Innovative Projects Realized

Explore thousands of successful projects resulting from collaboration between organizations and post-secondary talent.

13270 Completed Projects

1072
AB
2795
BC
430
MB
106
NF
348
SK
4184
ON
2671
QC
43
PE
209
NB
474
NS

Projects by Category

10%
Computer science
9%
Engineering
1%
Engineering - biomedical
4%
Engineering - chemical / biological

Evaluation of viral sensitizer technology for improving influenza vaccine in an egg-basedmanufacturing process Year Two

Vaccination remains the most effective preventative measure for influenza infection. Seasonal influenza epidemics and the emergence of pandemic strains have increased the global demand for influenza vaccines, putting significant pressure on vaccine manufacturers. However, current vaccine manufacturing strategies rely primarily upon production in eggs, an age-old method that needs to be significantly improved. Recently, research from our lab identified a panel of novel compounds termed viral sensitizers (VSes) that increased virus production up to 1000 fold in cultured cells. We hypothesize that VSes can enhance the production of influenza vaccines in eggs. Supported by Mitacs, we propose to work in partnership with Sanofi Pasteur (Toronto, Ontario), to: 1) demonstrate the applicability of VSes for the manufacture of influenza virus vaccines in eggs, and 2) assess the molecular mechanisms leading to VSe-mediated enhancement of influenza vaccine production.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Jean-Simon Diallo

Student:

Nicole Forbes

Partner:

Sanofi Pasteur

Discipline:

Biochemistry / Molecular biology

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

University of Ottawa

Program:

Elevate

Terahertz metamaterial sensors for monitoring of the insulation material quality – Year Two

A partial discharge is a localized spark that bridges a small portion of the insulation between two conducting electrodes under high voltage. The lifetime of high voltage electronic devices is often determined by the ability of the insulation material to withstand partial discharges, which start within gas voids in solid polymer insulation. A typical monitoring of insulation for voids and cracks requires long measurement times. We proposed a faster technique for monitoring the internal structure of insulation materials for defects by means of terahertz radiation which can penetrate through the material opaque for visible light. We believe that the development of a new insulation material quality imaging technique could significantly reduce the risks of electrocutions and fires caused by insulation breakdowns. The complete sensing system can be commercialized by QPS Photronics and later be used for integration into their devices for material characterization and monitoring.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Roberto Morandotti

Student:

Andrey Markov

Partner:

QPS Photronics Inc.

Discipline:

Physics / Astronomy

Sector:

Energy

University:

Université INRS

Program:

Elevate

Development of a diagnostic assay for first line detection and surveillance of bladder urothelial carcinoma using concurrent biomarker panels from non-invasive liquid biopsies

Bladder Carcinoma (BC) is the fifth most common cancer in Canada. Although most individuals have surgery to remove BC tumors, the risk of another BC developing and/or progressing to invasive disease is high so long-term surveillance is necessary. The current method for screening for BC is not sensitive enough, and individuals often end up undergoing an unnecessary secondary procedure that is both uncomfortable and costly. In this project, we plan to design a diagnostic assay using urine samples, which will allow an easier and cost-effective method for early BC detection. There is currently no similar assay in the market so the commercialization of the project’s development will allow the partner organization to become a pioneer and leader in BC diagnostics.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Chen Zhou

Student:

Chansonette Badduke

Partner:

Applied Biological Materials

Discipline:

Medicine

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Accelerate

Smart technology use with Public Safety and first responders

This project aims at identifying, analyzing, and documenting the operational requirements for a technological solution that will replace the currently used, time consuming, paper-based, building safety plans. Upon arriving at an incident scene, first responders rush to these on-site safety plans to know the ins and outs and the safety details of the incident scene. The few minutes spent doing this can be the difference between life and death and can be used to significantly reduce losses. The architectural and operational characteristics of a technological solution that can deliver a soft-copy of these safety plans to the smart devices in the hands of first responders in their way to the incident scene is sought. This project paves the way for first responders to use requirements engineering to communuicate and quantify their needs. It will also help them benefit from market competition and economy of scale to reduce the cost of their technological tools. The benefits to the partner organization is twofold. First, it will have a unique opportunity to tailor their products to better suit the needs of first responders. Second, it will have the opportunity to make new products to solve previously unidentified or untackled problems.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Hussein Mouftah

Student:

Ala Abu Alkheir

Partner:

Advance Property eXposure Canada

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

University of Ottawa

Program:

Accelerate

Generation of rabbit monoclonal antibodies using a microfluidic-based screening platform – Year two

Rabbits are increasingly recognized for their superior immune response to antigens and their ability to generate highaffinity monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that can be used as reagents, diagnostics and therapeutics. However, methods for the discovery of rabbit mAbs are limited and extremely cumbersome. This proposal aims at developing a rapid and robust microfluidic-based approach to generate rabbit mAbs by directly screening immune cells for defined antibody properties.

