The days when experimentation and technological innovation took place in isolation are gone. Today, new technologies emerge all around us, and cities are best positioned to capitalize on this trend. One of the latest additions to Calgary’s tech ecosystem is the Wave Tech Centre, which opened in October 2024. The City-led facility is a stark departure from the bureaucracy that characterizes governments.
“We want this to be a place where we have regular talks about emerging technologies, about what disruptors are happening and what we are ready for,” says Jason Cameron, program manager of storytelling, engagement and experimentation at The City of Calgary’s information technology business unit. Pointing at the critical role the 2023 Smart Calgary Strategy played in shaping the Wave Tech Centre’s vision, Cameron says that “we’re part of the spectrum of the digital transition of our city.”
Cloistered by the smooth concrete walls of the Andrew Davison Building in downtown Calgary, municipal staff, post-secondary institutions and professionals in the tech and innovation industry can test, pilot, experiment and collaborate at the Centre. Its cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, quantum computing and robotic fabrication, can help solve age-old problems like finding potholes that need fixing, improving accessibility in public spaces or gaining buy-in from neighbours in the face of a redevelopment proposal.
Currently, students from the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape are testing the capabilities of a robotic arm for 3D concrete printing. The three-year project is looking to apply this to City applications like concrete jersey barriers, park benches, pavers and accessible ramps.
Jersey barriers are often used to protect road-construction work from passing vehicles. Producing them on-site reduces the high cost of transportation and storage and allows students to be part of city building.
But the impact of the Wave Tech Centre goes well beyond robo-fabrication. A City team is also piloting virtual reality equipment to help train building inspectors and learn what to require in potential future requests for proposals (RFPs) for a VR-training service.
“What we’re doing is scalable,” Cameron says. “So, if we develop an AI bot for [City customer service line] 311, then we can share that with Okotoks or Cochrane. Sharing the experience, the opportunities and the learnings is a big piece of the Wave Tech Centre.”
Did You Know?
The 2023 Smart Calgary Strategy lays the groundwork to accelerate the adoption of innovative tools that improve the lives of all Calgarians and has enabled the creation of several City-led initiatives, including the Wave Tech Centre.