Battery energy storage systems are used in electric utilities for a variety of applications including back up power for critical equipment. Manitoba Hydro is evaluating two battery chemistries for use in its substations, namely Li-ion and sodium-nickel chemistries. Along with assessment of technical merits of each battery type to determine which chemistry best suits the intended application, Manitoba Hydro needs to develop schemes for maintenance and condition monitoring of these new batteries so that it can maximize their lifespan when in service and prevent any unforeseen outage.

The world has many ageing bridge structures which are being used well beyond their design service life time. It is of essential interest for the governments and public to insure safety and sustainability of bridges. One of the most advanced techniques used to investigate the conditions of bridges is the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). The targeted bridges will be instrumented with several sensors and the data collection is performed using appropriate Data Acquisition System (DAQ).

This proposal presents two parallel research projects to develop pattern recognition algorithms using a relatively new technology, Electrovestibulography (EVestGTM)1 for objectively and accurately effect of confounding depression on concussion both when used as a diagnostic tool and also as a treatment recovery tool. EVestG signals are recorded painlessly and non-invasively from the external ear in response to a vestibular stimulus; they are the brain signals modulated by the vestibular response.

Batteries are becoming popular options for storage of energy at large scales for application in power systems. A battery energy storage system may be developed using batteries of different chemistries and also batteries that are not necessarily at the same state of health. The capabilities of a battery energy storage system are affected by the characteristics of the batteries that form it. Therefore, it is essential that a storage systems be developed and operated with a full understanding of how these differences affect its performance.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is caused by changes in the wall of the blood vessels of the legs that make them narrow and stiff. The main causes of PAD are atherosclerosis and smoking. Unlike many other diseases, there is no blood test that is capable of detecting PAD. Instead, persons have to be referred by their doctor and they must go to a specialized clinic where an hour long ankle-brachial (ABI) test is performed.
Koven wants to develop a simple and reliable blood test that can detect PAD.

Over the past decade, Jamaica has been described as having an increasingly high rate of violence, of which sexual violence against young people (mostly girls) is a “silent emergency”. Community activists and researchers addressing the issue of sexual violence within Jamaica posit that the culture of silence is a main contributor to the continued perpetuation of this atrocity. Sport is a conduit that addresses violence and encourages social inclusion and peacebuilding globally.

Many Canadians are overweight or obese which increases their risk for various diseases. However, many weight loss approaches don’t work. The objective of this project is to evaluate a weight loss program managed by doctors, dietitians and exercise specialists that focuses on improving healthy eating habits and increasing physical activity at the Wellness Institute. The Wellness Institute is a state-of-the-art certified medical fitness facility dedicated to improving the health of the community through health promotion and disease prevention.

Transmission lines expand over hundreds of kilometers and are the most vulnerable component of a power system to lightning strikes. Damages to equipment, high repair costs, and loss of revenue could happen when the lightning hits the transmission tower or conductors. Tower grounding systems in transmission towers play a major role for mitigating the over-voltages. The impedance of the tower’s structure contributes to the total impedance of the system as well when subjected to lightning surges.

As a result of the advancement of renewable energy and power electronic (PE) converter technologies, renewable energy sources are increasingly interfaced to the grid through PE based interconnections such as Voltage Sourced Converters (VSC) and Modular Multi-level Converters (MMC). It is essential to model and predict the behavior and effects of these components in the power system for safe and reliable operation. This proposed research project will focus on how renewable sources connected to the grid through PE converters, affect the stability power transmission system.

A high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) transmission system provides an efficient, reliable, economical and environment-friendly solution to interconnect between different power systems. HVDC permits electric power to be distributed to remote areas, which benefits the community with economic electricity usage and the government with extra financial revenues. This proposed project aims to investigate novel methods to further improve the efficiency of the HVDC transmission systems.