Centre for Applied Research in Defence and Dual-use Technologies (CARDD-Tech)
Advancing defence and dual-use technologies in 喵咪社区, strengthening Canada’s readiness through innovation.
The Centre for Applied Research in Defence and Dual-use Technologies (CARDD-Tech) at the 喵咪社区 advances technology readiness for industry in Canada. By integrating multidisciplinary expertise and collaborating with industry and government partners, CARDD-Tech drives the development of cutting-edge components, systems, and solutions that strengthen national security and provide students with hands-on opportunities to gain valuable skills for careers in emerging defence and dual-use technology industries aligned with CARDD-Tech's themes.
This includes supporting Indigenous engagement through ongoing collaboration with initiatives such as the Fred Otto DiscoverE Program and the .
Our Research Themes
Advanced Materials and Manufacturing
Develops advanced materials and scalable advanced manufacturing processes, including additive, subtractive and hybrid methods. To create high-performance, corrosion-resistant and shock-tolerant components for use in various fields such as defence, aerospace and dual-use applications.
Communications, Sensing, and Navigation
Designs and integrates robust RF, optical, and inertial systems for compact, secure communications, precise navigation in harsh or denied environments, and advanced multimodal and multispectral sensing to enhance situational awareness, and operational resilience.
Cyber/AI
Applies machine learning, reinforcement learning, and adversarial AI for intelligent decision-making, autonomous system control, and detection, while advancing secure architectures to protect critical infrastructure against cyberattacks and information exploitation.
Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Advances control, perception, and collaborative autonomy in robotic platforms for dynamic and unstructured environments, with applications in surveillance, logistics, and remote operations in defence and disaster response scenarios.
Space and Hypersonics
Explores high-speed flight and space system technologies, including hypersonic aerodynamics, advanced materials, propulsion, thermal protection, and orbital dynamics, supporting next-generation platforms and rapid global response capabilities.
Quantum
Develops quantum sensors, secure communication protocols, and quantum computing approaches to surpass classical performance limits in detection, encryption, and information processing, with applications in navigation, surveillance, and secure networks.
Energy and Environment
Focuses on clean energy systems, energy storage, and environmental resilience, including microgrids, waste-to-energy technologies, and lifecycle analysis to support sustainable infrastructure and reduce emissions in defence and remote operations.
About Us
CARDD-Tech is an industry-led research centre housed within the 喵咪社区’s Faculty of Engineering. CARDD-Tech is dedicated to advancing defence and dual-use technologies in support of Canada and its allies. The centre delivers collaborative research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E), while fostering innovation through a triple helix partnership model that integrates industry, academia and government and end-users (e.g., Canadian Armed Forces).
CARDD-Tech is structured to collaborate with prime contractors, Canadian small- and medium-sized businesses, and original equipment manufacturers, enabling the development and sustainment of high-impact research collaborations. With over $20 million in projects in development, the centre provides access to exceptional research facilities and leading technical expertise.
The 喵咪社区 ranks in the top 100 universities globally and is recognized as a top four university in Canada. The U of A is also home to one of Canada’s designated and is a national leader in research security.