Automated human body pose estimation and activity recognition in videos is still one of the challenging problems in computer vision. Generally, it is becomes a significantly difficult task in real world applications due to camera motion, cluttered background, occlusion, and scale/viewpoint/perspective variations. Moreover, the same action performed by two persons can appear to be very different. In addition, clothing, illumination and background changes can increase this dissimilarity.

With over 100,000 mobile health applications currently available and the volume of data collected using them, developing novel automated approaches to learn from biophysical large-scale data is critical. Wearables have become affordable; mobile devices are display-rich and the flow of information from sensors to mobile devices is sufficiently accessible for enthusiasts. A key question here is how ubiquitous wearable sensing can be used to improve user health monitoring.

Scandium (Sc) is a rare, but strategic element for many high-tech applications such as next generation fuel cell technologies. Typically, it is required as highly pure (99.99%) Sc2O3. Currently, the global supply of Sc2O3 is very small and concentrated in a few countries. There is currently no production know-how available in Canada. The principal source of Sc extraction is as a by-product of metallurgical processes, e.g., titanium ore processing. The project investigates the extraction of high purity scandium from titanium pigment industry residues.

Through semi-structured interviews with current Mexican indigenous migrant men and women and extended family members, my dissertation inquiry focuses on how indigenous peoples – men and women – in Mexico have experienced (and continue to experience) the transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture.

The intended research aims at bringing the design and production process of the industry partner, BONE STRUCTURE into a new level of customization, that involves effective homebuyers participation in the design of their homes, using cutting-edge computatioanl design techniques. The customization process is initiated with a layout design; roomblocks modifications, till selection of appliances and systems, via web- based, interactive interface that would engage homebuyers in a designer-customer like dialogue.

There is a growing awareness of the role of microbes in the functioning of higher organisms. The human microbiome has now been shown to play key roles in health and physiology. Similarly, plants have had microbes, mycorrhizal fungi for example, associated with their roots since they colonized the land. It is becoming clear that there is a community of rhizobacteria that is regularly associated with plant roots and plays an important role in how plants deal with a range of environmental challenges. Inocucor Technologies has developed a consortium of microbes that improve plant performance.

This postdoctoral study is an experimental investigation on the bond behaviour of externally-bonded (EB) fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) L-shaped FRP plates to the concrete substrate. This study will be the foundation of an upcoming comprehensive study on rehabilitation of reinforced-concrete (RC) beams with L-shaped FRP plates and end-anchored FRP fabrics. Recently, EB FRP composites are increasingly used to strengthen existing RC structures. However, de-bonding of FRP fabrics or plates is still a major issue.

The proposed internship aims to study how the characteristics and reliability of Permanent Magnet Electric Motors (PMs) affect their life-cycle cost (LCC), including initial, maintenance, and energy costs. First, the effect of the variation of design variables on the performance and initial cost of PMs will be assessed and the cost will be correlated to performance. Second, the effect of materials and processes on the reliability and the LCC of PMs will be studied and LCC will be correlated to reliability. The results will be presented to TM4 in form of a detailed database.

The main objective of this project is to investigate the performance of LiN-cryogenic technologY, as well as, high pressure cooling (HPC) in turning of hard-to-cut aerospace materials. The performance of cryogenic machining and HPC will be compared to flood coolant to establish the optimum conditions for each cooling technique, in terms of material removal rate, tool life, and surface integrity (surface finish, microstructure and residual stresses).

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) generally refer to hydrocarbon solvents. VOCs emissions are air pollutants that give rise to deleterious health and environmental effects. VOCs are about 11 times more effective green house gases than carbon dioxide (CO2) (Reijo, 2010). VOCs react with oxides of nitrogen (NOx) to form Ozone (O3) which contributes to Green House Effect (GHE). Therefore, government has enforced regulations to limit the VOCs emissions. The target is to convert all VOCs (99%) to water and CO2 and Ozone (99%) to molecular dioxygen.