Projets novateurs réalisés

L2M – Sustainable Water-Resistant Coatings

This project focuses on developing a sustainable, bio-based, water-resistant coating designed to replace traditional plastic laminations used in paper-based packaging. Plastic-coated paper products, while offering essential barrier properties, are not recyclable and contribute to landfill waste, microplastic pollution, and increased carbon emissions. Our innovative coating, derived from shellac resin, is fully recyclable, compostable, and FDA-approved for food contact, providing a green alternative without compromising performance. Through this project, we aim to optimize the formulation for industrial scalability, validate its performance in extended pilot trials, and support Canada’s transition towards sustainable packaging solutions, aligning with federal regulations and global sustainability goals.

L2M – FleetWiz: An Intelligent Platform for Heterogeneous Spatio-Temporal Truckload Fleet Dispatching

This project aims to commercialize a smart dispatching assistant designed to help trucking and logistics companies reduce costs and improve operational efficiency. The assistant leverages cutting-edge technologies to support dispatchers in making better, faster decisions while coordinating fleets of drivers, trucks, and trailers.
Over the course of the project, we will engage with industry stakeholders to validate the market need, define the ideal user profile, and refine the product based on real-world feedback. We’ll also develop a business model, pricing strategy, and go-to-market plan to ensure the solution is viable, scalable, and aligned with the logistics industry’s operational challenges.
The outcome of this project will be a clear path to market for an intelligent fleet management solution that supports innovation and sustainability in the transportation sector.

L2M – RevoStep: Advancing Mobility Innovation

The intern is developing a new patent-pending mobility device (class 1 medical device) called the RevoStep, which utilizes an innovative peg-leg mechanism with integrated springs to the user’s injured leg that drastically reduces the load and redirects it away from the injured knee. This innovative product offers a more convenient and flexible recovery alternative to crutches and wheelchairs, specifically designed for individuals with knee injuries/surgeries—filling a gap in the current market.
The intern’s expected benefit is to receive funding for the project and mentorship from the partner organization.

L2M – Combined Gamma Probe and Ultrasound Imaging System for Cancer Surgery

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer among women, with over 30,000 new cases diagnosed across Canada every year. Most patients undergo breast conserving surgery to remove the tumour, but in over 20% of cases, some of the cancerous tissue is missed, requiring the patient to have a second surgery. We are currently developing a novel hand-held imaging system that combines a new type of radiation detector with ultrasound imaging, allowing surgeons to better visualize and differentiate cancer from healthy tissue, ensuring complete tumour removal. This project will complete a risk assessment on our medical device, gather feedback from surgeons and stakeholders, and ultimately enhance the technology so it is ready for clinical translation, regulatory approvals, and widespread adoption. Overall, this project will help accelerate the path to commercialization, getting one step closer to reducing revision surgeries and improving patient outcomes following breast cancer surgery.

Introduction of millets as a sustainable livestock feed crop for marginal lands in Southern Alberta

Most Albertan crop farmers have substantial resource-intensive but non-profitable marginal lands and dry zones where, due to reduced water availability, seeded crops don’t thrive. On the other hand, livestock producers demand nutritious, low-cost feed with a stable supply chain. We aim to connect and solve both problems by introducing hardy millet species that can:
1. thrive on low-productivity marginal as well as agricultural lands dedicated to feed production,
2. require low water and fertilizer inputs
3. likely sequester more carbon than wheat and canola, making them an attractive environmentally sustainable crop
4. are nutrient-rich, and
5. potentially low-cost feed alternatives that have been used as livestock feed in South Asia and Africa for centuries.
With this project, we aim to conduct field tests for five millet species to assess their growth and yield potential in a Canadian agroclimate, assess their nutritional profile, and assess their likelihood of being beneficial as chicken feed supplements through in-vitro assays. We are jointly supported by Lethbridge County and Lethbridge North and St. Mary’s Irrigation districts who are interested in identifying a short-season and less resource-intensive (irrigation) cover crop that could reduce soil erosion and economically benefit the Southern Alberta farming community.

L2M – Development of Waste Paper Biomass Technology: Transformation of Recycled Waste Paper into Carbon-Based Products

This innovation project aims to help mitigate pressing global problems including; resource and waste management, global warming, deforestation, pollution, and energy shortages. At present there is a huge and growing global demand for high-value carbon-based products such as biochar, activated carbon, and carbon electrodes. These products are commonly made from wood biomass, graphite, or other high carbon-containing products. Extraction and processing of these natural resources requires significant energy, generates waste and pollution, and releases greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The potential of using waste paper, in place of these natural resources, to create these value-added products offers an opportunity for an affordable and ecofriendly alternative that will reduce pressures on resource and waste management and help reduce pollution and GHG emissions.

