Development & Benchtop Testing of Minimally Invasive Surgical Device

Xpan Inc. is developing a patent-pending expandable laparoscopic access port device. Xpan needs to develop its proof of concept prototype into a high-fidelity prototype through a series of iterative design, prototyping and benchtop testing. Research must be performed to select appropriate biocompatible material that achieve user requirements. Research must also be performed to evaluate the […]

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National Disability Insurance Scheme Evaluation

Australia’s new National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has been rolled out across the country. Its primary selling point is the opportunity for users to design and manage their own care plan, which is meant to increase independence amongst users. Since its initial pilot testing, there has not been an evaluation of the NDIS amongst Aboriginal […]

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An evaluation of alternatives to diesel fuel for use in Canada’s class 8 heavy-duty vehicles.

Canada has committed to combatting climate change. To do this, Canada must find ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the country’s most polluting sectors. Transportation accounts for roughly a quarter of the country’s total GHG emissions, and though electric vehicles have been identified as a promising strategy for passenger vehicles, a viable alternative […]

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Developing a novel detection method for endangered and invasive fishes

Underwater visual analysis (UWVA) is a passive and non-invasive method gaining popularity in freshwater systems. UWVA uses underwater cameras and/or snorkel surveys to assess species richness and abundance. UWVA could also be used to detect endangered and invasive fishes, which is important for conservation and management of freshwater ecosystems. To determine the applicability of the […]

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Evaluation of corticosteroid-releasing nano- and micro-particles for pain management in osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a progressive joint disease that causes pain and stiffness, resulting in a decrease in quality of life for patients. Treatment include intra-articular administration of crystalline corticosteroids or hyaluronate. Intra-articular corticosteroids, due to the large doses required, short residence time in the joint, and crystalline structure, are associated with cartilage damage and a short […]

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Development of Electroactive Multiffunctional Fiber

Our overall goal is to develop multi-functional electro-active yarns that can be knitted/woven to create a garment with embedded dry-textile electrodes (e-textiles). This garment will be used, for fully sensing human electrophysiological signals as well as stimulating specific muscles of the human body using textile-based wearable technology. These multi-functional fibers are going to be manufactured […]

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Exploring Jomon Period Food and Ground Stone Technology through Starch Residues in Southwestern Hokkaido, Japan

The Jomon Period (ca. 16,500 – 2,300 years before present) represents a significant part of prehistory in the Japanese Islands, and this longevity is largely tied to the complex human-environment relationships in Jomon society. My project examines these environmental interactions through microscopic plant remains from Jomon grinding tools, using the residues of human activities to […]

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Property Testing of Linear Threshold Functions

Inferring underlying properties of a dataset is a fundamental task in the fields of learning, statistics, and data analysis. In recent years, the amount of data which we have access to and would like to analyze continues to grow at an astronomical rate. Algorithms that were previously considered efficient for learning properties of the data […]

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Development of Chitin Nano-whiskers Epoxy Nanocomposites for High Mechanical Performance and Structural Applications

Chitin is a vastly available resource in the form of waste from the fishing industry in Canada and worldwide. BOCO Bio-Nanotechnologies has currently the infrastructure in place for scalable extraction of CNWs (Chitin nano-whiskers) from crab shells. CNWs are crystalline regions of chitin, possessing high strength, stiffness and aspect ratio, making them ideal for reinforcement […]

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A Study of Motor Learning in Children and Adults who Stutter

Stuttering is a speech disorder that not only affects a person’s ability to communicate fluently and confidently, but can also have a significant impact on their quality of life and mental health. Developmental stuttering typically emerges in early childhood; however, 20% of individuals will continue to be affected by this disorder into adulthood. After decades […]

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