Clearcable and McMaster Collaborate on AI Project
HAMILTON (June 20, 2018) — Clearcable Connects and McMaster University are pleased to announce a partnership to employ Artificial Intelligence in the management of broadband and distributed energy networks.
Clearcable Connects and McMaster’s Computing Infrastructure Research Centre (CIRC) will collaborate on pilot projects and explore the feasibility of innovations in network management through proof of concept and heavy engagement with end-user groups in each segment. The projects are co-funded by Clearcable, NSERC, and Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE).
Clearcable Connects provides broadband deployment services to communities and telecommunications companies of all sizes and has a long history of innovative software solutions for Internet Service Providers. Two of the flagship solutions are the Clearcable NOMS operational support system and Cartograph DOCSIS PNM software both used by cable operators throughout North America and internationally to provision, manage and troubleshoot DOCSIS cable modems networks.
“We’ve been monitoring and collecting telemetry data on DOCSIS cable modems for well over a decade and are able to provide extremely useful reports and diagnostic details to cable operators that help pinpoint problems. Adding Artificial Intelligence (AI) using machine learning through this collaboration with CIRC will allow us to take our solution to the next level”, says Ryan McCann, President of Clearcable Connects.
The Computing Infrastructure Research Centre (CIRC) at McMaster University takes pride in developing innovative market-ready technologies that often have a disruptive potential. Despite being only two years old, the centre has already developed four products for its partners that are currently selling worldwide. In each partnership, the research team carefully vets the industry partner to gauge their appetite for innovation. The team was thrilled about Clearcable’s trajectory and future ambitions from the very first meeting.
“We’re extremely excited and proud to be working with CIRC, also a local Hamilton, Ontario institution”, added McCann.
Two “pilot-scale” projects, both involving machine learning tools to do real-time enhancements in infrastructure. The broadband networks initiative will be led by Dr. Ghada Badawy and Professor Rong Zheng. The second for energy distribution networks will be led by Dr. Mohammad Esmalifalak and Professor Mehdi Narimani.
The final step in the pilot projects is to architect a strategic roadmap that will enable Clearcable and CIRC to collaboratively develop best-in-class software tools for real-time enhancement of broadband and power distribution networks. Capabilities include prediction of faults and failures before they happen and prevention of failures through intelligent control measures. These are features that the telecommunication industry has been talking about for decades but have not been able to realize yet.
Dr. Suvojit Ghosh, CIRC’s founder and Managing Director, says “the secret sauce of the Clearcable-CIRC collaboration partnership is an agile interdisciplinary team that believes in real seamless collaborations. The team brings expertise, from both research and practice side of things, in power systems, RF, machine learning, and software engineering.”
The products developed from this collaboration are expected to hit the market next year and grow over the next five years to be a “household name” in their respective fields.
Clearcable will be launching proactive maintenance software for distributed energy and smart grid implementations as well. “As we expand our software’s reach into distributed energy networks we are confident that the AI component will allow our software to help prevent and predict critical faults in power distributions systems, thus improving service reliability for the greater community”, added McCann.
Clearcable Connects and McMaster University teamed up in April 2018 and will continue to collaborate with one another.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact: Dave Rashford at 905 906-3925 or pr@clearcable.ca