Innovative Projects Realized

Probabilistic Safety Analysis Methods for Applications in Nuclear Technologies

The ability to correctly make safety-related decisions and to demonstrate compliance with existing limits is of great importance in the nuclear safety analysis industry. For example, we may be interested to assess whether or not a physical component (such as the pressure tube which carries fuel) has undergone physical changes that have exceeded its allowable limits. The problem relies on the development of models that involve parameters describing such components and to use the models to predict and assess whether the parameter has become non-compliant. These predictive models are based on (imperfect) experimental data or complex computational codes. Thus, these physical parameters are considered as random variables that are subject to uncertainties (e.g., stochastic and epistemic uncertainties) that affect our ability to make safety-related decisions. The objective of this project will be to investigate the development of methods and tools required to demonstrate the statistical basis for reaching decisions that are consistent with the so-called 95/95 industry standard. 

Using mathematical methods to set payout profiles and develop viral marketing models for lottery games

The purpose of the project is to provide the partner with a detailed understanding of a strategy to  set payout profiles within a model where the expected payout of the game is tied to the level of skill reached in the game. Additionally, the project will create a strategy for viral marketing of the product through the application of cutting edge research. The project will outline detailed descriptions of solutions to identified challenges. The research results will benefit the partner organization in efforts to develop an industry-unique product and prepare the company to commercialize the concept.

An analysis of the potential for Nova Scotia’s COMFIT program’s to improve the province’s energy security

To meet the targets set out in Nova Scotia’s Renewable Electricity Plan (REP) on April 2010, the province is establishing a Community Feed-In-Tariffs (COMFIT) program, which sets out to encourage communities to develop renewable energy projects. The REP stipulates that 100 megawatts of renewable electricity projects are to be supplied through COMFIT. The proposed research project will document the challenges and opportunities that Wind Prospect Inc. and other respective stakeholders face in developing renewable energy prospects for the Nova Scotia COMFIT program. The final research paper produced will inform Wind Prospect and other interested individuals for identifying and addressing policy barriers posed by COMFIT and relevant legislation. It is my hope that the research can be a useful tool for Wind Prospect Inc in developing successful COMFIT projects and applications. 

Research and implementation of Haptics Device Integration With a Dynamics Simulation Engine and Applications to Milling and Drilling Force Feedback

Virtual environments represented by multibody system models play an important role in many applications. Adding the possibility of the user directly interacting with such environments via physical touch using haptics can significantly enhance the usability and range of application of simulated environments. In this project we particularly target two main objectives: (1) the multirate-simulation and haptics challenge to incorporate realistic kinesthetic force feedback in multibody dynamics simulation of geometrically complex mechanical systems, and (2) application to milling and drilling bone in spinal surgery simulation. The partner organization, CMLabs will greatly benefit from this project. The proposed work is of direct relevance to their current work, and will also open up possibilities to broaden the applications of CMLabs’ software platform Vortex. 

Use of a Tesla turbine for energy recovery in the mining industry and energy generation from biomass

The objective of the proposed project is to develop economical and sustainable technologies which contribute to the energy needs of the mining industry. The Tesla turbine is simple in construction, compact and tolerant to the working fluid composition. These advantages make it a potential ideal solution for use in energy recovery from industrial sites or extraction from alternative sources such as biomass and plants grown around the mines.

Second generation BMP2 for dental surgical applications

The intern will be producing a therapeutic protein, i.e. ‘biologic’ (BMP2) using mutated bacterial plasmids as the bio-factory. The intern will create a sequence of DNA to be transformed into E. coli cells (BL21). The cells will be grown up in the lab, and studied for enhanced clinical efficacy. Proteins will be affinity purified and the resulting BMP2 variants will be tested in lab bioactivity assays. With a more potent mutant BMP2, our partner will be able to increase the number of successful implantation and reconstruction services they offer as a smaller physical quantity of BMP2 will reduce illicit adverse immune events.

