Projects
Ongoing Research Projects:
- Automatic colour 3D satellite image generation and dynamic online visualization
- Moving target detection using single sets of high resolution satellite imagery
- DEM generation using a single set of SAR polarization data
- Supervised segmentation for object-oriented classification
- Multi-scale image change detection for aerial photo database updating
- Algorithm and software deployment for object-based classification
Completed Research Projects (selected):
- Automatic fusion of panchromatic and multispectral images
- Technical development for colour enhancement of satellite images
- Algorithm and software development for fast change detection using Ikonos and QuickBird images
- Semi-automatic system for building extraction from QuickBird images
- Performance evaluation of change detection algorithms and software packages
- Colourization of SAR images using low resolution multispectral images
- Evaluation of pan-sharpening techniques for the improvement of image classification accuracy
- Technical development for 3D image generation and Web visualization
Funding
Research grants programs:
- Canada Research Chairs Program
- NSERC Discovery Grants
- NSERC Strategic Project Grants
- NSERC Research Tools and Instruments Grants
- NSERC Idea to Innovation Program
- CFI Leaders Opportunity Fund
- Atlantic Innovation Fund
- GEOIDE Research Grant
- GEOIDE Marked Development Fund
- NB Innovation Foundation
- SpringBoard Atlantic
Governments:
Industry:
Patents
- 2 US patents
- 4 US patent applications
- 1 Canadian patent application
- 1 International patent application
Technology Transfers
6 technology transfers to world-leading companies since 2001, including:
- PCI Geomatics Inc.
- DigitalGlobe Inc.
- Intermap Technologies Inc.
- A US company for national security and intelligence solutions
- SceneSharp Technologies Inc.
Awards
- First Giuseppe Inghilleri Award of ISPRS, 2012
- NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation, 2011, awarded by the Governor General and Commander in Chief of Canada
- John I. Davidson President’s Award for Practical Paper of ASPRS, 2009, with my PhD student Zhen Xiong
- One of 9 Canadian successful research achievements for "The Better World Project 2006" and reported in the "Technology Transfer Works: 100 Cases from Research to Realization", by the Association of University Technology Managers (Other universities made into the 100 Cases include MIT, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, and Brown University from the US)
- UNB University Research Scholar, 2005 - 2007
- Talbert Abrams Grand Award of ASPRS, 2005, Yun Zhang, C. Vincent Tao, and J. Bryan Mercer
- Finalist of the Sixth Annual KIRA Award, 2004, in the category of Technological Advancement / Innovation - Public Sector
News
- May 23, 2012, UNB professor Yun Zhang won a 1.9 million research grant, CBC Radio News, Information Morning, 7:15 AM.
- May 22, 2012, UNB professor develops new camera technology, CBC TV News, at 6:00 PM.
- March 3, 2012, UNB Professor wins national innovation award, The Daily Gleaner, Page A3.
- February 27, 2012, Governor General of Canada Honours Top Science and Engineering Achievements, NSERC News, Ottawa
- March 3, 2011, SceneSharp – Watching and Locating, CBC Television News, March 3, 6:30 – 7:00 PM News, by CBC Reporter Catharine Butler.
- March 3, 2011, New Company wants to bring satellite technology down to earth, The Daily Gleaner, Page C1 Business News, by Stephen Llewellyn.
- March 7, 2011, UNB prof, students team up to pitch new, sharper surveillance technology, The Telegraph Journal, News, March 7, 2011, By Jennifer Gavin.
- December 2008, UNB's Contribution to the Development of Google Earth, News Report, Rogers TV, December 5th, 5:00 PM, by Shawn DeLong.
- June 2008: "APEGNB member Yun Zhang, P.Eng., improves quality of far-off images", APEGNB News Letter, June 24, 2008.
- June 2005, "Optoelectronics World News: Image Fusion Trips Resolution of Color Sensors", Laser Focus World (The magazine for the photonics & optoelectronics industry), pp. 15-16, by Gail Overton.
- June 2005, "Website Brings Together Academia and Business", the Daily Gleaner, page D1, by Joel O'Kane.
- June 2004, "UNB Professor Designs Unique Satellite Imagery", the Daily Gleaner, page B4.
- February 2003, "Web sites offer satellite imagery of Fredericton", the Daily Gleaner, page A4, by Richard Duplain.
- August 2001, "Inventor seeks market for 3D Innovation: New 3D imaging technology produces easy-to-use photographic maps", Telegraph Journal, by Tali Folkins.
- August 2001, "Cover Story: Invent This, New Brunswick Scientists Know no Limit", Atlantic Business Regional Magazine, Aug/Sept, Vol. 12, No.4, by Sandra Phinney.