Ongoing innovation with energy-economy-emissions models

The goal of this project is to support the research learning of three master’s students whose work would advance methods for estimating the impacts on emissions, the economy, energy costs and housing affordability resulting from government environment, technology, economic and urban form policies and investments – occurring at all three levels of government in Canada. […]

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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 […]

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Water quality and community attitudes at three sites of inaccessible water

Recreational waters offer many benefits to society and public health. However, they can become risky when contaminated by disease-causing microbes. To ensure public safety, water quality is monitored at developed recreational water locations in compliance with the Canadian Recreational Water Quality Guidelines. In the interests of improving quality of life and local water quality, municipal […]

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Novel Ergonomic Chair.

A majority of jobs in highly developed economies such as Canada and the United States are sedentary. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) reports that sitting in poorly designed chairs can lead to neck pain, back pain, and pain and aches in several muscles. With the increase of work-from-home and hybrid work, […]

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Skagit Headwaters Indigenous-led Conservation

UNDRIP and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets have increased consideration of Indigenous Rights and Title and the role of Indigenous Governance in land protection and conservation. The Skagit Headwaters is an area of overlapping significance to many First Nations and Tribes in Canada and the United States. This region presents a unique opportunity to consider the […]

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Interpretable AI for Seamless Robot Navigation Among People

This project aims to make advancements in mobile robot navigation in crowded environments, which will alleviate one of the key bottlenecks to wider utilization of mobile robotic systems and bring these systems into sectors such as entertainment, travel, health care, and logistics. To achieve this aim, the project proposes to develop robust, interpretable AI for […]

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Microbial water quality assessment and source tracking at Volunteer Park

Recreational waters provide numerous societal benefits and contribute to public health and well-being. Recreational waters can pose a risk to the public when microbial contamination is present. To improve quality of life and local water quality, developing new locations for recreation in Vancouver is a focus of community groups including partner organization Swim Drink Fish. […]

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CityHive/REACH-Cities

CityHive is a Metro Vancouver-based non-profit organization on a mission to transform the way that young people are engaged in shaping their cities: in city planning, decision-making processes and urban sustainability issues. This project will support CityHive to complete a comprehensive evaluation on CityHive’s programs and youth engagement impact, including their CityShapers in Schools, Urban […]

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Mechanical Design and Power Drive Improvements for Moovee’s One-seater Prototype

An emerging concept in urban transportation systems is utilization of small electric vehicles that meet the demands for enclosed personal mobility. These types of vehicles are generally small and lightweight but require much less space than more conventional vehicles such as the Smart Car. Furthermore, the vehicle is all battery electric. Recent developments have utilized […]

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Neighbourhood Sustainability Assessment: Connecting Impact with Policy Intent

The Neighbourhood Sustainability Assessment: Connecting Impact with Policy Intent project seeks to conduct a sustainability assessment of the UniverCity neighbourhood on Burnaby Mountain. The Community Capital NSA tool will be used to evaluate how well the UniverCity neighbourhood is meeting its vision of being a model sustainable complete community. Results will be subjected to a […]

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New Analytical Approaches to Social Media Data

In general, market research agencies use surveys and social media analytics as different ways to explain customer behaviour. Vision Critical, a Vancouver software and market research firm, is currently testing how the two can be combined to generate new findings. While the company intends to offer this approach as a service, various important questions to […]

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Oscillation-based Fuel Cell Diagnostics

In this project, we propose two diagnostic tools that can identify dynamical processes in various fuel cell operating regimes, using the difference in the time constant of these processes. For example, conductive transport of electrons is faster than diffusive transport of gasses. We oscillate current and pressure at different frequencies, and measure the cell voltage. […]

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