Innovative Projects Realized

Simple Perfusion Reconstruction Algorithm (SPIRAL) Clinical Research Study

The delivery of stroke treatment requires simple, quick, and accurate imaging to make fast treatment decisions. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is required to identify a large vessel occlusion (LVO) and medium vessel occlusion (MeVO) before removal (recanalization) by tPA and/or endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). The CTA can detect where the artery is blocked reliably by an expert specialist but misdiagnosis is common among non-experts. Another separate scan called CT perfusion that involves giving a further injection of dye. It is the CTP that can show areas of reduced blood flow to the brain and can help make treatment decisions about the benefit and safety of unblocking the artery. However, CTP have significant limitations that include treatment delay because of the additional scan, potential kidney damage from the dye, and cancer risk because of exposure to more radiation.

In addressing these limitations, we have developed the SPIRAL (Simple PerfusIon Reconstruction ALgorithm), which is a novel imaging technique created from multiple CT angiograms that can detect large vessel occlusions and visualize the areas in the brain most severely affected by the stroke and is a quicker, safer and cheaper alternative to CTP. In this study, we will modify and apply

Verified Engagement Platform Backend Implementation, Integration, and Commercialization

The past two years have shown increasing distrust through online division, polarizing protests and strikes, and destructive riots. This problem has gotten worse due to our unverified, disorganized, and time consuming citizen and stakeholder engagement systems, especially social media, focus groups and town halls, and voting. In order to solve the problem of increasing distrust by implementing a platform that provides verified, targeted, and ongoing proactive engagement, Veras Technologies Inc. will work with intern Mohammed Rakeeb to implement, integrate, and commercialize a verified citizen and stakeholder engagement platform. The intern will first create and update a minimum viable product backend and facial recognition system using AWS (Amazon Web Services) to onboard early users and sell to early adopters. Then the intern will connect the old backend of the platform to the blockchain and AI backend, developed by other interns in a different Mitacs project. Veras hopes to use this project to implement, integrate, and commercialize their product. The intern hopes to utilize this project to grow his technical, professional, and interdisciplinary skills that will provide himself a professional work environment foundation to advance the transferable skills needed to have a successful career after university graduation.

Application du ML pour la détection de mots-clés dans divers types d’articles d’un site web

L’arrivée chez Tastet de l’intelligence artificielle a permis de proposer un service automatisé de recommandations d’adresses pour les utilisateurs inscrits, et ce service s’ajoute à l’activité première du site : l’analyse et la promotion des bonnes adresses selon des critères humains. Il est important pour Tastet de continuer sa mission en utilisant l’IA convenablement pour bonifier certains processus. Dans ce projet, nous visons à améliorer la catégorisation des contenus sur le site qui viendra supporter la recherche en proposant des mot-clés qui aideront nos visiteurs à trouver le contenu que nous avons à leur proposer. En utilisant l’IA, nous venons soulager notre équipe de rédaction en leur donnant la chance de se concentrer sur des textes de qualité et en retirant les étapes qui semblent redondantes, mais qui sont si importantes afin d’être en mesure de retrouver le contenu.

Understanding the Lifecycle of Software Innovation in Asia: Partnership Opportunities for Canadian Companies and Researchers

This proposal aims to understand the environment and lifecycle of digital technology development in Asia. Through this internship, with the collaboration of the academic supervisor and the Cansbridge Fellowship, the student will aim to write a review paper that examines the environment and lifecycle of digital tech developments in Asia, and will explore avenues to further promote mutual understanding and future collaboration between Asia and Canada in the digital technology sector.

Improving reliability of solid-state nanopore sensors through redundancy and chemical functionalization

Solid-state nanopores—tiny holes in thin glass similar in size to biomolecules like proteins or DNA—are poised to disrupt many essential growth markets, including genomics and proteomics, personalized medicine, point-ofcare diagnostics, and next-generation information storage. While holding great promise as a broadly applicable
disruptive technology, solid-state nanopore sensors are individually failure-prone, requiring use of many in parallel, as well as improvements to individual pore quality, before being able to deliver on this promise. This project seeks to consolidate several key advances, include a novel method of nanopore fabrication that can scale to arrays of pore, and surface modifications recently reported, to deliver redundant arrays of reliable nanopores as the basis for solid-state nanopores to deliver on their promise.