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Faculty Supervisor:

T. Michael UnderHill

Student:

Veronique Lecault

Partner:

AbCellera

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Elevate

Nonlinear adaptive neural controllers – Year two

Contemporary machine learning has been very successfully applied to processing static images and words in consumer applications, resulting in billions of dollars in recent acquisitions of machine learning companies by Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, and Google. However, applications to dynamic information (e.g. movies, controlling robotics) has been less well-developed. In this project, will develop and apply a novel machine learning method to neural control system for a sophisticated robotic arm. We will use hierarchical optimal neural control, dynamic trajectory generation, and non-linear adaptive methods. These same algorithms lay the foundations for processing dynamic perceptual information as well. The methods allow for the generation of neural network controllers that require limited or no knowledge of the system, allow for one-shot learning, provide generalizable trajectory generation, exhibit online error correction, and provide a natural implementation in neuromorphic hardware. This will provide the company with a clear lead in state-of-the-art controllers for robotics applications.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Bryan Tripp

Student:

Travis DeWolf

Partner:

Applied Brain Research

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

University of Waterloo

Program:

Elevate

Performance evaluation of a Novel “Displacement Buffering System” for Buried Pipelines

ALFA Upgrades recently developed a system for buried pipelines, referred to as “Displacement Buffering System (DBS)”, to redistribute the stress and strain concentrations in a pipe and limit the allowable lateral displacement of the pipe in the incidence of large ground movement.
The scope of this project includes performing experimental tests and consequently developing equations that estimate the extent of allowable applied displacement before the onset of pipe buckling while the DBS is in place. The behaviour of the pipeline in relation to the stiffness of the DBS and the surrounding ground will be evaluated and equations to determine the optimal stiffness of the DBS that can effectively redistribute the strain induced to the pipeline will be developed through this project.
The experimental testing in this project will provide the background data for future numerical analyses and field testing that is required by ALFA Upgrades to fully optimize the technical applicability and economic viability of the DBS.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Samer Adeeb

Student:

Onyekachi Ndubuaku

Partner:

ALFA Upgrades

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Accelerate

Shape Memory Alloy-based magnetorheological fluid core bracing System

An infrastructure has a significant role in the economic growth of a community especially in Canada. The most efficient way of protecting civil infrastructures-such as buildings and bridges- against external loads such as seismic loads is using protective systems such as seismic bracing systems to increase the life-cycle of civil infrastructures, reduce the vibration, and mitigate energy of earthquake loads. In this proposal, the two nonconventional materials including Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) and magnetorheological fluid (MR) are used to develop a novel smart bracing system. The SMA MR-core bracing system is proposed to be implemented in infrastructures to increase safety, dissipate the energy of seismic loads and extend its service life.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Shahria Alam

Student:

Shahin Zareie

Partner:

CadMakers

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

Program:

Accelerate

Processes Governing Hydrocarbon Movement in Heterogenous Soils

Groundwater contamination by hydrocarbon fuels such as gasoline and diesel fuel is a serious threat to the environment and human health. Sources of this contamination include leaking underground storage tanks, pipleline breaks, tanker truck accidents and train derailments. There is a need for improved understanding of the mobility of hydrocarbon fuels in the subsurface to allow more accurate risk assessment and design of more effective remediation schemes. This project will involve a field study and computer modelling study to develop new guidelines for managing sites contaminated with hydrocarbon fuels.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Brent Sleep

Student:

Shu Xu

Partner:

ARCADIS Canada

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Natural resources

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate

Chemical Synthesis of Graphene-Based Nanomaterials from Value-Added Carbon Obtained by Catalytic Conversion of CO2

CO2 is a greenhouse gas that impacts climate change. The Carbon Upcycling Technologies has developed a technique to attach gaseous CO2 molecules to graphite. In this project, this graphite will be converted to graphene using chemical oxidation methods. The one-atom thin monolayer graphene oxide will have potential applications in variety of industries, such as waste water treatment, gas separation and reinforcement of plastics.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Pu Chen

Student:

Alireza Zehtab Yazdi

Partner:

Carbon Upcycling Technologies

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Alternative energy

University:

University of Waterloo

Program:

Accelerate

Evaluation of an mHealth App: A Randomized Controlled Trial of ‘DeStressify’ on Campus Staff and Student Mental Health

Development and use of mobile technologies, in particular mHealth applications, to improve health have exponentially increased in the past decade. Despite the widespread use of ‘apps’, there has been astonishingly few scientific evaluations on the efficacy of such products to improve or change health behaviours. The purpose of this research is to systematically evaluate, through a randomized controlled trial, the effectiveness of an existing mental health app at reducing depressive and anxiety symptomatology, sleep disturbance, and maintaining health related quality of life in university students, campus staff, and faculty over a 4-week period. It is anticipated that staff, students, and faculty randomly assigned to use of the app will experience significant decreases in symptoms of stress and anxiety, report greater sleep quality, and maintain health related quality of life as compared to those assigned to the wait-list control condition.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Mary Jung

Student:

Rebecca Lee

Partner:

Canadian Mental Health Association

Discipline:

Human physical performance and recreation

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

Program:

Accelerate

Enhancing the abiotic and biotic oxidation of manganese for cold groundwater biofiltration

Manganese (Mn) affects the flavour and colour of water, and causes scaling in pipes, even at low concentrations. Groundwater is a crucial water resource in Saskatchewan and is often naturally rich in Mn. Strong demands for securing clean water have arisen in a variety of public and industrial sectors. The study’s objective is to accelerate Mn removal from cold groundwater by taking advantage of the potential synergetic effects of combining abiotic and biotic Mn oxidation at low temperatures using Mn-oxide-coated anthracite and cold-adapted, Mn-oxidizing microbial consortia. This innovative approach aims at accelerating the often delayed Mn oxidation in the early stages of operation of a groundwater treatment unit. This chemical-free and energy-efficient technology has the potential to change the field of water treatment. This research is on the frontline of Canada’s innovation for water security and environmental protection, and the results will help Canada meet its present and future needs.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Won Jae Chang

Student:

Sandeep Raja Dangeti

Partner:

Delco Automation

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Environmental industry

University:

University of Saskatchewan

Program:

Accelerate

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