system performance while lowering the environmental impact, setting an example for the broader technology industry.
The Centre also showcases a robotic arm capable of creating 3D-printed objects from materials such as concrete, plastics, foam, and wood. This robofabrication initiative aims to explore new possibilities in public space design and accessibility improvements, like recyclable benches and 3D-printed ramps.
“The launch of Wave Tech Centre is an important milestone in providing local innovators the ability to demonstrate how their solutions can benefit cities around the world,” said George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview. “As a proud Calgarian, I’m excited about the innovations and ideas that will emerge from Wave Tech Centre for the benefit of our community.”
The Wave Tech Centre is located downtown on the main floor of the Andrew Davison Building, close to the Municipal Building and other key collaborators like Platform Calgary and local post-secondary institutions. The Centre’s multi-day launch event runs until October 30, 2024, inviting residents to “catch the Wave” and explore how new technologies can move Calgary forward.
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