Innovative Projects Realized

Understanding the electronic properties of thermoelectric materials

Narcotherapy of Depression- Molecular Mechanism

Effect of Mineralogy on the Application of Sensor-based Sorting Techniques

Comminution, the process of crushing and grinding ore to liberate minerals, is the most energy intensive part of the processing flowsheet and accounts for upwards of 75% of the overall energy consumption of the processing plant. Ideally we would only crush and grind those rocks that contain economically extractable amounts of minerals. MineSense has developed sensors that can detect the level of minerals in rocks and, in particular, can detect very low levels with high accuracy. This proposal is to use MineSense’s sensing technology to pre-concentrate low grade copper ores. Based on test results, the correlation between the copper value and the sensor signals will be evaluated. An evaluation method will be proposed on the limit of the specific sorting technology. This information is critical both for MineSense to commercialize its products and for industry to accept the product.

Hydrodynamic perception in California sea lions

Developing a reinforcement learning based approach for enabling self-recovery in production lines

Development of a new method to analyze and quantify the combined energy efficiency and indoor air quality of HVAC systems based on air mixing in commercial and institutional buildings

One metric of HVAC systems’ performance that is largely underestimated is the efficiency of air mixing in the room, determined by multiple factors including room dimensions, the selection of air inlets and outlets as well as their location in the room. Air mixing can have a significant effect on the energy consumption of HVAC systems and indoor air quality in mechanically ventilated buildings. The objective of this research is to better understand air mixing efficiency using CFD, then to establish a method for the combined analysis and quantification of both energy efficiency and indoor air quality as a function of air mixing in the room, an accurate and reliable method which could be adopted by the industry when approaching the design of new buildings. The expected benefit for society is a large-scale reduction of energy consumption and CO2 emissions, and a deeper understanding of air mixing for EffectiV HVAC.

Characterizing Anaerobic Degradation Pathways in Containment of Non Sewered Sanitation Systems

Non-sewered sanitation (NSS) technologies are common forms of improved and primarily onsite sanitation technology. It is estimated that globally, 40% of the population is served by these onsite sanitation systems. Research on NSS technologies lags substantially behind that of conventional wastewater treatment. The design and construction of these systems assumes the passive biodegradation of accumulated human waste (i.e., fecal matter) in containment, which should reduce the frequency of emptying. Understanding the (assumed) mechanisms of the anaerobic degradation pathways in containment is required prior to the development of engineered solutions. To be considered sustainable, these solutions will require proper management and planning that consider climate impacts such as greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and capture.
The overall objective of this project is to characterize anaerobic degradation pathways in containment of NSS.
1. Understand the microbial community composition and physiology within heterogeneous spatial zones in NSS containment across variable geographic regions.
2. Identify the active pathways of substrate conversion by methanogens in sludge to final end products.
3. Develop an improved conceptual model for NSS containment that is based on quantitative field and laboratory data to inform GHG mitigation strategies and management recommendations in globally relevant settings.

Friction and wear behaviour of metal oxide coatings subject to environmental variations

Metallic materials have been used in various applications such as gas sensors, space lubrication, and power transmission. Under different environmental conditions, materials can have vastly different friction properties. Understanding the wear and friction properties of materials is imperative for determining suitable materials for different applications, although oftentimes poses a challenge. Recently, the Colas Group developed a method to measure wear and friction of bulk metallic glasses, a proposed alternative for traditional metals, under different humidity levels with high levels of reproducibility. The objective of this research is to study the fundamental mechanisms of the environmental effects on friction and wear. Different metal oxide coatings will be deposited and tested under varying conditions to investigate the impact of the environment for different coating chemistries. By understanding the fundamental mechanisms in different environments we can develop and identify materials that are better suited for use in their respective environments.

Aging-Test for Mechanical Properties of Flexible Neural Implants

Visualizing Evolutions of Feature Maps in Flow Simulations

Automatic Genre Detection for Intelligent Audio Tools

MixGenius works on automated musical production by real-time musical genre detection. High accuracy of genre detection for a variety of sub-genres is required for quality production and has yet to be achieved. The project involves researching available real-time high-accuracy musical genre detection methods and improving upon them, extracting each genre’s audio features, calibrating the algorithm with a database of songs of different genres, testing them with other songs of the same genres and repeating the process as needed to improve detection accuracy.
The partner organization will benefit from insight into academia and access to state of the art genre detection research, new software modeled and created, superior results from music engine product gained by knowledge of genre, and implementation that is reusable and expandable for future development.

Construction and Commissioning of a Lab-Scale Unit for investigating the Dynamic Ammonia Synthesis