Vancouver International Airport, General Fusion bolster operational capabilities through B.C.’s Integrated Marketplace

Three new projects have been funded through B.C.’s Integrated Marketplace program led by Innovate BC, two of which will seek to bolster operational capabilities at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) through drone-based runway monitoring and an enhanced paging communication system in the terminal, and the other will support the development of a state-of-the-art diagnostics component for General Fusion’s new Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF) machine, called Lawson Machine 26 (LM26).

“Creating innovative ideas and solutions that reduce emissions, improve competitiveness and support local companies is essential for creating a strong economy that moves British Columbians forward,” Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, said in a July 10 statement. “I look forward to seeing the contributions these three projects will make to people in B.C. and globally.”

Created with the goal of driving innovation in the province, the Integrated Marketplace links strategic partners operating at testbeds (an industry site, such as an airport, seaport, or mine, or a conceptual space such as a health network, a series of farms or a digital platform) and B.C.-based solution providers to implement, scale up, and export B.C. technology solutions. This framework allows B.C. industries to receive assistance in adopting innovation and new technologies, the government said, while participating solution providers earn a critical reference customer to support their growth.

In the first project, General Fusion, which operates as part of the Vancouver International Airport testbed, is working with Victoria-based Motus Design Group to design an electronic component that will enhance the diagnostic system for LM26 – a fusion demonstration machine designed to achieve first-of-a-kind breakthroughs in 2025 and 2026 that will de-risk and fast-track the company’s path to commercialization. Under the project, a newly designed, first-of-a-kind component will enable General Fusion to quickly install diagnostics on LM26 and support the extraction and storage of data. When operational, the robust diagnostics system will provide thousands of data points used to improve the capabilities of the machine with each run.

In the second project, YVR is working with Victoria-based Niricson to explore drone technology to assess the condition of its runways. Using drone technology will create efficiencies for the airport, as teams will have near real-time access to data that will help inform operations and maintenance decisions. Data will also be applied to a predictive model, whereby upcoming needs and considerations will be projected based on current state and defined logic for future planning.

And in the third project, YVR is working to enhance its mass paging, or PA, system in the terminal. With the support of Surrey, B.C.-based Hybrid Audio Visual, YVR will improve sound quality, ensure precise troubleshooting with the thousands of speakers across the terminal, and increase customization of its paging system. For example, with the new paging interface, YVR will be able to isolate specific areas of the terminal for certain announcements while ensuring all announcements are clear and audible for the benefit of travellers and employees. In additional to greater accessibility and reliability, the new mass paging system also uses new technology and equipment, with speakers switching to a low-power mode when not in use, which has the potential to provide energy savings of up to 40 per cent.

These three projects are part of the Integrated Marketplace’s Vancouver International Airport testbed, which includes YVR as well as select organizations such as General Fusion that operate in its vicinity.

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