Almost all commercially processed beef carcasses are graded based on their quality and yield. However, grading information is provided to the producers after slaughtering of animals, then feedlot operations do not take full advantage of this information to navigate their cattle finishing strategy. This project will develop a new non-invasive procedure using hand-held ultrasound tools and machine learning models to estimate carcass traits on-farm in live animals. The carcass traits, including marbling score and yield grade, will be predicted real-time without the need for manuall assessment.

The development of next-generation, flexible electronics requires complementary development of manufacturing processes. Nissin Inc.¬ develops advanced plasma-processing equipment for manufacturing a range of electronic devices and is seeking better thin-film-deposition techniques. Traditional vacuum-chamber-based techniques (e.g., sputtering) have limitations in terms of scalability, throughput, and cost; and the sputtered films can have issues with adhesion in some applications.

The Canadian Bank Note (CBN) is interested in a laser printing solution to create high resolution colour images in the bulk of ID documents. One approach the CBN will investigate in collaboration with the University of Ottawa is to use plasmonic nanoparticles that will generate colours upon laser irradiation. These nanoparticles will be embedded in a polymer matrix and irradiated with a laser to create colours.

NeoSpina Health Care Inc intends to contribute to unprecedented treatment techniques for LBP by developing a novel medical device and investigating acquired data from treatment procedures. Accordingly, the main objective of this project is to develop a non-invasive robotic device to treat a wide array of spinal conditions while reducing the treatment duration compared to conventional methods. The device will be equipped with motor actuators and force sensors, permitting interaction with the patient’s lumbar spine and data acquisition in real-time, which entails an appropriate design.

Additive Manufacturing is a rapidly growing technology in the gas turbine industry. Its numerous advantages allow for the design of complex shapes which have not been possible in the past, using conventional manufacturing method. The parts could be manufactured on demand, with reduce cost and lead time. Selective Laser Melting is the common method to additive manufacture metal super alloy parts for combustors and turbines. The anisotropic microstructure from the printing process pose a challenge to numerical simulation and conventional predictive models.

The rapid growth in population and environmental concerns, demands for efficient energy production, precision agriculture, and effective system monitoring. Soil, air, and water ecosystems are the most critical natural resources that if not properly maintained, will have a direct impact on agriculture and human lives. Efficient energy production and smart agriculture are essential to fulfill the increasing human needs and to protect the surrounding environment by using a more advanced type of sensor technology.

Pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) are widely used to deliver drugs to the lungs for treatment of respiratory diseases. However, targeting delivery of inhaled drugs to the lungs is not straightforward. The airways of the mouth and throat present a barrier through which inhaled particles must penetrate in order to reach their target sites in the lungs.

Significant advances in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are driving the automotive industry’s transition to electrification. Canada’s expansive ecosystem of leading automakers, part manufacturers, research institutions, and skilled workforce are collectively well-positioned to further advance LIB technologies and overcome critical barriers that continue impacting electric vehicle (EV) adoption, including vehicle driving range, and battery lifespan and safety.

Fuel channel inspection is critical to safe operation of CANDU reactors. However, the existing techniques used to inspect fuel channels are slow. Fuel channel inspection represents a major bottleneck during maintenance shutdowns of CANDU reactors. To reduce inspection time, it is proposed to develop a robotic inspection system. Multiple copies of this inspection system can be utilized simultaneously to reduce inspection time. In previous work, a proof-of-concept robotic crawler capable of pushing an inspection head through a fuel channel was developed.

High performance bicycle frames are commonly manufactured using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). CFRP bicycle frames are commonly manufactured using a hand-layup process. Due to the manual nature of this manufacture method, defects such as voids, fiber misalignment, or resin rich/resin poor regions can occur. Micro-computed tomography is an X-ray based measurement method that is ideally suited for the inspection and assessment of high-performance CFRP components. This work will involve a collaboration between Bridge Bike Works and York University.