Projets novateurs réalisés

Probiotics for improved carotenoid bioavailability: A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial

There is a simple way to have great skin, be more attractive, and improve one’s health, but most of the global population refuses to do it. Worldwide fruit and vegetable (FV) intake is below recommendations reducing the intake of yellow-red plant pigments that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-obesity properties. These plant pigments are called carotenoids and are largely stored in the skin. In fact, a yellow-red glow in the skin indicates FV intake, independent of race or tanning, and is correlated with improved attractiveness. Not everyone absorbs carotenoids in the same way, however, and the health and types of bacteria in the gut might account for a large portion of the differences in carotenoid absorption. This study was designed to determine whether the health of bacteria in the gut might have an influence on the absorption of carotenoids.

Manualization of occupational performance coaching for stroke survivors

Approximately 300,000 Canadians live with the effects of stroke. These effects include problems with mobility, cognition, speech and mood. Returning to personally valued activities following stroke can be quite difficult. In fact, the majority of stroke survivors, across all disability levels, report problems occupying their time in meaningful ways. This is particularly troubling as, while health providers tend to view stroke recovery in terms of changes in discreet aspects of disability, stroke survivors define recovery largely in terms of how well they have been able to return to their valued activities. Researchers have not yet developed an effective, efficient intervention for problems in this area that has long-lasting benefits. In our lab, we have begun to test a promising intervention called Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC). The goal of this project is to analyze pilot data from a first application of OPC with 5 patients and develop a manual for this……TBC

Develop a reliability-based robust shoring design system using Excel

The project is to develop a robust shoring design system using Excel software. A shoring system is a group of structural elements used to support/retain earth pressure during the construction of underground structures. Its design is influenced by many variables, such as the intended use of systems, earth pressure selection, performance of different systems, ground conditions, soil strength, and loading effects. Many of these variables cannot be easily interpreted, for example, accurate characterization of the highly variable glacial deposits covering the GTA. The risks are also extremely high for safe construction of a shoring system due to adjacent properties in densely populated urban settings. Due to these uncertainties and risks, it can easily lead to an inconsistent and unsafe design. This research is to develop an Excel-based design software by integrating the reliability-design concept for achieving cost-effective infrastructure development in Canada.

Apprentissage profond semi-supervisé pour la segmentation et l’analyse d’images d’équipements de réseau électrique

La maintenance du réseau de distribution d’électricité d’Hydro-Québec exige d’exploiter une quantité astronomique d’information concernant la localisation et l’état des actifs. Ce projet propose de développer des approches efficaces à base d’intelligence artificielle pour l’inventaire et le diagnostic automatisé et en continu des équipements du réseau de distribution. De nouveaux algorithmes d’apprentissage automatique, utilisant peu de données d’entraînement, seront développés pour la détection et la segmentation d’objets d’intérêt dans les images. Ces algorithmes seront ensuite appliqués pour identifier et géo-localiser les poteaux électriques à partir d’images prises avec un appareil mobile, segmenter ces poteaux et leur transformateur dans les images, et prédire l’état de ces équipements afin de déterminer s’ils nécessitent de l’entretien ou un remplacement éventuel. TO BE CONT’D

Increasing real-time video streaming performance over Wi-Fi networks

This project focuses on improving the performance of the real-time video streaming over Wi-Fi networks, in which losing packets is a serious concern. State-of-the-art methods try to improve the robustness of AL-FEC mechanisms by providing unequal protection to the packets. But such approaches are complex and increase even more the delays. In contrast, the proposed research will study how to dynamically select the packet size and the period of AL-FEC redundant data (number of rows and columns in AL-FEC), crucial parameters for real-time applications. The research will study how to adjust the packet size dynamically based on estimated communication conditions (e.g. the number of packets received without error versus damaged ones, etc.) by using machine learning approaches. Appropriate selection of packet size will optimize the effective throughput as the network conditions change. TO BE CONT’D

Structural and Hygrothermal Performance of Masonry Walls with Large Cavities

A veneer wythe protects the indoor environment and other building components against adverse outdoor effects, such as rain and physical impacts. Veneer walls are connected to a structural substrate (e.g. wood frame or masonry units) by ties. These are usually made of steel and therefore high in thermal conductance. The ties penetrate the thermal insulation layer between the veneer and structural substrate and hence act as uniformly distributed point thermal bridges. In conventional thermal analysis, their presence is usually neglected. However, with the advent of newer energy codes that require larger cavities to accommodate thicker insulation layers and performance-based thermal analysis, the structural and thermal performance of the ties must be carefully assessed. To enhance the durability and sustainability of Canadian infrastructure it is necessary to develop a new tie system for large cavity walls, and test its performance with full-scale experimentation.

