Grant Tingstad

Experience

• 

  Industrial Plankton Inc.

  May 2017 - Sept 2017

  Electrical Engineering Co-op

  • Contributed to the day-to-day production of Industrial Plankton's commercial bioreactors, including completing actuator assembly and installation, calibrating and testing controls, and performing electrical wiring.• Developed and implemented an embedded optical turbidity sensor to estimate the real-time growth of algae cultures, resulting in improved accuracy and efficiency in monitoring of algae cultures.

• 

  Global Institute for Food Security

  Jan 2018 - Jan 2022

  My work at GIFS was primarily focused on the development of data acquisition systems for crop phenotypic research. Typical responsibilities included:• Combining experience in electromechanical engineering, microcontroller programming (C++), and software development, I designed custom imaging equipment for computer-vision leveraged crop research. Notable platforms provided solutions for computing phenotypic traits in images of 2D root architecture, as well as from photogrammetric models generated by sequences of root images at multiple viewpoints.• Developed computer vision tools with Python CV libraries for enhancing data quality and users' experience on imaging platforms.• Provided day-to-day engineering support for agricultural research projects, including custom irrigation solutions, lab tools, and research apparatus. One notable project involved the design of custom planters capable of safely dosing live roots with radioactive Nitrogen, which were later used for positron emission tomography imaging at Canada's Sylvia Fedoruk Center for Nuclear Innovation.• Provided mentorship and technical leadership to a small group of engineering co-op students. Show less

  • Hardware Engineering Lead

    Jan 2021 - Jan 2022

  • Research Engineer, Engineer-in-Training

    Jan 2018 - Jan 2021
• 

  Ocean Networks Canada

  Jan 2018 - Apr 2018

  Electronics Engineering Co-op

  • Collaborated with the Marine Technology Center's Testing & Development team on multiple oceanographic monitoring projects.• Designed power supply PCBs and subsea cable mold jigs, ensuring functionality and reliability in harsh marine environments.• Tested device drivers to ensure compatibility with a range of hardware and software configurations.

• 

  University of Saskatchewan

  Jan 2022 - now

  Research Engineer - Engineer-in-Training | MSc student

  My research focuses on developing machine vision classifiers for identifying Fusarium Head Blight in wheat kernels. Alongside my core research, I am also developing a hyperspectral imaging system for the acquisition of spectral images of seeds in the range of 400nm-1700nm - Git viewable in projects section. Key achievements:• Completion of a robotic hyperspectral scanner utilizing pushbroom-style cameras (Specim FX10, FX17) and a custom software package for the calibration and control of the scanner system. The software provides live-views and waterfall views for real-time feedback during calibration, and allows users to manipulate scanner and camera parameters. Manipulation of spectral images into hyperspectral cubes as well as data management are efficiently handled by the software. Core software functions are conveniently packaged into a user-friendly GUI.• Development of a image analysis, feature extraction, data management, and machine learning pipeline for the analysis of hyperspectral data. Key expected outcomes of this research include insights into optimal spectral imaging bands and feature analysis tools for the automated detection of Fusarium in wheat.• Additionally providing contract services for robotic design projects in the College of Mechanical Engineering. Notably, I developed an electrical interface and RC motor control driver (C++) for vehicle-sized robotic imaging systems. Seven large units from this project were shipped to research institutions across Canada. Show less

• 

  Nutrien

  Nov 2023 - now

  Data Scientist | Converged Technology

  Developing computer vision solutions to enhance productivity and safety in mining environments. Key areas of work involve development of vision-based automation and process monitoring solutions with a focus on algorithm development, including:• Development of time-series algorithms for point clouds and video streams to support autonomous motion of machinery. I have worked on solutions for collision avoidance, autonomous steering, and environment mapping. Typical workflow involves data preprocessing and development of classical algorithms, mathematical models, and optimizations with Numpy, Scipy, OpenCV.• Deployment of process monitoring solutions, including remote equipment monitoring and object detection. Responsibilities include selection and deployment of sensors and imaging technology, development of event detection and control software, and database management. Study and integration of modern object detection and generative models is also involved.• Development of ROS environments and drivers; integration of ROS coordinate frames and mesh models into control software.Core competencies: Mathematics, Probability | Numpy, Torch, TensorFlow | Classical image processing and modern deep learning architectures.Tech stack: Python, SQL, Django, Git, Conda, Docker, ROSCompute platforms: Windows, Linux, JetPack (Nvidia Jetson) Show less