Projets novateurs réalisés

Mobilizing the health benefits of being in nature through community-based participatory research and youth engagement

Spending time in natural environments and nature-based programming is associated with significant health benefits. These outcomes are particularly important for young people, whose mental health and wellbeing continues to be a priority for healthcare. Recent studies show gaps exist in access to, and provision of, these nature-based opportunities. There is a need for further research that includes NS youth perspectives and identifies their experiences, needs, barriers, and enablers for sustained participation, including for youth from diverse backgrounds and equity-deserving groups. This study will examine youth perspectives to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences of nature and nature-based programming, and gaps that exist in access and provision. Each intern will collaborate with a project partner to conduct a photovoice project to visually document, share their experiences, and advocate for change. The findings will inform planning and policy considerations for recreation, parks, and green space use to support youth wellbeing and the goal of helping people to connect to nature.

Developing a Framework for Sustainable and Decarbonized Mid-Rise Building

Mid-rise buildings offer a sustainable and cost-effective solution for increasing urban density without putting too much strain on city infrastructure. In Canadian cities with booming populations like Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, mid-rise buildings are particularly beneficial.

However, creating mid-rise buildings that are both decarbonized and sustainable is a complex challenge. It involves overcoming hurdles in technology, regulatory standards, and design principles. To tackle these issues, focused research is essential, especially in areas like solar energy advancements, integration of mechanical systems, and the creation of holistic frameworks that consider a building’s entire lifecycle.

This project is dedicated to uncovering new strategies for sustainable, low-carbon mid-rise buildings through a comprehensive research approach. This includes evaluating current and emerging sustainability practices for their practicality in the market and analyzing green methods for building structures, systems, and mechanical setups. The ultimate goal of this research is to create a decision-making tool that helps prioritize sustainable strategies, ensuring they meet both environmental goals and market demands.

Analysis of Injuries Resulting from Use of Non-traditional Vehicles

Non-traditional vehicles (NTVs) have become popular in recent years, but the expanding use of these vehicles has led to increasing trends of injuries and admissions to hospitals. Despite growing concern regarding the safety of use of NTVs, the impact of their use is not clear due to the limited number of studies that have been conducted. By examining relevant emergency department visits and hospitalizations to St. Michael’s Hospital, one of two Level 1 adult trauma centers in Greater Toronto, this research project will provide valuable data for injury
prevention efforts associated with NTVs in urban settings. This project will also analyze additional databases to ensure greater inclusivity, by including patients who sustained injuries due to NTVs but may not present at St. Michael’s Hospital. These findings will inform recommendations made to patients regarding NTV use and help reduce emergency department visits involving NTVs.

Alternator-based Energy Regeneration Utilizing a Wheel-Roller Mechanism

Friction control plays a major role in reducing wear, noise and vibration, and managing wheel/rail interaction on rail transit systems. Recognized as a global leader in rail industry, L.B. Foster has developed innovative lubrication technology for friction management at specific sections of a railroad track. The mobile dispensing system used for friction management requires an external power source to provide power to the unit. It would be ideal if the system can include a separate power generation unit that can obtain its power from a reliable source on the railcar. One such source is the kinetic energy of the train wheel, which can be captured through an appropriate energy conversion mechanism. The objective of the proposed collaborative effort is to develop an alternator-based generation unit for the mobile dispensing system to be mounted on a railcar. In the proposed R&D activity, the SFU-LB Foster collaboration will concentrate on development of power control circuitry and its testing on a proof-of-concept testbed at LB Foster facility in Burnaby, BC

Innovating with User-Centric Software for Sustainable Manufacturing

In the fast-paced realm of manufacturing, the integration of real-time quality assurance systems stands as a critical factor for maintaining product excellence and optimizing operational workflows. Traditional approaches to quality control in printed and additive electronics (PAE) manufacturing often grapple with complexities in user interface designs and lack the automation needed for efficient data handling and report generation. This research proposal, a collaborative endeavor between TRAQC and UI/UX specialists, is dedicated to overcoming these hurdles by developing a user-centered software solution that enhances real-time quality assurance practices. The project is structured around several key objectives: First, to gain a deep understanding of the end-users’ needs, both technical and non-technical, through comprehensive interviews. Second, to leverage these insights in designing a prototype that adheres to the principles of user-centered design. Third, to deploy this prototype within a live manufacturing environment, assessing its usability and impact on quality assurance procedures. Finally, to refine and validate the software, ensuring it not only aligns with TRAQC’s rigorous standards but also resonates with the broader needs of the industry. Through this project, we anticipate setting new standards in manufacturing efficiency and quality control, underscored by a profound understanding of user interaction and experience.

