Innovative Projects Realized

Companion Animal Surveillance

Evaluating Collaborative GIS for Marine Conservation Planning

System for Ubiquitous Sports Competition for Snow Sports

Linking Desktop and Mobile Devices to Back-end Systems Using HTML5

Product Modularity Enhancement and Engineering Analysis for CPP Dredges

Canada Pump and Power (CPP) Corporation has approached University of Alberta (UofA) to conduct a joint research program by leveraging MITACS Accelerate Internship Cluster Program on “product modularity enhancement and mechanical engineering analysis” for CPP’s existing dredges with its uniquely selected pumps for different user requirements. The methodology adopted includes parametric feature-based design and system simulation-based engineering analysis. The research novelty is the associative engineering analysis with product selections, and configuration management information model that can be reused for different product configurations with minimum
reengineering effort. This research has a 2-year period; 16 intern units are planned for graduate students. The key benefits for CPP are the development of a well investigated modularity framework with reusable engineering and computerized design models. These benefits will enhance CPP’s flexibility in satisfying the variety of user requirements and reduce the risks and costs of reconfigured systems which will lead to direct efficiency and profit gains.

BEAM: Building Energy Analysis and Modeling

Evaluating the imPROVE LEAN Program at Provincial Health Services Authority

This research project will examine the imPROVE program at Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). The imPROVE program is a large scale initiative designed to ensure or improve the quality and efficiency of health service delivery using LEAN methodology. This research will investigate several components of interest as identified by key stakeholders, which will provide decision makers with sound research evidence pertaining to the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the imPROVE program, which in turn, can be used to plan future directions of the initiative.  The purpose of this study, then, is to embark upon a research program of sufficient rigor to produce scientific reports that will reveal information about several aspects of the imPROVE program—information that will withstand the scrutiny of peer-reviewed critiques such that results can be relied upon as a sound foundation for decision making. Thus, this study aims for innovation in the field of Health Science literature, and represents a collaborative effort between academic institutions and decision makers in an applied setting.  In addition to providing direct benefit for the field of Health Science literature, this project will benefit PHSA’s future determination of imPROVE. Despite extensive information about the general impact of Lean in literature, little data exists regarding cost-benefit evaluation, particularly for healthcare. PHSA needs to conduct such an evaluation to determine it has achieved net value for the resources invested. The resulting evaluation framework may also be transferable to other health authorities. As a health authority, PHSA has limited funds available for evaluation and the Mitacs grant is required to support this needed activity.

Multimodal optical brain imaging for epilepsy applications

The cost and size of many imaging systems used in biomedical applications largely limit the possibility for longterm and imaging sessions in pre-clinical and clinical diagnosis. There is a need for low-cost imaging systems to map brain activity. Dr. Levi’s team has developed a unique miniature laser-based illumination system that enables novel optical imaging of neurovascular dynamics in live animals. We have recently shown the advantages for fast simultaneous imaging of blood flow and oxygenation, surrogates to neural activity, in rodent cortex. Here we propose to demonstrate the applicability of multiple modalities imaging for epilepsy models in animals. Simultaneous blood flow, blood oxygenation, electrophysiological recordings and calcium activity will be acquired with high spatiotemporal resolution in order to evaluate the correlation between metabolic activity and electrophysiological seizure onsets. We will also demonstrate the compatibility of our system with miniature cameras, towards developing a portable optical neural imaging system.

Biomass Supply Study – Dynamic Economic Modeling Exercise

Ecosystem Services of Native and Non-Native Urban Trees

The Binary Fluid Ejector- a novel thermal-driven heat pump for low-energy distillation

Minerva Canada Teaching Module Project, Phase II

This project is an undertaking in coordination with Minerva Canada which aims to address a gap between industry and the graduates of engineering programs in terms of attitudes, knowledge and applied skills pertaining to health & safety in engineering practice. Through a series of phases from curriculum planning to implementation, the project's end product will include stand-alone teaching modules that can be integrated into each year of an engineering program related to health & safety for universities across Canada. The project is currently in phase II, the development of a curriculum plan for content and integration into all four years of engineering.