Feasibility Study to Determine the Application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Aircraft Inspection

This project assesses the feasibility of using drones to inspect aircraft for surface damage and defects such cracks, fractures or dents. The intern will first carryout a comprehensive literature review and environmental scan of the existing technology. He will then assist in developing and conducting a series of physical tests to determine the best camera parameters, drone flight pattern, image format and proximity sensor performance. The results of these tests will be used to program a commercially available drone to carryout an automated image acquisition flight. The images will then be used to generate an accurate 3D model of the surface condition of the aircraft which will be automatically analyzed for defects.
The overall goal of the project is to develop drone-based aircraft inspection standards of practice which will improve defect detection, safety and inspection efficiency.

Automated Target Classification for Multi-Frequency Echosounders

The oceans cover the majority of our planet’s surface but much of their depths are still a mystery. Improvements in technology have allowed for the development of instruments on underwater platforms and autonomous gliders that are able to survey the world’s oceans. One instrument, called an AZFP (acoustic zooplankton fish profiler), emits high-frequency sonar pulses and listens for backscatter (reflections) to observe fish, zooplankton, suspended sediments, and other quantities in the water column. Backscatter data are complex and time consuming to process and interpret. This study seeks to use recent improvements in Machine Learning to automate the processing and interpretation of backscatter data to reduce the time and manual effort required. Some studies using Machine Learning have already been carried out, but these focused specifically on certain species of fish and plankton and ignore everything else. However, animals in the ocean are also affected by their environment. TO BE CONT’D

DESIGN OF A NOVEL HEAT EXCHANGER TEST RIG

Heat exchangers, used in building heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to transfer heat from hot to cold fluids, are designed to operate under ideal conditions. However, in practice operating conditions may vary with ambient temperature or humidity. HVAC system efficiency can be improved significantly if fluid flow rates are adjusted in response to such changes. Armstrong Fluid Technology is a Canadian firm that has developed control systems to adjust the flow through building heat exchangers to maximize their efficiency. This project is being undertaken to develop a heat exchanger test rig and to use it to determine heat exchanger efficiency as a function of fluid temperatures and flow rates. The feedback control system will reduce the energy required for operating an HVAC system by approximately 30% and have a significant impact on Canada’s energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions.

Removal of Micropollutants from Wastewater by Immobilized Laccase on Hollow Silica Embedded Plastic Packing Reactor

Micropollutants can be found in almost all water bodies due to their recalcitrant character. As conventional treatment plants are not efficient for many recalcitrant pollutants, oxidative methods and physical treatment methods have been widely applied for treatment of wastewater.
Green enzyme-Laccase has high ability to transform many kinds of micropollutants, such as recalcitrant contaminants, into oxidized products that are less bioavailable or even harmless, as well as stable water-insoluble polymer derivatives. This project aims to promote laccase catalyzed treatment for removal of pharmaceuticals in pilot scale systems by using immobilized laccase on silica embedded packing by using partially purified laccase from P. Dryinus strain. Particularly, this project aims tor emove of pharmaceuticals from real wastewater and to evaluate the system durability and cost efficiency.

Understanding robot locomotion characteristics and planning in heterogeneous multi-robot coverage

To be safe and efficient, autonomous robots will need to consider and understand one another when performing their respective tasks. Communication and joint planning between robots might not be possible due to the number of robots, adversarial behaviors, or the lack of common protocol.
In this project, we start by tackling this large issue at a small scale by focusing on a specific situation: multi-robot coverage with heterogeneous robots. We consider a team of robots that have to be deployed to cover a large scale environment. Each robot has different locomotion characteristics but they all share a common objective: for the team to cover the whole area as efficiently as possible.
The idea of this work is for each robot to use visual information to gather a semantic understanding of other robots’ characteristics and of the environment. TO BE CONT’D

Combining cortical stimulation and ‘mirrored’ visual feedback to enhance recovery of upper-limb: a pilot study.

Stroke is one of the most prevalent neurological conditions worldwide, especially among the elderly.

Motor impairment is one of the main disabilities associated with stroke. The ability of training and

physical activity to restore motor function after neural injury has long been appreciated. Nevertheless,

even with intensive task-specific training and physical activity, 15–30% of patients with stroke are

permanently disabled. As a result,research aiming to develop novel therapies that enhance

neuroplasticity is currently being conducted to allow rehabilitation of these patients. A promising

approach is modulation of cortical excitability using non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. These

techniques may instantaneously induce plastic changes within the cortical network of sensorimotor

areas, thereby improving motor function of the affected hand after stroke. Our work attempts to

elucidate whether repetitive administration of inhibitory non-invasive brain stimulation of the

unaffected hemisphere in sub-acute stroke over several days combined with sensorimotor

behavioural training using optical left-right reversing prisms could result in an enhanced effectiveness.

The primary objective is………….TBC