La perception sensorielle des publics et le sentiment de coprésence dans les expériences hybrides et immersives

Avant tout, le stagiaire aura comme mandat d’accompagner des artistes issu.es de disciplines variées qui ont envie d’intégrer un dispositif de téléprésence dans leur démarche artistique. En travaillant conjointement avec le laboratoire de recherche de la SAT et le studio multimédia Moment Factory durant la phase de conception du projet, l’étudiant intégrera un cadre conceptuel et théorique lié à la perception des publics afin de guider les phases subséquentes du projet, soit la production et la diffusion. L’organisation partenaire bénéficiera d’une ressource humaine supplémentaire qui se dédiera à la méthodologie et à la collecte de données, en gardant à l’esprit la réception du public. Pour y parvenir, le stagiaire propose de conduire une ethnographie sensorielle de l’équipe de conception et des publics à travers des séances de travail et des démonstrations, respectivement.

Leveraging data science to build consulting specific solution offering

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Extended Reality-based exposure and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for job interview skill and anxiety management of adults with autism: A Pilot Study

This study will focus on determining how extended reality (XR) incorporating cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) principles can increase job-interview skills and anxiety management among adults with autism with mild symptoms. This study will also develop to simulation one using 360-3D and the second EON-XR utilizing low-cost equipment then will evaluate the feasibility and accessibility of the simulations.

Kinova Robot Exploration, Design and Optimization Tool (KREDOT)

Kinova is a company that makes robots for different purposes, such as helping people in hospitals, schools, labs, and factories. Kinova wants to make better and faster robots by being able to plan and design them more easily. However, making robots is not easy. It requires a lot of different skills and knowledge from different teams of experts. Sometimes, these teams have different goals and opinions on how to make the best robot. Kinova wants to solve this problem by creating a new tool that can help them explore, design, and optimize robots in a smart and efficient way. This tool will use advanced multi-disciplinary methods that are usually used for making aircrafts, but we think they can also work for robots. The goal of this project is to make Kinova’s design process better and faster, which will help them win more customers and deliver high-quality products on time and within budget.

Étude des cosmétiques et des matières colorantes des XIXe et XXe siècle au Québec

Le XIXe siècle et la Révolution Industrielle apportent des changements majeurs dans l’industrie de la couleur. En plus des nouvelles teintes disponibles, de nombreux matériaux sont inventés et viennent remplacer ceux principalement issus des minéraux et des végétaux. Ceux-ci sont alors incorporés dans divers objets du quotidien, peintures, cosmétiques, teintures, etc. Dans le cadre de ce projet, nous nous intéresserons à un ensemble d’artefacts comprenant des matières colorantes brutes et des cosmétiques (rouges à lèvres et poudre à ongles), retrouvés dans des maisons des villes de Laval et Québec et datés de la fin du XIXe siècle et du début du XXe siècle. Grâce à des analyses physico-chimiques, l’objectif du projet sera de retrouver les recettes employées pour leur confection, afin de débuter une discussion sur l’évolution des pratiques de décoration et de parure dans la vie quotidienne des Québécois en lien avec les bouleversements engendrés par la Révolution Industrielle.

Synthetic Data Generation from Sample Data Analysis and Modeling

To efficiently tackle the challenge of responsible gaming in wager-based games, it is necessary to be able to understand the behavior of players. A first step in this is to identify playstyles. To identify playstyles, a set of features are derived from session level data. The resulting features are then clustered using a clustering algorithm. Instead of extracting a defined set of features, we want to learn the features and then cluster the resulting representations to identify playstyles. It is difficult to provide a simple interpretation for the resulting clusters and as such we aim that given a dataset and its resulting clusters, to develop an algorithm to explain the resulting clusters. Once we have fundamentally understood the features and clusters, we will develop models of players that can then be used to generate synthetic player data. Synthetic player data will support exploration of artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions in the domain whereby player data is needed to support training. In this case, synthetic data can help achieve the goals desired however without having privacy and security concerns.

Analyse des dispositifs de Cybersécurité actuels et proposition de mesures à Implémenter au sein de la CSSSPNQL, ainsi que dans les Communautés Autochtones du Québec et au Labrador desservies par la CSSSPNQL

Ce projet qui se déroule à la Commission de la Santé et des Services Sociaux du Québec et du Labrador (CSSSPNQL) en collaboration avec Polytechnique Montréal vise à évaluer les politiques informatiques et l’état de la cybersécurité au sein de la CSSSPNQL et des communautés qu’elle dessert. L’objectif est également de développer des programmes de sensibilisation adaptés aux besoins de ses communautés. Pour ce faire, des stagiaires travailleront sous la supervision de l’équipe informatique de la CSSSPNQL et de la professeure Gabriela Nicolescu de Polytechnique Montréal. Un stagiaire de premier cycle dressera un inventaire complet des politiques et pratiques existantes, tandis qu’un stagiaire de cycles supérieurs formulera des recommandations et concevra des outils de sensibilisation pour un déploiement plus large au sein des communautés desservies par la CSSSPNQL. En résumé, ce projet vise à renforcer la cybersécurité et à sensibiliser les communautés autochtones aux enjeux liés à la sécurité informatique.