Projets novateurs réalisés

L2M – Deep Learning-Based Detection and Classification of Biofouling on Marine Surfaces

The maritime industry faces significant challenges from biofouling—the buildup of marine organisms on vessel hulls—which leads to higher fuel costs, increased carbon emissions, and frequent maintenance. Traditionally, biofouling inspections are manual, costly, and time-consuming, offering limited real-time insights. Our project seeks to address these inefficiencies by developing an AI-powered model to automate the detection and classification of biofouling on vessel surfaces. This technology will provide accurate, timely data to optimize maintenance and improve vessel efficiency.
Over a four-month internship, our team will focus on three main objectives to advance and commercialize this technology. First, we will validate the performance of our AI model in real-world marine environments by capturing and analyzing biofouling data using high-resolution underwater cameras. Second, we aim to refine our business model by conducting market research and engaging directly with shipping companies and regulatory bodies to develop a value proposition that addresses their specific needs. Lastly, we will establish strategic partnerships with marine technology companies specializing in drones and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to facilitate broader integration and market reach.
This project not only aims to improve operational efficiency in the maritime industry but also to support sustainability by reducing fuel consumption and emissions. Our expertise in AI, machine learning, and marine systems engineering, combined with a focus on commercialization strategies, will help bring this innovative solution to the market, addressing a critical need for the maritime sector.

L2M – MicroTrap

Microplastics, plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters, are observed to have significant negative impacts on human health and the environment as they decompose extremely slowly, release toxic chemicals, and transport contaminants. Among the major sources of microplastics are microfibers, tiny thread-like fibers released during laundry. In Canada and the United States, 878 tonnes of these microfibers get discharged with wastewater from laundry into fresh and marine waters annually, according to a July 2024 release by the Government of Canada. As more households become aware of their effects, there is a growing demand for affordable and effective solutions that prevent the spread of microfibers from the source.

Our product, the MicroTrap, is a filtration device installed externally on washing machines to prevent microfibers from entering wastewater. The device is additively manufactured and features primary and secondary filters of varied porosity that have been shown in laboratory experiments to physically capture 99% of microfibers typically released from textiles during laundry.

However, beyond the observed high efficiency, it is important to confirm that the MicroTrap satisfies the functional requirements of the customer segments. To define these requirements and benchmark them against the current functionality of the device, the research team needs to collect feedback from target customers such as members of households that regularly use washers, manufacturers of washers in North America and officers of Canadian government agencies involved in preventing plastic pollution. Through these stakeholder interviews, the team will validate the market segments and define the product requirements to ensure that the next version of the MicroTrap can be commercialized, while providing customers with the best user experience.

Living with Dementia in Public Spaces: Community Based Participatory Research through an intersectional Social Citizenship Lens.

Many more people living with dementia are and will inhabit public built and social environments, and adaptations of existing spaces, programs, services and polices are required to foster equitable inclusion of people with dementia. Yet, how dementia is situated within the scope of municipal mandates and
responsibilities to meet community needs is unclear. This research will address a clear gap in knowledge regarding the intersecting factors that shape social citizenship for people with dementia and will contribute to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility policy and practice within municipal settings.
The primary goal of the proposed research is to leverage academic-community partnerships to foster equity and inclusion for people living with dementia through an examination of how upstream factors, e.g., municipal processes and policies intersect with a person’s identities (e.g. ethnicity, gender, class
status, (dis) abilities) as a social citizen.
The research question guiding this study is “How can municipal mandates foster the equitable inclusion of people living with dementia?” Namely, the study will seek to understand the intersecting factors that shape social citizenship and use of public built and social environments for diverse people living with dementia, and will explore how EDI and accessibility mandates can foster inclusion of people living with dementia within municipal spaces, services, programs and policies.
This study will use a community based participatory approach informed by an intersectionality lens. Coproduction methods will be used to invite people living with dementia and other research collaborators to explore the factors that shape social citizenship and to illuminate relationships between people with dementia and the public physical and social environments within in the City of Victoria.

