The Pulse
Sept. 22, 2026

A new company has spun out of a University of Alberta research lab to make robotic prosthetics work better for people with limb difference.

Prismecha Robotics was founded by Michael (Rory) Dawson, the lead research engineer at the BLINC Lab, an interdisciplinary project whose name stands for Bionic Limbs for Improved Natural Control.

"This is an emerging area that's exploding right now — people wanting to use robots with machine learning — but they're not necessarily designed for that purpose," Dawson told Taproot at the International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics in Edmonton in August. "We've been doing that all along."

Prismecha is just getting started, having incorporated in April of this year. But it's building on years of research and a deep understanding of the power and possibilities of machine learning, nurtured by Dawson's mentor Patrick Pilarski, a multi-hyphenate robotics expert who co-leads the BLINC Lab.

"In robotics, there are many different fields that are coming together to actually create change, to create viable innovation, and to create product," Pilarski told Taproot at the BioRob conference. "We're starting to see this sort of rising water line of AI capability, which is increasing people's ability to design the fundamental elements that go into a robotic system."

The confluence of reinforcement learning and hardware is unlocking new potential devices, demonstrating a use for artificial intelligence beyond what most of us see every day, Dawson suggested.

"Now that the AI world has exploded, but mainly text-based or image- or video-based things on people's computers," he said, "the next phase that people are looking at to scale this out into the real world has to come through some sort of robotics."

The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute will further explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of healthcare at the AI + Health Forum on Sept. 25, part of Life Sciences Week.

• Beginning Oct. 1, Edmonton residents will be able to recycle more materials through residential blue bag and bin collection and at recycling depots. Newly accepted items include takeout containers and to-go cups, foam packaging such as meat trays, and all plastic packaging, including chip bags, snack wrappers and bubble wrap. The changes come under Alberta's Extended Producer Responsibility policy, which makes Producer Responsibility Organizations responsible for recycling in the province; Circular Materials oversees the program in Edmonton. The City will continue to provide collection, processing and recycling information, and residents can use the WasteWise app or online search tool to determine how to dispose of specific items.
• The City of Edmonton and the **Edmonton Police Service are reviewing how they collaborate on public safety, with a report expected to go to council in late 2027. The review will examine current practices between the City's Community Services branch and the police service, as well as potential changes to improve coordination while protecting officers and ensuring accountability. City officials said there will be no changes to service delivery while the assessment is underway. The review will include input from city and police employees, community groups and other jurisdictions, and will outline the costs, risks and requirements of different organizational models.
• A recovery group in Edmonton is aiming to support inmates released from custody by facilitating a smoother transition back into the community. The initiative, led by the Soberhood Society of Edmonton, provides essential resources such as housing, employment assistance, and mental health support. The group collaborates with local businesses and agencies to offer comprehensive services designed to reduce recidivism rates and help former inmates build stable lives after their release.
• Demolition of Edmonton's historic Northlands racetrack is on schedule, with the $10.8-million project expected to have the site graded and ready for redevelopment next year. Work has also begun on demolishing the former Edmonton Coliseum, with physical demolition expected to start next spring and be completed by spring 2028. About 80% of materials from the demolitions, including concrete and steel, are expected to be recycled. The cleared site will eventually become part of a new Exhibition Lands neighbourhood with about 3,500 homes, including a mix of single-family homes and a 12-storey building, with the first 20 acres potentially under construction as early as 2027. The full development is expected to take 20 to 30 years, depending on market conditions and other factors.
• Elections Alberta has revealed the locations for more than 1,400 polling stations for the upcoming Oct. 19 referendum. Voters can check Elections Alberta's website for their designated location, or wait for a "Where to Vote" card. Additionally, 310 polling stations will be available during the advanced voting period from Oct. 13 to 17, accessible to anyone voting early. The referendum will include 10 questions, notably whether Alberta should remain in Canada or hold another binding vote on separating from Confederation. More than 520,000 mail-in voting applications have been submitted.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Go Strathco Launch starting at 12pm at Gallery@501
• Inside the Medtech Innovation Highway: Founder Stories from Alberta's Innovation Frontlines starting at 3pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• Beverly Towne Farmers' Market starting at 3pm at Riverview Crossing Mall
• The Public Farmers Market starting at 3:30pm at Ritchie Community Hall
• Thoughtful Tuesday: We Are Traffic! A Movie about Critical Mass starting at 6pm at Earth's Refillery Coop
• "At the Freak Show" Book Launch with Candas Jane Dorsey starting at 7pm at Audreys Books
• Oh, Anne! starting at 7:30pm at Roxy Theatre
• Bahamas: Industrial Sport & Sound Tour starting at 7:30pm at Winspear Centre
• Tuesday Jam Hosted by Eric Zeller starting at 8pm at Yardbird Suite

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Oct. 5-9: Edmonton Startup Week at various downtown locations
• Oct. 7-10: Canadian Finals Rodeo at Rogers Place
• Oct. 14-18: LitFest at various downtown locations

Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.

Test your crossword prowess and deploy a little of your Edmonton knowledge. Complete the puzzle.

Need a hint for 4-Across and 4-Down? Here you go.