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

Sustainable Copper Extraction Using Synthetic Biology

Copper, a conductive metal, forms the basis of much of our manufacturing and electrical infrastructure. Yet, despite high demands for the metal, supply is not keeping pace. One of the chief reasons is that copper extraction faces steep technical challenges that have steadily pushed up capital expenditures. We propose to use a recent innovation called synthetic biology to greatly improve the efficiency and cost of copper extraction. Our method employs microorganisms that leach copper via a process called bioleaching. Despite the method’s promise, however, some challenges remain. Notably, the conditions that favour bioleaching result in the formation of a thin protective layer (passivation) around the copper ore. Further improvements in bioleaching are contingent on elimination of this layer. Our industrial partner, Jetti Services, has developed a proprietary catalyst that achieves this goal. However, dosage of the catalyst reduces microbial fitness. Consequently, we are employing genetic engineering to improve the fitness and metabolic output of the microbes to leach copper in the presence of the catalyst. Our work will significantly improve leaching yields and promises to be a game-changer for the mining industry.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Vikramaditya Yadav

Student:

Gaurav Subedi

Partner:

Jetti Services Canada Inc

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Environmental industry

University:

Program:

Accelerate

Impact of a pharmacist-led therapeutic nutritional intervention on medications and glucose control in type 2 diabetes

In this project, community pharmacists will help patients with type 2 diabetes to make dietary changes to reduce their consumption of carbohydrates while lowering or eliminating their need for costly diabetes medications. The results will help inform pharmacy practice and diabetes management and represent a novel treatment strategy placing pharmacists as key integrators of lifestyle and medication care for patients with type 2 diabetes.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Jonathan Little

Student:

Cody Durrer

Partner:

Pharmasave Drugs

Discipline:

Human physical performance and recreation

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

Program:

Accelerate

Graphene-Based Drug/siRNA Nanocarriers for Cancer Treatment

In this project, carbon-based nano-materials were used not only to capture CO2, but also function as a nano-carrier platform to uptake the drugs and genes for cancer therapeutic applications. In other words, the main objective of this project is to tackle two major issues in our society: greenhouse gas emission and cancer.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Pu Chen

Student:

Sheng Lu

Partner:

Carbon Upcycling Technologies

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Pharmaceuticals

University:

University of Waterloo

Program:

Accelerate

Time-Dependent Effects On Vertical Shafts Used In Micro-Tunneling applications In Queenston Shale

Micro-tunneling technique is considered a feasible means to construct pipelines and tunnels in different types of ground including Queenston shale. However, this shale exhibits time-dependent deformation behavior, generally known as the rock swelling which produces additional stresses on underground structures. These stresses may exceed the allowable tensile or compressive strength of concrete of the pipeline or the tunnel liner, which in-turn may result in
cracks in these structures. It is suggested here to investigate induced stresses on vertical shafts constructed in swelling rock and their impact on the stability of these shafts. A numerical analysis approach is proposed to calculate induced stresses on vertical shafts used in micro-tunneling applications. TO BE CONT’D

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Faculty Supervisor:

Hesham El Naggar

Student:

Hayder Al-Maamori

Partner:

Ward & Burke Microtunnelling Ltd.

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Alternative energy

University:

Western University

Program:

Elevate

Framework Design and Prototyping of a Personal Task and Time Management Mentor Package with A Dynamic, Multi-facet, Data-oriented and Associative Engineering Management Method

There have been many new operational drivers that require changes to the traditional training processes in small and medium companies, i.e. the advancement of technology, the mass retirement of the baby boomer generation, and the ever more dynamically-changing values of the web-generation workforce. Dealing with bridging the skill gaps may deem to uproot the company paradigm and demand for a new and more efficient model. Is there a solution to reduce the growing pain of workforce renewal? The goal of this project is to design and prototype an effective, data-oriented, and intuitive mentoring tool that is molded for small companies which can implement a company paradigm that allows to effectively train new employees with modern data-based learning technology. The intern is expected to develop a method, prototype the tool, and use it to collect and analyze sample data and further prove the innovative mechanism.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Yongsheng Ma

Student:

Jalaja Shanmugalingam

Partner:

Enigma Design Solutions Ltd.

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Accelerate

Optimization of Hetnets for Urban and Built-up Environments

The provisioning of cellular networks and data services has become increasingly complex due to ever increasing demand for greater and faster services. Our research will contribute to a fundamental knowledge base into the operation of heterogeneous cellular networks using the built-up physical infrastructure (the buildings) of the University of Regina. A number of micro cellular sites have been installed on campus and their operation has been investigated within the larger macro cellular site which services the university and surrounding area. This creates a unique opportunity to examine the live operation of heterogeneous networks which will allow both university researchers and the industrial partner to develop greater understanding of these networks which will be applicable to new and other installations.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Raman Paranjape

Student:

Diego Castro-Hernandez

Partner:

Saskatchewan Telecommunications

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

University of Regina

Program:

