Projets novateurs réalisés

Community Mobile Media Lab

This application to MITACS supports the creation of an innovative mobile research lab. The Community Mobile Media Lab (CMML) is a purpose-designed mobile media production hub, which will house film production equipment that can be situated temporarily in communities we are collaborating with to explore innovative models of co-creation, training and mentorship. This infrastructure will allow us to engage with Nova Scotians to document the oral histories of community elders, and with whom we have initiated programs that empower youth by teaching them filmmaking skills. Through these unique education and production models, the CMML will facilitate acts of reconciliation by facilitating creative opportunities for communication among community members.

Technical intern(s) working within cross-functional teams to commercialize AI-powered solutions (1)

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Solid-state additive manufacturing of GRCop-42/84 copper alloys and their variants for combustion chamber liners

The partner organization, D.I. Self-Composite (DISC) Alloys Inc., specializes in large-format additive manufacturing for metals, with a particular focus on propulsion systems and aerospace applications. Leveraging advanced Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing (CSAM) technology, DISC Alloys has the capability to deposit multiple metals with precision and achieve high deposition rates (20 kg/h), enabling the production of complex, multi-material components.
Through this project, DISC Alloys aims to address a critical industry challenge: the high cost and limited availability of GR-42 and GR-84 copper alloys, which are essential for propulsion systems. These materials, while effective, present supply chain and economic constraints that hinder scalability and innovation in the aerospace sector.
By collaborating with academic expertise, DISC Alloys seeks to develop new materials with comparable or superior thermal and mechanical properties to GR-42 and GR-84. The anticipated outcomes include cost-effective solutions that enhance manufacturability while maintaining or exceeding performance standards.
The project’s success would yield significant social and economic benefits, including increased competitiveness for DISC Alloys in the aerospace market, reduced dependency on expensive and scarce materials, and fostering innovation that strengthens Canada’s position in advanced manufacturing and space technology sectors.

Development of Natural Language Queries Embedded Within a School Data Hub to Support Data-Informed Decision-Making by School-Based Practitioners

The University of Toronto Schools (UTS), through the Eureka Research Institute, is committed to advancing data-driven decision-making in K-12 education. This aligns with the growing recognition of the importance of data literacy in education, where students and teachers need to “read the world with data” and “write the world with data” (Louie, 2022). Recent research highlights that educators require user-friendly data tools that minimize the technical expertise needed to interact with educational data (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2023). By integrating Natural Language Query (NLQ) capabilities into the Data Hub, this project enhances the ability of teachers and administrators to engage with school-wide data more effectively, supporting student performance analysis, curriculum planning, and intervention strategies.
This research will have a broader societal impact by making data-driven insights more accessible, ensuring equitable and effective educational strategies for student success.

Automated Threat Hunting for Early APT Identification

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) present a significant challenge to organizations due to their sophisticated, stealthy, and persistent nature. Traditional reactive security measures often do not detect these threats in real-time, leaving systems vulnerable to long-term exploitation. This research project will explore how to automate threat hunting to proactively identify APTs in real time, reducing manual intervention and enhancing early-stage detection. The partner organization, Ericsson, a leading multi-national networking and telecommunications company, focuses on delivering resilient 5G/6G solutions with threat detection, incident response, and security analytics to enterprise and Telco clients. Enhancing threat detection capabilities through automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and threat actor attribution-based analytics is extremely important to proactively identify APTs. This project will address the need to enhance threat-hunting capabilities, reduce the reliance on manual threat-hunting, and improve real-time detection and response. The development of an automated proactive threat-hunting solution is expected to provide significant economic benefits to the partner organization. By automating key aspects of threat hunting, the organization will reduce operational costs associated with manual threat hunting and improve the efficiency of its SOCs. Additionally, this solution will allow us to offer enhanced security services to verticals, customers, and clients potentially opening new revenue streams.

Development of a Physical Process for the Removal of Metallic Nanoparticles from Carbon Nanofiber

Given the global challenge of greenhouse gas emissions, capturing and converting these gases into valuable carbon-based products, such as carbon nanofiber (CNF), offers a sustainable solution. This is the primary goal of this project’s industry partner, Carbonova Corp, by utilizing greenhouse gas feedstocks and turning them into a valuable CNF. During the production of CNF, metal catalysts such as nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe) are employed to facilitate the synthesis process. However, such metal nanoparticles can become entangled with the CNF, leading to contamination. This impurity negatively impacts the physical properties of the CNF, degrading their performance in various applications. The extent to which metal impurities are present directly correlates with a decrease in the effectiveness of CNFs across different applications. This project aims at a novel physical purification process that integrates multiple steps, including ultrasonication, centrifugation, and magnetic separation, without relying on undesirable chemical processes that may negatively alter the properties of the produced CNF. One of the primary challenges in this research is ensuring that all process parameters work in harmony to achieve an optimal purification outcome. By achieving purified CNF from recycled carbon, the need for new raw materials is reduced for use in various applications.

