Innovative Projects Realized

Pathway to comparative data analytics

Linamar uses sensors and gauges to monitor machine performance in factories across the world. However, the infrastructure to fully exploit such data to improve productivity and performance is currently limited as there is no integrated environment available to uniformly collect, manipulate and analyze the data. The primary objective of this project is to create an environment for Linamar and future interns to build and test tools that address key operations related to benchmarking, sustainability, influence, and comparison. With these endpoints in mind, the intern will work in concert with LMMS to 1. Build the development environment and establish data parameters to be collected from machine sensors and gauges; 2. Develop insightful visualizations of the data to establish benchmark data; and 3. Provide guidance on potential insights data could provide as well as limitations, and lay the groundwork for building advanced but practical analytical tools that create value to Linamar.

CURating Clinical Trials: Helping patients find hope by exploring clinical trials opportunities

The CURating Clinical Trials project will fill the service gap to help patients, their families, or clinicians find potential clinical trials for patients. Patients can apply for our service through our website and link directly with a navigator to support their search for possible trial matches.
Through the development of a new engagement platform and in partnership with an information technology company we will be able to automate some of the navigator services and increase the number of patients we can serve. Website development and wireframe development for this support is ongoing. The website should be fully functional in January 2023. Through this proposed project, we plan to determine the effectiveness of this Clinical Trials Navigator program and improve patient access to clinical trials in Ontario by helping patients find clinical trials outside of their own centre. This will also support the expanded access of the Clinical Trials Navigator program across Canada

Evaluating the effectiveness of a digital resilience training & developing the BESAFE at work scale

AIR Institutes is launching a new resilience online training through a digital portal called AIR Space. The goal of the proposed project will be to evaluate if the training delivered in an online format is effective in developing and improving resilience. As users go through different activities delivered through the digital portal, their level of resilience will be measured over time through short surveys and daily check-ins. This will allow to identify any improvement in resilience and whether the digital portal is effective in improving resilience. Additionally, AIR Institutes are also interested in developing a psychological scale intended to measure psychological safety, which is a topic closely related to resilience.

New Methods for the Synthesis of mRNA Cap Analogues

mRNA is an essential biomolecule that is ‘translated’ into protein which is another type of biolmolecule that is essential to life. All mRNA has what is called a cap. The cap portion of the mRNA is necessary for initiating the translation process. To make the capped mRNA for therapeutic applications, such as mRNA vaccines, the cap must first be prepared chemically. The industrial partner synthesizes different types of caps and attaches them to mRNA. These capped mRNAs are then evaluated as novel mRNA therapeutics such as mRNA vaccines. The industrial partner has been using traditional approaches for cap synthesis; however, there are limitations to this methodology such as multiple and challenging purification steps, the formation of side products and low yields. The academic partner will develop new and more efficient synthetic routes to existing and novel cap analogs. This will enable the industrial partner to prepare the capped mRNA therapeutics more efficiently and at a lower cost.

State of health estimation with federated learning for battery-based energy storage systems

We have aspired for a green and intelligent future, where humans, the built environment, and nature are interconnected as a cyber-physical system. To such an Internet of Things, the sustainability and robustness of the power system are crucial, and the reliable operation of the battery-based energy storage systems is essential because of their abilities in power smoothing and shifting. However, estimating the state of health (SOH) for batteries is challenging due to privacy concerns. In this project, we aim to design a SOH estimation scheme that enables multiple energy storage systems to build a common, robust estimation model without sharing measurement data, thus addressing critical issues such as data privacy and data migration cost. Increasing the research into the SOH estimation of batteries will directly guide KORE Power to replace the battery in time and reduce economic losses. This research will support KORE Power’s position as a leader in the technology industry in North America and Canada’s position as one of the pioneer countries in clean energy industries.

Extended Reach Power-by-Light

Power is typically transmitted as electricity in copper wires. This works well in many cases, but there’s a major drawback: electromagnetic interference can disrupt the power supply, which is detrimental for sensitive electronic devices. Another approach is to transmit power as light, which is immune to this interference. A laser converts electricity to light, which travels through an optical fiber. At the fiber output, the light is converted back to electricity using a photonic power converter (PPC).

The most efficient PPCs work with a wavelength of light (850 nm) that loses approximately 40% of its power for every kilometer of transmission in optical fiber. Different wavelengths of light can travel further in fiber, but they aren’t compatible with established PPC technology. This project aims to develop next-generation PPCs using materials that are optimized for a different wavelength of light (1550 nm) to extend the reach of power-by-light systems. We will measure next-generation PPCs to demonstrate their performance and implement design changes to enhance PPC efficiency.