L2M – Being there

Being There is conducting a pilot program to help seniors live independently and comfortably in their own homes. The program offers regular check-ins, mobility support, and engaging activities, all tailored to each senior’s needs through personalized care plans. During the pilot, we will gather data to assess the program’s impact on senior well-being and caregiver stress. The results will show how the program helps reduce caregiver burden, prevent the need for long-term care, and improve the quality of life for seniors. For our partner organization, the pilot will provide valuable insights into program effectiveness and guide future service improvements, while also easing the demand on healthcare resources.

CHAH Intelligent Bridge Development and Optimization

Comprehensive Healthcare at Home (CHAH Technology) is dedicated to transforming home-based healthcare using AI and sensor technologies. The partner organization aims to address the critical challenge of delivering high-quality, affordable care to aging populations in Canada, where rising healthcare costs and system inefficiencies are threatening sustainability. Through this project, CHAH will develop the CHAH Intelligent Bridge, a cloud-based service that securely collects health data from edge devices and integrates it into EMRs This solution will enable real-time health monitoring, early detection of adverse events, and data-driven decision-making for clinical personnel. The anticipated benefits include improved patient outcomes, reduced hospital admissions, and enhanced operational efficiency for CHAH. The project will directly support CHAH’s mission of delivering scalable, personalized healthcare at home, ultimately alleviating pressure on the broader healthcare system.

IMMERSe – Supporting Awareness and Encouraging Collaboration in Bring-Your-Own-Device Classroom Environments

When students use mobile devices in a classroom, teachers cannot easily know if students are actively engaged in group activities or if they are distracted. For example, a student may be observing the activities of others rather than contributing to group workspace. Even though students are in close proximity, they can be too focused on their own work and fail to notice relevant work from other groups. The students may miss the opportunity to collaborate and learn from each other. This project aims to provide teachers with awareness of class activities to help them monitor students’ progress and provide in time help. For students, the project will provide awareness of other groups’ work and apply gamification techniques to encourage engagement in inter-group collaboration in a shared digital workspace through their mobile devices. The project will benefit SMART Technologies by investigating ways to convey awareness information to teachers and encourage student cross-group collaboration in the SMART ampTM application.

Sustainable materials for energy storage: Development and characterization of bio-based carbonaceous composites

The main objective of this project is to develop and characterize innovative and sustainable materials for energy storage devices. In alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the project will investigate using renewable phenolic sources (such as tannin) and industrial waste (such as kraft black liquor) as precursors for synthesizing carbonaceous materials and composites. This will be achieved through low-cost, simple, and environmentally friendly methods. The methodology will also incorporate advanced material characterization techniques to analyze the materials’ physicochemical, morphological, textural, and electrochemical properties. The expected results aim to reduce dependence on expensive synthetic materials, promote sustainability, and provide viable solutions for large-scale production of energy storage devices in the future.

Proposition de recherche sur la communication de couple

Ce projet de recherche cherche à comprendre comment les couples gèrent leurs désaccords lorsque leurs objectifs sont opposés. Par exemple, si une personne veut discuter d’un problème (objectif d’approche) tandis que l’autre préfère l’éviter (objectif d’évitement), cela peut créer des tensions. L’étude veut savoir si ces différences entraînent plus d’émotions négatives comme la frustration ou le stress et comment elles influencent la qualité des discussions et l’intimité dans le couple.

L’objectif est de voir si les couples qui ont des objectifs alignés (tous deux cherchant à discuter ou à éviter un sujet) ont des interactions plus positives que ceux qui sont en désaccord sur leur façon de gérer le conflit. En comprenant mieux ces dynamiques, cette recherche pourrait aider à améliorer la communication et la qualité des relations amoureuses.

Cross-linked polyethylene fibers as low-cost precursors for carbon fibers

The proposed research aims to develop a novel and cost-effective method for producing carbon fibers using silane-grafted polyethylene (PE) as an alternative precursor. This approach integrates silane grafting, melt-spinning, stabilization, and carbonization processes to enhance the thermal stability and cross-linking of PE, making it suitable for carbon fiber production. By leveraging silane chemistry, the project seeks to eliminate or significantly reduce the reliance on traditional stabilization techniques, such as sulfonation, which produce toxic byproducts. The expected benefits include lower production costs, improved environmental sustainability, and expanded applications for carbon fibers in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and construction. The collaboration between the University of Calgary and RWTH Aachen University will foster innovation in polymer processing and carbon fiber precursor development, strengthening Canada’s research capabilities and contributing to the global advancement of sustainable materials science?.