I’m Torrin Swanson, and I graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering. I’ve spent a lot of time traveling around the world, creatively documenting how different cities are designed. These experiences in new places have had a huge impact on the way I approach both my creativity and digital engineering projects. I’m passionate about active transportation, building better communities, using engaging tech, and telling impactful stories. Supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal #11 (Sustainable Communities and Cities) is something I care deeply about, and I’m motivated to help create meaningful change in each of these areas.
I focus on collaborating with multi-disciplinary artists, engineers, designers, and other passionate people to bring new stories to life, especially those that can benefit from widely accessible tech. Over the years, I’ve built a number of mobile apps, servers, and websites from scratch, which has helped me understand full-stack technology and, most importantly, communicate it in plain, easy-to-understand terms.
I’m currently leading the tech direction over at CounterPoint App, and I started Collective Technologies in 2016 to support the growth of independent creatives. The idea behind it was to build a network of like-minded professionals who could leverage their businesses and ideas together.
Got an idea or project, big or small? I offer digital engineering services through Collective Technologies.
Here's some ideas I've been working on 
We are deeply committed to every project we undertake, offering comprehensive services to help you build your vision from the ground up or bring it to completion. Our team takes pride in fully understanding your project and ensuring clear communication of the entire digital process with your team.
Co-Creator, Technology Director
Developed by the Canadian non-profit Green Action Centre, CounterPoint is designed to simplify traffic counting while ensuring consistent data collection everywhere. Every count you contribute provides crucial insights into not only vehicle traffic but also key indicators like bike, pedestrian, and other types of movement. Users can organize this data to advocate for safer bike lanes, monitor school zone safety, build stronger cases for new crosswalks, and support better infrastructure planning for all road users.
The Flying Pigeon Dream
Technical Artist
The Flying Pigeon Dream is an innovative and artfully deconstructed bicycle, intricately wired with sensors that respond to various user movements, creating an interactive experience that evokes a profound sense of wonder, movement, escape, and joy. This captivating creation can be seen as an invitation to introduce the experience of winter cycling to a skeptical audience, or as a glimpse into the blissful experience of summer cycling in an idyllic, faraway destination. Alternatively, one might interpret it as a thought-provoking piece meant to highlight aspects of cycling that often go unnoticed, offering a fresh perspective on the simple joy of riding a bicycle."
In collaboration with Vélo Canada Bikes, Bike Day in Canada takes place annually, celebrating cycling across the nation. This exciting event features an interactive map that showcases biking enthusiasts from coast to coast, while also highlighting scheduled events and activities happening throughout Canada, uniting cyclists everywhere in the spirit of community and fun.
The app serves as a tool to easily share information on how Global Citizens contribute to the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the Global Goals, featuring an intuitive UI and seamless UX for an enhanced user experience.
In partnership with the Winnipeg Trails Association and Safe Speeds Winnipeg, we crafted an interactive mapping experience, integrated compelling testimonials, and enhanced social media engagement, all seamlessly woven into the website to foster a dynamic and connected community.
As the lead designer for all corporate digital and analog systems, I was responsible for overseeing a wide range of integrated technologies and processes. This included the design, development, and management of websites, dashboards, and data analysis systems, as well as ensuring the robustness of corporate IT infrastructure and security protocols. I played a key role in the design, development, and implementation of in-house automated control systems that supported multiple on-site controlled agriculture operations internationally. These systems were critical to streamlining operations, enhancing efficiency, and ensuring the continued success of agriculture initiatives on a large scale.