December 1, 2020
By Tristan McGuirk
From an interactive light panel to a contemporary culinary cult classic, we’ve collected our top picks — all with ties to The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) — for a holiday season unlike any other.
Instant Pot
As many of us spend more time at home this holiday season, there’s never been a better time to get in on the Instant Pot action.
Co-created by U of T Engineering alumnus Dongjun Wang (ElecE 9T5), the Instant Pot combines a slow cooker, pressure cooker and steamer into one handy culinary device. There’s a reason it’s been featured on our list three years in a row!
Prepare multiple dishes at once using handy stacking tray add-ons, or take your holiday meals to the next level with air-fryer and dessert attachments. The Instant Pot’s single chamber design makes preparing dishes easy, and cleanup a breeze.
Nanoleaf Shapes
Spruce up your work or living space with Nanoleaf Shapes — the newest in Nanoleaf’s line of interactive, energy efficient light panels.
Founded by U of T Engineering alumni Gimmy Chu (ElecE 0T6), Tom Rodinger (IBBME PhD 0T7) and Christian Yan (ElecE 0T6), Nanoleaf continues to revolutionize home lighting.
Try switching your panels to Match Mode and watch as Nanoleaf Shapes interact with your home entertainment system for a unique audio-visual experience. Or, watch your Nanoleaf shapes dance to the beat of your music or sounds with Music Visualizer.
From the symmetrical to the abstract, Nanoleaf shapes are the perfect way to add a personal (and interactive) touch to any space.
New shoes (with the help of Xesto Fit)
Looking to gift a new pair of shoes – but unsure of sizing? Xesto, the foot-scanning app developed with technology spun out of ECE Chair Professor Deepa Kundur’s lab, has you covered.
Made possible by the sensors found on most smartphones, Xesto uses computer vision techniques to facilitate foot sizing. Simply scan a smartphone around your foot and allow Xesto to generate an accurate digital foot model that provides the perfect size recommendation.
With built-in scan sharing features, Xesto makes it easy to share your size and shop online with confidence.
Children’s book: Meet Elsie MacGill
Nicknamed the “Queen of The Hurricanes,” celebrated aeronautical engineer and U of T Engineering alumna Elsie MacGill (ElecE 2T7) made history as the first woman in Canada to receive a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and the world’s first female aeronautical engineer.
Recently profiled in a new Canada Heritage Minute, MacGill was instrumental in the development of the Hawker Hurricane warplane used extensively by Allied forces in WWII.
Meet Elsie MacGill, written by Elizabeth MacLeod and illustrated by Mike Deas, retells her remarkable life story for readers between the ages of 6 and 10. Available in English and French, the book makes the perfect gift for future trailblazers of all descriptions.
Wattpad Premium subscription
Co-founded by U of T Engineering alumnus Allen Lau (ElecE 9T1, ECE MASc 9T2), Wattpad allows authors of all abilities to publish their work in an online community of readers and writers.
Treat yourself or a loved one to Wattpad Premium this holiday season and enjoy ad-free reading, unlimited offline stories and exclusive theme colours.
Whether you’re curling up with a new story this holiday season or writing your own, Wattpad Premium makes it easy to let your inner wordsmith shine.
Check out the full Engineering Holiday Gift Guide on U of T Engineering News, where this story first appeared.
More information:
Jessica MacInnis
External Relations Manager
The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
416-978-7997; jessica.macinnis@utoronto.ca