The application of graphene thin film membranes in solar harvesting for production of water and recovery of nutrients from urine

This project will graphene thin films using for water purification using solar evaporation. We will utilize an intercalation-assisted technique to prepare surfactant-free graphene dispersions. We will fabricate large-area graphene films and deposit them on filter paper through vacuum filtration, followed by thermal treatment to enhance their stability and optical properties. These films will be examined using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy to study their structure and properties. The films optical and conductive capabilities will be tested in solar evaporation experiments, which simulate both indoor and outdoor conditions using a solar simulator and thermal camera to monitor heat distribution. The findings will support further research on photothermal materials, which use sunlight to generate heat, and will be useful for water purification and related applications. This project will provide valuable training opportunities for an intern, benefiting both the student and the participating institutions through skill-building in microscopy and material characterization.

L2M – Optimizing Energy Efficiency in Sea Transportation Using Machine Learning

Our project tackles the critical challenge of optimizing energy efficiency in electric boats, a vital issue in the growing market of sustainable marine transportation. The primary problem lies in the inefficient energy consumption of electric motors used in electric boats when navigating varying wave conditions, leading to reduced range and increased operational costs. This research will contribute towards sustainable and environmentally friendly marine travel by developing innovative strategies to improve motor efficiency, reduce energy loss, and extend battery life. Through this work, we aim to support the shift to cleaner marine transportation, minimizing carbon emissions and operational costs while enhancing the viability of electric boats as a reliable, eco-friendly alternative.

Developing a DARTS proteomics method to identify the host-based targets of KSHV lytic replication inhibitors

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is virus, whose unabated lifecycle results in the formation of cancerous tumorous. Moreover, KSHV infection is particularly prevalent in people living with HIV, and has a disproportionate burden in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite this clear unmet medical need, there are no approved treatments for KSHV. Recent work, conducted in South Africa has identified a drug-like compound, with encouraging anti-KSHV properties. However, we do not fully understand how this drug-like compound is able to exert its effect, which is hampering our ability to translate these findings into a tangible therapeutic strategy. In this project we aim to combine the significant proteomics expertise house at the University of Victoria, with our substantial experience in drug discovery, to resolve this outstanding problem.
The combined skills are complimentary, and as such this project will allow for two-ways skills transfer, which can be applied in future projects, both in South Africa and Canada in the wider drug discovery space. Furthermore, this will catalyze a longer terms collaborative environment between the listed researchers

L2M – SolarSail (Dual Axis Solar Tracking System for Marine Vessels)

Dual Axis Solar Tracking System for Marine Environments is a project that aims to integrate a solar tracking technology onboard a marine vessel. By integrating 2 different tracking methods in one system for improving the efficiency of tracking, further leading to improvement in energy production, this project aims to make this technology economically and technically feasible for vessel owners to invest in. Other than the improvement in fuel consumption, vessels will also comply with the regulatory standards for exhaust gas emissions. The partner organization, Springboard Atlantic, is focused in bringing products from researchers to the economy, and this project aims to assess the viability of the product in the market, analyze the target consumers and develop it enough to be market ready. Thus, the partner organizations aims and goals are aligned with this project.

Programmable Transport in Hardware

As network speeds reach hundreds of gigabits per second and beyond, there is increasing interest in using programmable Network Interface Cards (NICs) to improve network performance. A key area of focus is accelerating transport protocols, which significantly impact network performance. Transport protocols are continuously re-designed and updated, especially in large-scale networks, to optimize network performance. However, programming these complex protocols on NICs in an efficient manner is difficult and error-prone, requiring deep knowledge of low-level programming on NIC hardware. This project aims to solve this problem by developing a platform that allows users to write transport protocols in a high-level programming language, without needing to understand the hardware intricacies of NICs. A compiler will translate these protocols into optimized code for the NIC hardware. AMD is a leader in high-performance computing, and with its acquisitions of Xilinx and Pensando, both experienced in programmable NICs, is well-positioned to shape the future of this field. This project will allow AMD’s customers to accelerate transport protocols more easily, reducing the risk of human errors in protocol implementation, potentially avoiding network disruptions and ensuring better performance for millions of users.

