Vanguard Magazine

44 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 www.vanguardcanada.com game ChangER See the full interview online Q How did you start out in this industry and how has it brought you to where you are today? My work in artificial intelligence started in the remote forests of Western Cana- da. We were working to solve challenges we thought were unique to the forest industry – detecting, identifying, map- ping, and measuring trees and logging operations from airborne sensors. We were making artificial intelligence solu- tions that would work no matter how remote and rugged the environment. It didn't take long for us to realize that if we could identify and map 50,000 young trees from the air, we could cer- tainly identify and track a few dozen ve- hicles rolling down a street. Q What is your role at your organization today? Today I'm the Chief Technology Offi- cer at TerraSense Analytics. My primary role is to support our teams of extremely talented developers. We set out to cre- ate lasting artificial intelligence solutions that actually function in the real world, not just flashy research. It is my job to identify and double down on the tech- nologies that will help us create these products. I will always continue to write code as part of the team – especially when it comes to data fusion. Q What was your most challenging moment? Entering the defence industry as a start- up tech firm in Western Canada was a daunting challenge. The incumbents were powerful and had very capable de- velopment divisions, but we knew we had the skills, the team, the technology, and the partners to deliver. The Innova- tion for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program provided us the op- portunity to prove ourselves and enter the market running. Q What was your "a-ha" moment or epiphany? The high-tech industry has always been littered with fads, but the field of arti- ficial intelligence is even more so. If we want to get through to the prag- matic majority of users, we need to cut through the hype; artificial intelligence is not a feature, it's a means to an end. Q What is the best advice you received? As a Canadian startup in competition with industry giants and Silicon Val- ley talent, we should emphasize what makes us uniquely Canadian. We build datasets, algorithms, and products that work in the most remote, rugged, and northern reaches of Canada, capable of operating in the cold, the snow, and the ice. Oddly enough, this advice was from a US Air Force officer. Q What is a habit that contributes to your success? I never book meetings on a Friday. This is a day when I can sit down quietly in my home office and work free from dis- tractions and interruptions. Q What people or organizations do you believe best embody the innovation mindset? The select few individuals and organi- zations that work to break the barriers between academia and industry will be pivotal to the growth of Canadian inno- vation. We've had the privilege of work- ing together with truly innovative think- ers at the University of British Columbia and have gained a powerful competitive advantage as a direct result of working with such people. Q What are some of the biggest impediments to innovation in your industry sector? Technology firms entering the defence and security space for the first time are often overwhelmed by how different the market is from the high-tech space. Build- ing a strong network of highly experi- enced individuals and partner organiza- tions is critical for growth in this sector. Q How has innovation become engrained in your organization's culture and how is it being optimized? Small multidisciplinary teams without or- ganizational impediments are absolutely vital to innovation. We pair our teams with a strong product manager and fos- ter an agile organization that allows us to quickly respond to customer feedback and changes in the marketplace. Q What technologies, business models, and trends will drive the biggest changes in your industry over the next two years? We are very lucky to be at the conflu- ence of several key technologies: small but powerful processors for AI-driven by the autonomous car industry, high-speed networking powered by new satellite con- stellations and 5G mobility, and an explo- sion in the quantity and quality of sensors equipped on anything that moves. Terra- Sense Analytics is working hard to bridge these technologies using artificial intelli- gence, fusing information from a wealth of sensors to create a common operating picture. Q What is your parting piece of advice? Look North! The ecosystem of Canadian defence and security tech is growing, net- working, and becoming truly competitive in the global market. Jozsef HAmAri Chief teChnOlOgy OffiCer terrAsense AnAlytics

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