Innovative Projects Realized

Trash Is Cash: Applying machine learning to optimize the utilization of crop and forest residues in rural communities

Around 4 billion tonnes per year of crop and forest residues (biomass) are burned in open air, because they are often loose, wet, bulky, and too expensive to collect and centralize for subsequent conversion into useful products. This results in air pollution, and in some cases, exacerbated wildfires. In this project, we are applying machine learning and optimization techniques to coordinate a new class of small-scale, low-cost, decentralized bioconversion systems capable of rural, decentralized deployment. This opens up the possibility of a fleet of roaming biomass conversion systems supporting localized waste-to-value conversion in rural, hard-to-access (and sometimes off-grid) communities, such that these communities are self-sufficient without being reliant on vulnerable international supply chains for their key commodities/chemicals.

Portable Wireless Interface for Implantable Medical Devices

The recording of brain activity through neural Implantable Medical Devices (IMDs) has a wide range of applications, such as studying brain patterns for seizure detection or brain stimulation to alleviate motor disorders. Some IMDs communicate with an external interface platform, which offloads the recorded data from, programs, and supplies power to the IMD. However, existing data transfer methods rely on wires fixed to a computer terminal, thus restricting patient mobility, and limiting the total recording time. This prevents physicians from collecting higher quality data that can be gained from longer recording sessions taken when patients are in a familiar environment. This project will develop a portable interface to wirelessly charge neural IMDs and transmit recorded brain activity to an external storage location, to enable continuous neural measurement without restricting a patient’s free range of motion.

The people-nature nexus: Exploring relational values of sociocultural and biophysical ecosystem services in Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas

This research will explore the connections between nature and people in Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs). These values will be articulated by identifying the ecosystem services (i.e. the goods and services provided to people by nature) and determining which of these hold significant cultural values. These values will be compared using a variety of existing ecosystem service valuation tools. The outcomes of this work will benefit the partner organisation by supporting efforts to share knowledge and build capacity for IPCAs, enhance Indigenous leadership in the conservation of biological and cultural diversity, help build sustainable and resilient communities, support the reconciliation between Indigenous and newcomer societies, and provide innovative solutions for (re)connecting people with their environment.

Concrétisation du produit en réalité virtuelle

iFeelvirtuel.io est un premier lieu digital dédié à la communauté de Réalité Virtuelle (VR). L’entreprise produit en ce moment la majorité des captations VR/ 360° d’événements, Live et conférences (pour des artistes et des générateurs de contenus) avec pour but de démocratiser la VR. Nous priorisons la transmission de notre savoir-faire en production, afin de permettre à nos partenaires de produire eux-mêmes, favoriser l’économie régionale et la génération de contenu VR/360°. L’entreprise a actuellement besoin d’un bras contrôlable à distance supportant ses caméras.

Une équipe d’étudiant incluant le demandant, Éliot Gosselin-Beaupré, est arrivé à terme avec un prototype qui doit être assembler selon l’assemblage final.Cependant, ce projet demeure très théorique et plusieurs essais mécaniques doivent être complétés afin de s’assurer de la validité du produit dans l’environnement où il sera utilisé et ainsi lancer la commercialisation.L’objectif est de confirmer que le produit remplis les besoins lors de son utilisation réelle et ainsi évaluer le niveau de la durabilité de ce produit afin de pouvoir mettre sur pied un produit qui présente une bonne longévité. La durabilité est un critère essentielle pour le mandataire iFeelvirtual qui veut afficher un produit qui aura une longue durée de vie, ce qui évite les bris prématurés et donc un problème de surproduction, engendrant le mécontentement des utilisateurs en plus de diminuer l’impact environnemental en terme de fabrication.

Assessing Borrelia infection in dogs to determine the risk of Lyme disease in New Brunswick

To assess people’s risk of contracting Lyme disease in New Brunswick we will test 700 dogs for antibodies to the bacterium that causes the disease. Lyme disease is caused by infection with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, generally transmitted through a tick bite. Lyme disease is a debilitating disease and the risk of contracting it is increasing in in New Brunswick as well as through the rest of Canada. Because diagnosis of Lyme disease is difficult in humans, we are using dogs as a sentinel species. Dogs mount a robust immune response to infection, and as they live with humans, determining the number of dogs with Lyme disease can help assess the risk of Lyme disease for people living in the same households and communities. Our study will consist of testing dogs with a commercial test kit in both the winter and summer, to determine the peak time for infection, as well as comparative tests of the human and canine Lyme disease test procedures.

