Using LiDAR and data from the terrain to perform predictive and cost-effective track maintenance

ApoSys Technologies Inc., a cleantech company focused on automating infrastructure inspection processes for industries like railways for accuracy and safety, successfully hosted the launch of its Apollo Framework with a demo event at Innovation Factory (iF). This event marked the culmination of funding received from the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN).

Co-founded in 2015 by Oliver Wang, ApoSys has been collaborating closely with OVIN and Hudson Bay Railway to refine and ready its product for commercialization. As part of the ‘R&D Partnership Fund – Winter Tech Development’ funding program, ApoSys developed its Apollo Framework technology for the railway sector.

What is the Apollo Framework?

The Apollo Framework combines data from different sources including a physical apparatus called “Apollo Sense.” 

Apollo Sense, is a hardware unit equipped with advanced sensors, including LiDARs, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), and high-resolution cameras, to capture comprehensive data from railway tracks. This rich dataset is further enhanced by integrating local environmental data, satellite data, and drone imagery. 

ApoSys’ cutting-edge machine learning algorithms then process all the input to generate highly accurate predictions and actionable recommendations, empowering users to make data-driven decisions with precision.

“The technology captures the conditions of the surroundings, giving us a better understanding of what is happening around the rail tracks. This could range from the condition of the tracks to climate impacts such as landslides,” shared Wang.

“Railway companies have been amazing at collecting data. But now we have the ability to take that data and analyze it for the benefit of railway companies and the country as a whole. It is going to improve efficiency and the way railway tracks are inspected and assessed and it enables railways to move smoothly.”

Canada is a large country with not enough human resources to inspect the large scale of its railway network. As climate change alters Canada’s terrain, systems like the Apollo Framework are crucial for preventative measures before the rail network sustains any damage. 

In 2022, the Canadian railway industry spent $2.5-billion on inspections alone, with costs hiking up due to infrastructure damage and derailments. The Apollo Framework can help prevent such incidents, saving significant costs.

Working with Centre for Integrated Transportation and Mobility

Wang had a unique innovation in a niche sector. While navigating the path to market, he recognized the need for some help in a few areas. 

In 2020, ApoSys joined iF’s Centre for Integrated Transportation and Mobility (CITM) seeking collaborations with industry partners, business strategy guidance, and support with grant applications, and product and market development.

Working with iF Advisors and the CITM team, Wang made strategic connections with industry leaders from OVIN, Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Transport Canada, and McMaster Manufacturing and Research Institute (MMRI). 

In November 2021, the team secured up to $750,000 from OVIN’s ‘R&D Winter Tech Fund,’ alongside $150,000 through the ‘Collaborate 2 Commercialize’ program from OCI and IRAP, and more. ApoSys also leveraged opportunities at CITM and iF by taking part in the Summer Innovation Challenge with Parson Corporation in 2023.

Backed by the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), CITM’s Innovation Challenge Program serves as a bridge, connecting leading corporations with innovative start-ups to introduce disruptive solutions to the market. 

Not only that, ApoSys also became a recipient of i.d.e.a Fund delivered by Innovation Factory while also engaging in other programs to help develop their pitch and business strategy. 

“ApoSys is not only an example of a great client, but also an amazing example of an incredible ecosystem at work through railway sites and companies, programs that are delivered through RTDS’ and many of them through OVIN, all in the province of Ontario. And that is how we drive commercialization.” shared Richard Dunda, Director of CITM.

Future projects for ApoSys Technologies

“We’re working on a pilot with Trenton Railway through our OVIN project, as well as a pilot with the Hudson Bay Railway, another major Canadian railway service company, and a regional transit operator in Canada. And we are in talks with Mexico and several Asian countries,” explained Wang. ApoSys has also raised about $3.5-million in overall funding with a team of 10 full-time employees.  

Now, ApoSys is looking into multiple applications of its technology, including other infrastructures such as roads, bridges and dams to broaden the scope of the technology and find more use cases. The team is also focusing on scaling the organization in the future and bringing its product to market. “We want to focus on building strategic partners from Ontario to global rail partners, to improve customer safety and the people involved in the process of maintenance and inspection,” shared Wang.