Assessment of Comprehensive Self-Care Programs in the Workplace: A Mixed Methods Study

The purpose of this 20-week study is two-fold. First, assess two comprehensive self-care programs on employee and organizational outcomes. Second, explore the self-care phenomenon. A single financial services organization will participate in the study. Financial consultants will be randomly assigned by office location into three groups. Group #1 will attend a comprehensive self-care program called the Corporate Athlete Training Program (CATP). The CATP provides skills instruction in movement, nutrition, mindfulness and recovery. Group #2 will receive the CATP followed up with ~60 minutes of co-active life coaching support delivered every 2 weeks for 3 months. Group 3, the control, will receive no treatment. Several quantitative measures will be taken before and after the self-care programs. Measures include weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, pulse, blood lipids, fasting blood sugar and employee productivity. Several self-rating survey instruments will be used. Surveys will measure work engagement, resilience and health. Qualitative data, used to explore the self-care journey, include observations, field notes, participant feedback, weekly e-journals, interviews, and a focus group.

Portrait stylization

This project explores how AI can create expressive, stylized portraits while keeping a person’s identity and emotions intact. By developing advanced AI models, it will help artists, enhance digital content creation, and support industries like entertainment, advertising, and cultural heritage. The technology can be used in museums for interactive exhibits, in film and gaming for virtual production, and in personalized digital experiences. Participating institutions will benefit from advancing AI-driven digital art, gaining research recognition, and fostering industry collaborations. A related conference or journal publication will showcase findings, increasing visibility and impact in both academia and industry.

Developing AI Models for Instrument-Tissue Force Prediction in Neurosurgery

This project aims to explore whether brain tissue deformation, observed through a surgical microscope, can be used to estimate instrument-brain contact forces during epilepsy surgery. Two interns will work on key aspects: one will develop computer vision techniques to track tissue deformations in real time, while the other will create machine learning models to translate these deformations into force estimates. By combining high-resolution imaging with advanced algorithms, this research could improve surgical precision and safety by providing real-time force feedback. The findings may also enhance surgical training and simulation tools, benefiting both medical professionals and future technology development.

Analyse multivariée des paramètres influençant la qualité d’installation des géomembranes dans le secteur minier

Les géomembranes sont des barrières utilisées dans les sites miniers pour prévenir la contamination des sols et des eaux. Leur efficacité repose sur une installation sans défaut, mais des erreurs courantes (perforations, soudures défectueuses) compromettent souvent leur performance. Ce projet vise à identifier et prédire les facteurs influençant la qualité d’installation des géomembranes à l’aide de modèles statistiques et d’intelligence artificielle. En analysant des paramètres comme la température, le vent, l’expérience des installateurs et le type de sol, nous pourrons anticiper les risques et recommander des pratiques optimales. L’objectif est de réduire les défauts d’installation, limitant ainsi les risques de fuites toxiques, les coûts de réparation et l’impact environnemental. En intégrant ces avancées, l’industrie minière pourra optimiser la gestion des déchets et améliorer la durabilité de ses infrastructures. Ce projet apporte des solutions concrètes pour rendre l’exploitation minière plus sécuritaire et durable, tout en renforçant l’expertise canadienne en gestion environnementale et en ingénierie minière.

Testing Anchorage of Bridge Barrier Posts

Post and beam safety barriers are common on Canadian highway bridges. The post anchorage refers to the region of bridge deck and curb to which the post is connected. The anchorage must be strong enough to resist crash loads on the barrier, which generate large tension forces within the anchorage. Typical barrier post anchorages have been shown in crash tests to be strong enough but they suffer extensive damage that is difficult to repair. Through a combination of analysis and laboratory testing, we will be looking for ways to better engage reinforcing steel with the goal of making the anchorages both safer and easier to repair. For WSP, a major bridge design consulting engineering firm in Canada with offices across the country, the major benefit is a competitive advantage in offering its clients a higher value product.

Scaling Impact of the Guided Hands Assistive Device for People with Hand Disabilities in Education

Guided Hands® is an award-winning assistive device that helps individuals with hand disabilities write, paint, draw, and use iPads to communicate independently. Designed for people with Cerebral Palsy, spinal cord injuries, and other neurological conditions, the device is currently used by over 4,750 children and adults with disabilities worldwide.

Through this project, we aim to expand the reach of Guided Hands® by hiring a Commercialization Research Assistant to develop a strategic plan for scaling sales in primary markets, United States and Canada.

During the summer internship, the intern will play a critical role in our international expansion strategy, conducting market research to analyze the competitive landscape, regulatory requirements, and potential reimbursement pathways. A key focus will be integrating Guided Hands® into schools for children with Cerebral Palsy, ensuring students can develop essential communication and learning skills. However, the intern will also explore new customer segments such as aging populations, stroke rehabilitation programs, and workplace accessibility initiatives.

To gain valuable market insights, the intern will conduct direct outreach with healthcare professionals, educators, and individuals in the disability community. These conversations will help shape a targeted sales and distribution strategy, identifying key stakeholders, potential partnerships, and the best channels to bring Guided Hands® to more users and improve their quality of life.