Accelerate

Optimizing Natural Fibre Quality for Industrial Applications

Natural fibres are abundant in Canada and have the potential to be used in a wide variety of biocomposites and industrial bioproducts. In order to develop a thriving biomaterials sector, the quality and consistency of this vast resource must be continually assessed and monitored to ensure a quality product can be delivered to end-users on a consistent basis. However, variations in climatic growth conditions, seed variety and agronomic practices can lead to annual variations in natural fibre properties making it challenging to provide a reliable and consistent supply for industrial applications. The Composites Innovation Centre (CIC) through its FibreCITY (FC) initiative is working with industry to address some of the key issues of fibre retting, fibre processing and seed variety as they relate to optimizing natural fibre quality for industrial biocomposite applications. The interns and their supervising faculty mentors will assist the CIC-FC in understanding some of the fundamental research questions that underlie natural fibre quality as well as understanding the economics behind developing a fibre industry from crops traditionally grown for seed and food sources.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Jason Morrison

Student:

Jean-Christophe Habeck

Partner:

Composites Innovation Centre Manitoba Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

University of Manitoba

Program:

Accelerate

Ion Mobility Spectrometry for On-Site Detection of Cannabinoids in Oral Fluid

Scintrex Trace Corp. is a company that designs and manufactures systems that detect trace amounts of explosives, narcotics, and other chemicals. Due to upcoming changes to Canadian drug laws, they want to develop a new system that can better detect THC in oral fluid for roadside impairment testing. Scintrex is partnering with Professor Jeffrey Smith at Carleton University, and expert in the field of chemical spectroscopy, to develop a new trace detection system. They will use a new, non-radioactive ion source in this new system and will develop the appropriate chemistry required for the optimal use of this system. This will allow Scintrex to produce a new product for security and law enforcement agencies to detect THC in a mobile setting to assess potential impairment.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Jeffrey Smith

Student:

Peter Pallister

Partner:

Scintrex Trace Corp

Discipline:

Chemistry

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

Carleton University

Program:

Accelerate

Industrial application of Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) for detection and monitoring of water pollutants

When light interacts with matter, different effects may take place, depending on the particular characteristics of both light and matter. The result of this interaction, typically a quantitative change in the characteristics of the light (i.e., intensity, wavelength, phase), can be used to measure the presence of a particular specimen of interest. Specifically, Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) has demonstrated to be able to detect accurately very low concentrations of chemical species. This optical effect represents a potential solution to the detection of small quantities of pollutants in water. In parallel, many useful configurations have been studied based on fiber optics technologies, with a variety of configurations that improve the light-matter interactions. This project is focused on investigating the combination of SERS with different configurations of optical fiber devices, with the aim of exploiting both the potential of SERS and the versatility of optical fibers to develop a device to efficiently evaluate water quality.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Jacques Albert

Student:

Violeta Marquez

Partner:

Institut national d'optique

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Environmental industry

University:

Carleton University

Program:

Accelerate

Rhetorical foundations of procedurally generated game worlds

The PC and console video game market have overtaken Hollywood movies as the number one source of entertainment dollars spent in North America. Very little work has been done to date on the effects that these games are having on (particularly young) players. This project will take well established rhetorical principles (Burke, Fahnestock, Perlman) that have been applied to the analysis of many other multi-media entertainment products and try to build a framework for a video game rhetoric. Rhetoric itself has been thought of for over 2000 years as dangerous based on the possibility of nefarious uses of persuasion. By critically investigating games under well-established rhetorical paradigms we can better understand how this new media is influencing its user base.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Neil Randall

Student:

Adam Bradley

Partner:

Stitch Media

Discipline:

Literature

Sector:

Digital media

University:

University of Waterloo

Program:

Accelerate

Learning Depth from Transmissive Diffraction Mask based Sensor

Most cameras today, take photographs by measuring the amount of light in a scene. This means that they discard any information about the directionality of light, which results in a two-dimensional representation of the three-dimensional scene. We have developed a new type of camera that can detect the direction of light as well as image intensity. The 3D scene can be estimated by leveraging this additional information. Due to our manufacturing constraints, the signal from our camera is not ideal, hence the reconstruction process is not straightforward. During this internship, we will investigate machine learning based approaches to compute depth from the information captured by our camera.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Michael Langer

Student:

Neeth Kunnath

Partner:

Airy3D Inc

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

McGill University

Program:

Accelerate

Provincial Criminalization, Health and Human Rights: Social Science Com-ponent

A complex web of federal, provincial and municipal laws, regulations and policies affect the lives and the health of people who are homeless, use drugs, and/or engage in sex work. These populations also have high incidents or elevated risk of contracting HIV and/or HCV, as well as risk of overdose death. The goal of the project is to gather province-wide data on the role of legal systems in criminalizing, and increasing the risk to life, health and safety, of these populations, and in particular, increasing the risk of contracting HIV, HCV or overdose death. It will examine municipal bylaws, enforcement tactics, judicial conditions, and conditions of confinement. The research will contribute to Pivot’s law reform initiatives, increase awareness of health harms associated with local legal practices, and provide a framework for in-community legal rights education and strategic legal action.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Nicholas Blomley

Student:

Noah Quastel

Partner:

Pivot Legal Society

Discipline:

Geography / Geology / Earth science

Sector:

Management of companies and enterprises

University:

Simon Fraser University

Program:

Accelerate

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