Hidden forces

Forget fridge magnets—magnetism is so much more than your snack schedule’s best friend. It’s the unseen force pulling the strings behind some of the most mind-blowing tech of our time. We’re talking quantum-level wizardry that powers ultra-fast data, boosts energy efficiency, and nudges us closer to a more sustainable future—all without so much as a ta-da! It’s mysterious, powerful, and frankly, kind of a show-off. But hey, when you’re changing the world from behind the curtain, a little flair is allowed. I’d love to pull back that curtain and show you why magnetism isn’t just cool—it’s magnetically irresistible.

Heavy equipment operators in the mining and construction industries build models of their environment using all of the different sensing modes available (i.e., vision, audio, vibrations). They do this to perform their tasks more efficiently and/or to minimize wear on the machines. My research explores how we can build tools that we can deploy on these large machines so we can for example identify we are drilling into a void while drilling holes or when excavating, knowing that we are scrapping the rock subsurface. I will provide examples of where my research is being applied and highlight some of the challenges I have encountered.