Pelvic floor disorders, such as pelvic organ prolapse (POP), negatively affects millions of women each year. POP is the descent of the vagina resulting in symptoms of vaginal bulging, pelvic pressure or heaviness, pain, and incontinence. A nonsurgical option for POP symptom relief is the use of pessaries, removable vaginal prosthetics; however, current pessary designs […]

Numerous industries and government agencies carry out analyses every day using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instruments that typically waste 95% of the sample. A greener approach would not generate any sample waste. During this project, an infrared heated pre-evaporation tube will be developed and coupled to nebulizers from the industrial partner so as to allow […]

This project will result in the generation of mathematical models that will predict the quality and sustainability of protein-based ingredients that are commonly used in dog diets. With the projected growth of human and pet populations, and increases in food production necessary to meet growing demands, providing Canadian pet food companies (such as our industry […]

Dr. Potter has recently begun exploring the impact that probiotics (beneficial bacteria found in some food sources such as probiotic yogurt and kefir) have on anxiety and depression. Other researchers have shown that probiotic bacteria exert a significant effect on anxiety and depression-like behaviours in animals. A few studies have extended these findings to humans. […]

This project aims to design a keyword spotting system (KWS) using microphone arrays installed on an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). The project consists in 1) installing microphone arrays on the partner’s UGV, recording the ego-noise generated by the wheels and engine, and measuring the acoustic transfer function for each possible direction of arrival; 2) creating […]

The project is designed to reduce the carbon intensity of ethylene production in Alberta. Ethylene is an important building block for the chemical industry to produce plastics, consumer goods, solvents, paints. Ethylene is predominantly produced by steam cracking releasing up to 2.7 kg CO2 eq./ kg of polyethylene produced. In Alberta, the production of ethylene […]

The project shall improve the status reporting and process compliant working within automotive embedded projects by connecting and automating existing tools, procedures and solutions.

Cellulose and Silicon are two of the most abundant natural materials in the world, thus it is only “natural” to combine the two materials. Specifically, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have been attractive sustainable additives for the mechanical reinforcement of polymers and silicon can be easily converted to silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) for use in biosensing, coatings, and […]

The objective of this project is to develop lead free solder alloys with superior mechanical and physical properties. For various reasons (some mentioned above), Sn-based multicomponent alloys with alloying elements, Ag, Cu and/or Bi are likely to be the most promising [2] [8]. For further improvement of Sn-based solder joints, in this work the effects […]

Influenza vaccination programs aim to protect the population during seasonal outbreaks and pandemics but current vaccines face a number of challenges including inefficient production, variable immunogenicity and rapidly waning protection. To address some of these challenges, the Quebec-based biopharmaceutical company Medicago has developed a technology for producing influenza virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines in plants. This […]

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a very large family of persistent anthropogenic chemicals utilized in the manufacturing of industrial materials with non-stick and oil/water repellent properties, Teflon, and fire-fighting foams. Their use has resulted in their final dispersion in soil, groundwater, and surface water, causing adverse environmental and health effects. They are responsible for […]

Electronic waste is one of the largest intensifying waste streams in the world. Although some traditional disposal methods are available to process electronic waste, these methods have several disadvantages from both the economic and environmental perspective. Some processes create challenging gases that require expensive clean-up, while others use harmful and toxic solvents which create air, […]