Launch: Ideas – KNBA Digital Content Project

Kanata North Business Association is home to over 540 companies and a fully innovative technology park; Hub350. This project will help the partner organization to bring new talent and attraction towards Hub350 while elevating it’s profile. In addition, the project will research and generate digital marketing content that will attract a broader investment community to its technology hub.

Determining the Current Status of Startup Incubation in Canada

This study will, through a survey of the Incubator members of the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) establish a baseline for Incubator activity in Canada and examine the impct that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on both incubators and their member startups and assess to what degree changes caused by the pandemic may have long-lasting effects. The study will include examination of applications, intake, services provided, links to external investment sources and exits.

Nutrition Internship

The objective of this project is to help analyze nutrition data of select ingredients and define how processing methodologies affect nutrition composition.

Penrose Application Proposal

Penrose Partners is a blockchain startup firm that provides transactional, educational, and corporate consulting/material production services to businesses, institutional investors, and disruptive tech companies in the blockchain space. We are the trusted advisor that bridges the gap between businesses with great ideas, and blockchain adoption.

Towards patient-centered and patient-managed access to health information

The TAMOVES electronic health management web platform and app provide a secure and efficient means to store and send health information between the provider, patient and patient’s family. The TAMVOES platform is focused on creating a more empowered patient through patient-centred care and access to holistic health information. In Ontario and many other parts of Canada, patients often do not have rapid access to their medical information. Medical information is often only verbally explained to patients, with results solely in the possession of the provider.

We are evaluating our application and platform to determine its feasibility, usability, benefits and challenges in improving access to health information in clinical settings. We have begun work on a project with Grand River Hospital. When an individual logs into the wifi system they will be prompted to download the TAMVOES application on their device. The project will involve the research student working with patients and hospital volunteers to help teach and facilitate the use of TAMVOES with patients. Through structured interviews, surveys and observation, the student will collect data from patients. The information they gather will be invaluable in determining usability, patient satisfaction and ways we can improve the application. Collaboration with Ontario Health Care Team professionals will also be utilized to ensure TAMVOES use is continued in outpatient care. After the student has gathered information working in the hospital they will be responsible for writing a manuscript to be published in a Canadian health journal.

Optimization and field testing of a molecular test for seawater adaptability in Chinook Salmon.

Chinook salmon are anadromous fish, with juveniles spending 1-2 years in freshwater before migrating to sea to mature for 2-5 years and returning to freshwater to spawn and die. ‘Smoltification’ is the physiological, morphological, and behavioural transition of freshwater stream-dwelling ‘parr’ to downstream migrating ‘smolts’ and, eventually, saltwater marine ‘post-smolts’. If the salmon do not complete the smoltification process or spend prolonged time in freshwater, the introduction to saltwater results in reduced growth, impaired health, immediate or prolonged death, and the potential for maladjusted fish to become vectors for disease. The goal of this project is to validate and incorporate a molecular genetic test for smoltification for Chinook salmon hatchery production in BC. This work will provide BC Chinook salmon production companies and salmon enhancement programs a straight-forward molecular method to measure smoltification via gene expression and determine the adaptive ability for smoltification in a population of fish.

Autonomous Soaring and Thermal Mapping with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

The research proposed here aims to develop methods to increase the flight time of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) using atmospheric energy in the form of rising air thermals, as is often done by glider pilots. This would allow UAVs to rely less on their onboard motor and reduce the amount of energy consumed during flight. We will further develop onboard control algorithms that are able to (a) detect rising air thermals, and (b) to develop onboard maps of these thermals, that allow ongoing tracking of these thermals. Based on our prior work in this area, we will implement our algorithms on various small off-the-shelf radio-controlled platforms retrofitted with an off-the-shelf flight controller. We will test the algorithms in various wind conditions, to evaluate the portability and performance of the algorithm on conventional fixed-wing platforms. Based on the results of these tests, the algorithms and the implemented code will be revised and improved to simplify implementation and enhance flight endurance.