Développent d’outils innovateurs pour la caractérisation du bois et de la fibre du bois et leur impact sur la rentabilité financière des travaux d’aménagement forestier intensif

L’aménagement forestier intensif est parmi les alternatives pour assurer la pérennité des ressources pour l’industrie forestière. Cependant, peu d’information est disponible sur les effets de ces pratiques sur la qualité du bois et la valeur des produits. Ce manque d’information est dû à la nature destructive des essais de caractérisation des propriétés du bois. Ainsi, ce projet vise à développer des outils rapides et non destructifs pour mesurer les implications des pratiques d’aménagement forestier intensif sur les indicateurs de la qualité du bois et sur la valeur des produits. De plus, les modèles de rentabilité financière et d’évaluation économique existants n’intègrent pas la qualité du bois et ses répercussions sur la valeur des produits. En ajoutant ces paramètres aux modèles de rentabilité financière, ce projet vise aussi à apporter une estimation plus réaliste des coûts/bénéfices des travaux d’aménagements forestiers intensifs et des produits issus de la transformation. Le projet repose sur des données empiriques relatives aux propriétés chimiques et mécaniques du bois et à l’évolution des volumes marchands et de la dimension des tiges dans soumises à l’éclaircie commerciale et à la fertilisation pour une période de 14 ans après traitements.

Assisted Video Laryngoscopy (AVL): A Novel Method of Endotracheal Intubation Using a Next-Generation Video Laryngoscope with Artificial Intelligence Assistance

The research project aims to improve the safety and effectiveness of endotracheal intubation, a critical medical procedure. Endotracheal intubation involves inserting a breathing tube into a patient’s airway using a laryngoscope and is commonly required for surgery and in emergency situations. The research intern will study a novel technique called assisted video laryngoscopy (AVL), achieved by incorporating artificial intelligence into a laryngoscope. Several challenges that medical professionals encounter during intubation will be addressed, including limited visibility, inadequate training, and ergonomic issues with existing devices.
The partner organization will obtain an innovative laryngoscope that could significantly improve the first pass success rate of endotracheal intubation and reduce the risk of complications. This could lead to better patient outcomes and save lives, especially in time-critical situations where successful intubation is crucial to prevent cerebral hypoxia and its devastating consequences, such as brain damage or patient fatality.

Catégorification des partitions non croisées généralisées

Le domaine du stage proposé est à l’interface entre la combinatoire et l’algèbre. Plus spécifiquement, il s’intéresse à la combinatoire apparaissant en théorie des représentations d’algèbres. Une question centrale dans ce domaine est la catégorification. Le principe est, étant donné un phénomène combinatoire, de trouver/construire une catégorie (typiquement une catégorie provenant de la théorie des représentations d’algèbres) dans laquelle la combinatoire étudiée apparaît naturellement. Cela permet notamment de mieux comprendre le phénomène combinatoire, mais aussi d’en déduire des propriétés intéressantes sur la catégorie étudiée.

L’objet combinatoire étudié dans ce projet est la notion de partitions non croisées sur une surface à points marqués. L’objectif principal du stage est le suivant : associer à une surface à points marqués, une certaine catégorie, et un certain sous-ensemble de sous-catégories formant un treillis isomorphe au treillis des partitions non croisées de cette surface. Ceci généraliserait largement des résultats déjà existant si la surface est un disque : la catégorie utilisée est alors celle des représentations d’un carquois de type A de Dynkin.

Ce projet permettra de mettre en commun l’expertise en théorie des représentations associées à des surfaces des superviseurs français, et celle en combinatoire algébrique du superviseur canadien et des membres de son laboratoire.

Fluent Interactions: Comparing conversations in online and face-to-face L2 French language learning classrooms to see if there is an impact on the motivation of learners

Comparing virtual and face-to-face interactions in language learning classrooms, this study aims to understand how the smoothness of turn-taking, interaction quality, and the presence of visual cues (such as body language) influence adult learners’ motivation to continue studying French in Quebec. We intend to conduct this through a mixed methods approach. Controlled experiments manipulating turn-taking conditions and visual cues will assess their effect on communicative reward and motivation of L2 French learners (generating quantitative data). Following these experiments we will have discussions with the participants about what factors make L2 language learning rewarding in each setting. This will provide qualitative insights into L2 learning motivation factors. This project is designed to replicate our current study which is conducting these experiments in the context of L2 Welsh adult learners. Comparing the findings of both studies will allow us to examine whether the findings are consistent cross-culturally and develop effective pedagogical strategies for policymakers and educators to sustain language learning motivation in adult learners globally. This study will facilitate a collaborative link between McGill and Cardiff Metropolitan University, leveraging the unique suitability of Welsh and Canadian contexts for comparative language education research and fostering a specialised cross-cultural knowledge exchange.