An eight-year-old retired Hydro man sells his innovations to the state company

One of the founders of the Institute of Aquatic Research of Quebec (IREQ), 80 years old and retired, today sells to his former employer his devices that he designed and tested in his garage in McMasterville from the laboratory of Professor Turnsol, from Tintin.

“For me, it’s an honor that Hydro-Québec has signed with me. It’s the ring,” laughs Jay Ross, CEO of NDE Lab, who has fond memories of his time there.

“My goal is not to get rich, but to rise to scientific challenges,” continues the aquatic pensioner, who never loses a smile.

From the street, the bungalow looks like many other homes in Quebec, but when you enter it, past the big black chairs, at the end of the hall you see a laboratory with all kinds of oversized instruments.

With its silver ring and yellow light that flashes when the current flows, futuristic instruments look like Professor Tornsall’s lab.

From the heyday of the 80’s, Jay Ross doesn’t take himself too seriously. His life unfolds humbly as one tells the story of a son someone loved.

Eternal top of the class

In 1963 it all began for him. At that time, the young man was in the first grade at the Rimouski Institute of Electronics. Hydro-Québec wasted no time and recruited him.

Six years later, at the age of 26, he became one of the founders of the Hydro-Quebec Research Institute (IREQ), which aims to be the cream of innovation in Quebec.

“I was responsible for purchasing equipment for the entire center,” the man recalls.

But in 1987, a reorganization convinced him to retire. He is 54 years old.

new machines

Then an acquaintance approaches him to ask him to work on an instrument.

“It worked for me because it was a place we had never worked at IREC,” he smiles.

After two years of refining his algorithms, the inventor was able to create a new generation of devices capable of measuring distribution line voltage more accurately and simply than before.

Over the years, Guy Ross has been constantly improving his tool.

Once upon a time, the Brazilians tried to imitate it, but to no avail.

Today, all his jewelry sells for $1,000, and no one has yet been able to unravel the mystery of their accuracy.

When asked if he has patents to protect his secret, he has his own answer, which he puts in exchange with a heavy laugh.

“A patent tells the Chinese and the Japanese how to do it. In a patent, you may not say everything, but you put it on the right track,” he concludes.