Développement d’outils numériques afin de prévenir et réduire les risques psychosociaux au travail : Une approche collaborative par un regroupement en santé durable au travail

Les milieux de travail comportent souvent des risques qui peuvent nuire à la santé des travailleurs tels que les risques chimiques ou biologiques et les risques psychosociaux (RPS). Ces derniers correspondent à des mauvaises conditions de travail (ex. : grande charge de travail, manque de reconnaissance, conflits, etc.) et peuvent amener au développement d’atteintes à la santé physique et mentale. Ces risques doivent être connus et mesurés afin de les prévenir et de les réduire. Les milieux de travails ont besoin d’outils performants pour ce faire. Le projet actuel est donc de soutenir le développement d’outils numériques pour évaluer et agir efficacement sur les RPS, dans une démarche collaborative rassemblant différents partenaires. Le regroupement sera composé de chercheurs, citoyens, représentants du domaine de la santé au travail et de la santé publique, du développement économique et de l’industrie, des cliniciens ainsi que des experts de l’éthique et du domaine des technologies de l’information.

Generation of bovine iBlastoid using high quality bovine naïve pluripotent stem cells

Cloning technique using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is valuable in agricultural field since it used to generate elite animals. However, there are various limitations in cloning animals such as occurrence of fetal disease and low success rate. In this project, we aim to optimize a safer and more stable technique that can replace cloning. We will not use embryo components so that completely exclude limitation of cloning. This technique has not been demonstrated in livestock. In conclusion, this will lead to the production of large numbers of elite cattle in a short period of time in a safe manner. This will also contribute to development of industrial technology.

Avifaunal species responses to a restored migratory stopover habitat in an urban park

Bird populations in North America have been in decline since mid-1900s due to a multitude of stressors including pesticide use, habitat loss, predation by cats, as well as window and vehicle collisions. Tommy Thompson Park is a constructed wilderness park in Toronto (Ontario) that is along the migratory path for many species that are exhibiting the largest declines. We will utilize bird banding data collected since 2003 during both spring and fall migration from the TTP Bird Research Station to determine how and when bird communities change in composition and diversity in response to changes in land use, weather, and restoration activities. This study will help to identify how effective the habitat restoration practices have been on migratory bird communities to inform ongoing and future works in TTP and other waterfront parks.

Optimization of Silver Nanowires Synthesis and Purification Processes for Commercially Viable Pilot Scale Production

Silver nanowires are 2-dimensional nanostructures of silver with diameter of less than 100 nm and length to diameter ratio of over 1000 times. They are excellent for inducing electrical conductivity into non-conductive material when dispersed at small quantities in those media. This is due to the intrinsic conductivity of silver (highest among elements) and elongated shape of the nanowires. As the result they have become key component in applications including flexible transparent electrodes for displays or solar panels, sensors, thermal coatings, catalysts, and conductive inks.
Here we are proposing a collaborative project, between the university of Lethbridge and Flexahopper Plastics, on pilot-scale production of silver nanowires. The research involves systematic study of the major factors influencing the synthesis and purification of silver nanowires. The production capacity will be increased in multiple steps. The results will be used to implement an optimized, economically viable process for high-yield, controlled production of SNW.

Development of a user interface to setup 3D printing parameters

Products have to meet high customer satisfaction standards, low production costs in order to compete in the global market. Comparing with conventional production techniques, the additive manufacturing (AM) technology can construct complicated forms with more efficiency. In order to produce high quality 3D printed parts, the appropriate selection of printing parameters is crucial. Advanced parameter settings can improve the printing quality and reduce the printing defect. In order to improve the product quality, a case-based reasoning system will be developed based on the case description, index system and similarity measure formula. The system will be evaluated in case studies based on customer requirements.

A Numerical Model of Drying Processes in Convection Grain Dryers Based on Coupled DEM-CFD Method

To maintain grain quality, grain drying is essential to turn the newly harvested grain from a high moisture content, high temperature and easily spoiled state to a safe condition for transportation or storage. Convection grain dryers are the most widely-used grain dryers around the world, however, the design of dryers nowadays is still mainly based on experience. This study presented a numerical model to simulate the drying processes in a mixed-flow grain dryer based on coupled DEM-CFD method. The proposed method allows the inclusion of particulate properties of grain kernels, while existing conventional CFD model assumes the moving grain as a continuum flow. It is expected that the proposed model will have better prediction accuracy than existing models, which is important for the control of grain drying processes. The proposed model could also be applied to different designs of convection grain dryer for the purpose of performance assessment and optimization.