Applying design thinking to urban planning: A case study of the Red Deer environmental master planning process

Cities are facing amplified change and uncertainty. As a result, the contemporary urban planner is confronted with increasingly complex problems, which shape the need for planning approaches that are adaptable, participatory and responsive. This project will explore the opportunities for improving and expediting planning processes through a design thinking approach. Design thinking is a solution-oriented […]

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Wind Field Estimation, Exploitation and Guidance for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become increasingly used in the fields of data collection, surveillance, and search and rescue missions. For many UAVs, knowledge of the instantaneous wind speed and direction and overall wind field are of interest, as this knowledge can help better control the position and orientation of the UAV in heavy wind. […]

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Healthcare Utilization in Chronic Pain Patients: A Prospective Examination of Using Cannabis for Therapeutic Purposes

The proposed project will evaluate the healthcare utilization of chronic pain patients using cannabis for their pain treatment while on a waitlist for a specialized pain clinic. Two hundred patients will be followed for 6-months to identify differences in the number of medical appointments or prescription medication depending if one uses cannabis for pain relief […]

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A Virtual reality (VR)-based yoga exercise program targeting upper and lower extremities function in stroke survivors who are discharged home

A virtual-reality-based yoga training and assessment platform will be developed as a comprehensive approach for training/improving balance, frailty, and cognitive performance and prevent falls in stroke survivors. The project would have 1) a great therapeutic benefit in terms of increasing rehabilitation outcomes post-discharge and 2) would increase the prevention of further disability. The platform can […]

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Biosensing JFET platform with printed graphene gate and customizable functionalization

The goal of this research project is to create a novel type of biosensor by combining two complimentary microfabrication techniques. First, a silicon chip containing JFET transistors with an open gate will be fabricated using traditional microfabrication techniques that are highly reliable and give good performance. Second, a graphene layer will be inkjet printed onto […]

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Assessing the Sustainability of Snowmobiling Trails across Ontario

The proposed research seeks to understand how marginal winter conditions have impacted Ontario snowmobile trails in the past in order to make inferences about the future. The project will combine historic climate data (1989-2019), operational indicators (trail opening/closing, permit sales), and Regional Climate Model (RCM) outputs for the Province of Ontario to explore the implications […]

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Orpheus VR – Exploring Intersections of Narrative and Sound in Virtual Reality

OrpheusVR is a new operatic experience that immerses audiences in a virtual, mythical world and allows them to have agency over the outcome of the narrative as well as the music and orchestration that drive the storytelling. The experience uses interactive sound to enable creative gameplay that will guide audiences through a fresh new take […]

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Systematic Conservation Planning in Tsay Keh Dene Territory: Incorporating Climate Change and Bridging Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Systematic Conservation Planning (SCP) is the idea that the practice of protecting lands should be examined on a broad scale and be holistic in nature. Available areas of land with conservation potential should be examined critically for whether they fit into a larger ecological network – either as a link between existing protected areas, or […]

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Building the capacity of mainstream services to support newcomers to Alberta

Canada welcomes approximately 300,000 immigrants and refugees each year. In order for these newcomers to be successful in Canada, it is important that service providers are able to support the unique needs and contributions of this diverse population. This research is aimed at understanding how specific service providers support immigrant and refugee clients. This includes […]

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Developing methods to isolate regulatory innate lymphocytes

Enhancing tissue homeostasis and immune tolerance mechanisms is pivotal for the development of new therapeutic approaches for transplantation and autoimmunity. This proposal is focused on harnessing newly discovered types of lymphocytes that regulates immune responses in cell-based immunotherapies. We are developing methods to isolate and expand these newly identified regulatory lymphocytes and are assessing their […]

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