Integrated control systems for audio amplifiers in portable devices

This project aims at designing and implementing an integrated control system for an audio power  amplifier system for portable devices, having good efficiency and sound quality. The proposed design controls a DC-DC converter to produce a varying power supply to a class AB output stage. The varying power supply tracks the input audio signal and therefore significantly improves the efficiency. The system includes the DC-DC converter, the digital regulator, and the class AB output stage. The simulation of the designs will be done in both Matlab and Cadence. The final control system will be prototyped on a FPGA for characterization along with the DC-DC converter on a test board.

A Place to Reflect and For Every Second in Time

A Place to Reflect and For Every Second in Time are a pair of interactive art installations that will make use of projection technology and interactivity. A Place to Reflect will debut at Nuit Blanche contemporary arts festival in Toronto and For Every Second in Time is slated for Toronto in 2012. Through the development of these two projects, Hybridity Media will research and develop projection mapping and interactivity through sensor-based technologies like Microsoft Kinect in an installation setting; allowing for new artistic visions enabled through new forms of audience engagement. This project will develop techniques for accomplishing these goals, using the two projects as case studies for further development and innovation in the art installation environment, allowing Hybridity to better fulfill its mandate to bridge emerging digital art practices. 

Sol-gel encapsulation of safflower derived oilbodies and immobilization of fractionated seed proteins for evaluation of stability under simulated gastrointestinal conditions.

SemBioSys Genetics, Inc is active in the production of recombinant, pharmacologically active proteins using the seeds of the safflower plant. The purified product is associated with oilbodies derived from the seed. In this project, the intern will perform research on a novel encapsulation technology for functional food. The technology is aiming at encapsulating a pharmaceutically active product upon the surface of oilbodies in a silica-based hull. This hull will protect the product from stomach acids while releasing the drug in the lower gastrointestinal tract. Using this silica technology will allow for a targeted release, utilizing the enhanced degradation of the silica matrix at high pH levels. This project has the potential to create a new product line for SemBioSys.

Local Buckling Response of Pipe

Onshore and offshore pipe systems may be subject to loading events that result in mechanical responde exceeding the material strength. There are technical and economic incentives for developing non-conventional, higher strength materials for use in long distance, large diameter and high pressure transmission pipeline systems. There exists uncertainty on the key factors influencing the mechanical response of these materials in pipe systems subject to large deformation loading events. This study will develop an analytical tool that can be used to assess the pipe mechanical integrity. Functional relationships will be developed to characterize the pipe strength and deformation resistance that can be used by design engineering to develop practical and economic solutions.

This research project was undertaken and completed with a grant from and the financial assistance of Petroleum Research Newfoundland & Labrador.

System-Level Performance Analysis of Shared Relaying Architecture with Realistic Channel Modeling

Future wireless networks call for seamless coverage and higher data rates at low infrastructure cost. Cooperative relaying strategies are among the most promising of future technological solutions toward achieving this goal. The proposed research project intends to evaluate the system-level performance of a specific relaying architecture called the shared relaying network. To quantify the benefit of this network, intelligent wireless resource management schemes will be developed using efficient mathematical optimization tools. Based on these schemes, simulation platform will be built for systematic performance evaluation. In order to obtain accurate and reliable assessment results, realistic wireless heterogeneous channel modeling software from SIRADEL will be used. The results are

expected to provide insights on the advantages of the shared relaying architecture as compared to other solutions. These insights will be helpful in extending the capabilities of the SIRADEL's software product for future advanced wireless solutions, which is of great interest to SIRADEL’s customers.

Optimal path planning for service robotics in a convention setting

CrossWing Inc. has been developing a service robotics platform called VirtualMe, which is a multifunctional mobile robot base that can be configured for many applications. CrossWing is attempting to have the VirtualMe used as an interactive guide/mascot for convention settings. The goal of this project is to develop autonomous navigation capabilities for VirtualMe that would allow it to function as a kind of mobile information kiosk that can serve as many people as possible. We believe that this added functionality would be of use and add an interesting dimension to the gatherings which invariably occur at public events. Benefits to Crosswing include an added capability for VirtualMe that will allow them to expand into new markets. They plan to introduce the interactive kiosk at a major international sporting event, where they will have the opportunity to showcase their technology to the world.