| Canadian engineers have had a long history of making | | | | The Ballard Fuel Cell: Another remarkable Canadian |
| astounding advancements in the field of engineering. | | | | engineer development, the Ballard Fuel Cell, can use |
| There have been many engineering developments that | | | | different types of fuels such as gasoline, hydrogen, |
| have improved the quality of life of people around the | | | | natural gas, and methanol. Fuel cells have enough |
| world and have led to important discoveries. Listed | | | | power to run a vehicle. The only by-products from the |
| below are just a few of the major engineering | | | | fuel cell's electrochemical reaction are water vapor |
| advancements in Canada. | | | | and heat. As well, these cells run continuously as long |
| The Electron Microscope: In April of 1938, two | | | | as they have fuel. |
| graduate students and their supervisor, Department | | | | The Canadarm: One of Canada's most renowned |
| Chairman, Professor E.F. Burton from the Physics | | | | engineering accomplishments, the Canadarm, is able to |
| Department of the University, built the first transmission | | | | capture a free-flying payload in an environment where |
| magnetic electron microscope. Researchers were | | | | there is no gravity. The Canadarm has never failed |
| eventually able to see into inner space and learn | | | | and has been used to help build the international space |
| important and valuable information about the universe. | | | | station, break ice off the fuselage of the Orbiter, and |
| The Pacemaker: At the Banting and Best Institute | | | | assist in the repair of the Hubble Space Telescope. |
| Laboratory in Toronto, Dr. John Hopps, an electrical | | | | Compact Discs (CDs): Canadian engineers have made |
| engineer and National Research Council researcher, | | | | a significant contribution to the music industry. Canada |
| along with two physicians, Dr. William Bigelow and Dr. | | | | makes the compact discs that are used by about |
| John Callaghan, developed the ability to cause the | | | | 90% of all recorded North American music, video, and |
| heart to beat, which included the ability to decrease the | | | | software. |
| heart rate. They did this by applying an electrical pulse. | | | | The Alouette Satellite: In September 1962, the |
| What emerged from this remarkable development | | | | Canadian made Alouette Satellite was the first satellite |
| was the creation of the first pacemaker in 1950. In | | | | launched into space making it the first launched satellite |
| 1957, the first small pacemaker was implanted into a | | | | to be built by a country other than the USSR and the |
| man from Sweden. The origins of this remarkable | | | | US. |
| medical device came from brilliant Canadian engineers | | | | Radio Broadcasting: On Christmas Eve, in 1906, |
| and physicians and have saved millions of lives all over | | | | Canadian, Reginald Fessenden, made an important |
| the world. | | | | historical achievement by making the world's first radio |
| FP-6000 Computer: One of the first computers that | | | | broadcast using his invention called the radio telephony. |
| used an operating system and performed a variety of | | | | The above engineering advancements are just a few |
| functions was developed in Canada. The FP-6000 | | | | of the many Canadian accomplishments in the field of |
| computer was developed in 1961. When designers | | | | engineering. For years, engineering developments have |
| from Toronto's Ferranti-Packard Company assisted | | | | impacted the field of science, medicine, technology, and |
| with moving computers from university laboratories into | | | | much more. The outlook looks promising for Canadian |
| office buildings, it was the FP-6000 computer that was | | | | engineers and their future engineering achievements. |
| used. | | | | |