Innovative Projects Realized

Disseminating Scientifically-Proven Psychological Interventions through Instructional Videos

Nellie Health (aka. Nellie) is a Canadian mental health startup company that aims to improve the accessibility of evidence-based mental health care for stress- and trauma-related mental health problems. Our vision is to revolutionize the mental healthcare delivery system by using innovative technology to facilitate the delivery of scientifically-supported interventions. The proposed business strategy internship project will support Nellie’s efforts to facilitate access to evidence-based treatment through the creation of a library of instructional videos, aimed at client consumers, describing scientifically-proven techniques for the spectrum of mental health conditions. These short videos to be produced will provide patients with information about their conditions, the rationale behind various therapeutic interventions, and instructions for how to implement them in their daily lives (i.e., microskills). Nellie ultimately strives to get individuals with trauma and stress-related conditions quality care, and this project is integral to supporting our mission.

Improving the efficiency and robustness of a microwave polystyrene pyrolysis reactor through combined experiments and simulations

Plastics are widely used and their end-of-life management remains a challenge. In 2016, Canadians disposed 3.3 million tons of plastics where 86% was landfilled, 4% was incinerated with energy recovery and only 9% was recycled. The low recycling rate is partly due to a limited market for the recycled material produced via mechanical technologies like optical sorting, washing, drying, and extrusion that we find in current recycling plants. Generally, such mechanical technologies do not enable a closed loop approach where the recycled material would be reintroduced into virgin-like applications.

Pyrowave’s microwave depolymerization technology has received increasing attention in recent years due to the advantages associated with microwave heating. The heating mechanism in this approach significantly enhances monomer yields compared to conventional technologies. In conventional methods, heating occurs based on conduction/convection, while with microwave, the energy is transferred on a volumetric basis. Polystyrene does not considerably interact with microwave fields. As such, a dielectric material particles are introduced in the system to convert the microwave energy into heat that promotes the polymer depolymerization at high temperature. Microwave irradiation selectively heats the dielectric material, which prevents secondary undesired reactions. Pyrowave’s reactor is a stirred-tank reactor, which is recognized as a suitable unit operation for non-Newtonian fluids like melted polystyrene. There are still multiple opportunities for optimization of Pyrowave’s reactor. The shape of the agitator can be optimized to promote the suspension of solid particles, maximise fluid circulation and prevent the risk of arcing. This is the goal of this project.

Spike sleep state deep learning classifier

Epilepsy is a difficult disorder to assess and even more so automatically. It is observed that in REM sleep epileptiform activity differs from other states of consciousness. REM sleep could hold the key to a better understanding of epilepsy, however robust features that work on different people and types of epilepsies are required. The purpose of using a deep learning model to classify epileptic spikes into designated sleep states can help designate those robust features. Instead of blindly looking for answers the deep learning model can incorporate millions of features where possibly only a handful are representative of why a spike is classified into REM. Through this work the features discovered could lead to a better understanding of epilepsy and hopefully better treatment.

Organometallic chemistry – Illumination through luminescent carbene-complexes

Effects of ionizing radiation on neural differentiation in a 3D in vitro model

Life Cycle Assessment of an additively manufactured component

Quality assurance for stroke decision support software in development (release 2.0)

Acute stroke is a leading cause of global death and disability. Quick access to robust treatments significantly improves patient outcomes, however, accurate interpretation of diagnostic imaging and effective communication of suspected findings remains a serious challenge for all stroke networks. Circle Neurovascular Imaging (Circle NVI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Circle Cardiovascular Imaging (Circle CVI) and a joint venture with the Calgary Stroke Program, is building a software as a service business aimed at providing physicians with an acute stroke decision aid tool, StrokeSENS™ that will leverage artificial intelligence (AI), advanced image-processing, and network connectivity to support physicians and other healthcare team members to simplify stroke care, with a focus on enabling front line stroke centers. Circle NVI’s mission is to simplify stroke care by augmenting front-line physician decision making. The intern will learn to use software tools and programming languages to prepare test datasets for AI algorithm training and validation as well as software validation. The funding provided through this project will enable Circle NVI to continue developing and testing our StrokeSENS software, making improvements to the current product as well as developing new features of interest to clinicians from our beta sites.

Development of an intelligent video technology – iVIDEO

The managers of HIT FILM Inc. believe that iVIDEO, compared to static information websites and those with standard videos, and a chatbot, provides a more interactive, playful, and personalized way of presenting content and information and improves the quality of browsing and navigation experience and users’ engagement, and consequently enhance the conversion rate (e.g., registration, purchase, mail registration for next step, etc.). They are seeking research-based proof for their belief.

Challenges of Scaling Social Enterprise in Canada

Social enterprises are businesses whose primary purpose is to create social and/or environmental impact. This study will seek to understand how to grow these businesses to create more social or environmental impact while being financially sustainable. This study will interview social enterprises to understand how they work, how they are trying to grow and what challenges they encounter while doing so. From the findings of this research, we hope to better understand how to strengthen the social enterprise sector in Canada.

Comment apprivoiser et vivre la transition vers un vieillissement actif et épanoui pour les personnes atteintes de spina-bifida, d’hydrocéphalie et de leurs proches aidants : co-développement d’une boîte à outils

Les personnes vivant avec un spina-bifida et/ou l’hydrocéphalie (SBH) font face aux enjeux du vieillissement pouvant
complexifier les défis de participation sociale. Or, les besoins associés à ces transitions demeurent méconnus et peu de
ressources existent. L’Association de spina-bifida et d’hydrocéphalie du Québec (ASBHQ) souhaite accompagner ses
membres, leurs proches et les intervenants pour promouvoir un vieillissement actif et épanoui. Cette recherche-action
permettra : 1) d’explorer les expériences du vieillissement sous l’angle de la participation sociale des personnes vivant avec
le SBH ; 2) d’identifier les besoins prioritaires et des stratégies porteuses gage d’un vieillissement actif et épanoui en vue de;
3) de co-développer – avec des personnes atteintes, leurs proches et des intervenants – une boîte à outils regroupant ces
stratégies.

The Interplay of Remote Sensing Research and Technology with the Archaeological Record

Archaeology is important in understanding our past cultural heritage. Traditionally, this is accomplished through the excavation of, and the analysis of artifacts discovered at archaeological sites. Excavation, however, is an inherently destructive process, as once a site is excavated, the original state is lost. This has negative impacts on both the cultural significance of the site and the ability to conduct future. It is beneficial to look for additional ways to study sites that are less destructive, and to preserve the archaeological site when possible. Using drones, archaeological survey can be used to gain information about archaeological sites with minimal disturbance to it. Images that are taken from the drone can be studied to gain valuable information about the archaeological site and add to the growing knowledge of Alberta’s rich cultural past.

Momentum – Data Ecosystem

Momentum believes that the data available from wearable technology in today’s market can be harnessed for effective athletic programming. This data can be used to baseline athletes, deliver valuable holistic feedback, and train models that will reduce the amount of time coaches spend programming.

Momentum needs help validating critical hypotheses and assumptions to this belief. Those assumptions are that third-party data from popular wearable devices can:
1. Be ingested, shaped, stored, integrated, and analyzed
2. Be used to train models for athletic programming recommendations