Development of a Prototype and Commercialization Pathway for the Improved Treatment of Periprosthetic Joint Infection (PJI)

Periprosthetic Joint Infections (PJIs) are infections involving an implanted joint prosthesis and surrounding tissue that occur following joint arthroplasties. Management of these infections is challenging and often surgical due to the antibiotic-resistant nature of the biofilm produced by infecting organisms. In 2019-2020, more than 63,000 Total Hip Arthroplasties (THAs) and 75,000 Total Knee Arthroplasties (TKAs) were performed in Canada. Studies have shown that the annual incidence rates of infection for THAs and TKAs to be 1-2%, resulting in significant economic burden to the healthcare system. The goal of this project is to prototype a medical device and workflow for the intraoperative treatment of PJIs during DAIR (debridement, antibiotics, implant retention), single-stage, and two-stage revision operations through the eradication of biofilm. To achieve this, the project will include the development of a business plan to describe a viable pathway from bench to bedside, technical feasibility assessments from a clinical perspective to optimize the integration of a medical device into existing surgical practices, and the construction of a physical preliminary prototype. The results of this project have the potential to improve outcomes for those undergoing PJI treatment, thereby reducing patient morbidity and healthcare costs associated with failed treatment strategies.

Projet PLAZA: Évaluation du projet pilote de navettes autonomes sur la rue St-Hubert

Le projet-pilote de navette autonome (et électrique) sur la rue St-Hubert, piloté par la ville de Montréal, représente ainsi une opportunité intéressante de documenter l’expérience des usagers de la navette et les perceptions des riverains par rapport à l’arrivée de ce véhicule sur le réseau routier. Le deuxième objectif vise à étudier les interactions des usagers de la route en présence de la navette autonome. Ces deux objectifs impliquent des collectes de données le long du parcours de la navette, incluant des observations non-participantes de la navette et des passants à proximité, des questionnaires auprès des usagers (aux arrêts et dans la navette) ou des riverains (sur la rue) et des collectes d’image vidéo à partir de caméras aux intersections. Les résultats permettront de mieux comprendre les effets de la présence d’une navette autonome sur le comportement des autres usagers de la route et d’ainsi proposer des lignes directrices assurant la sécurité et l’acceptabilité des futurs projets.

Improved Tactile Sensors for Biomedical Applications

The Institute of Biomedical Engineering at UNB is at the frontier of myoelectric signal acquisition and interpretation in patients with prosthetic devices. A particular challenge is understanding the effect of surface contact pressure on voltage measurements at the skin-electrode interface. Smart Skin Technologies (SST) is a New Brunswick company developing multi-touch pressure sensors aimed at several markets including smart-phones, sports training and industrial quality assurance. However, the pressure resolution and accuracy need to be improved before the sensors can be used in biomedical applications. The research project will study the device materials used at SST to achieve uniform response and improve pressure sensitivity. The goal of the research project is to improve the sensors to the degree that they can be employed in finesse applications such as prosthetics.

Algorithmic and Software Progress in Symbolic Computation

In recent years, research in computer algebra has expanded beyond its traditional territories, such
as exact linear algebra and formal solutions of partial differential equations, to enter new arenas,
such as symbolic analysis and polyhedral geometry. The proposed research projects will expand the
scope of computer algebra systems (CAS) into these two new areas. They will also strengthen CAS
in one of their well-established territories, namely symbolic integration.
This proposal capitalizes on the research conducted by the academic partners at the University of
Western Ontario in order to strengthen and extend the technology of their industrial partner, MAPLESOFT,
the developers of MAPLE, one of the leading CAS world-wide. In fact, the proposed research
projects extend a series of research projects conducted by the partners over the past two years with
the support of MITACS.

AI-powered SaaS Cybersecurity chatbot

CloudConseils is a startup that offers next-generation cloud security solutions and cloud consulting services. We are focusing on the security, development and migration of cloud applications and SaaS in AWS and Azure.
Identifying and remediating cybersecurity issues of Software-as-a-service (SaaS) and cloud-based applications is an essential and expensive task, specifically, for organizations that do not have an internal and expert security team. This project aims to explore the extent to which a cybersecurity tool could automated the finding and
remediation of vulnerabilities by monitoring a SaaS or Cloud application in real time and using AI and natural language processing technologies. In particular, we will automatically identify a list of vulnerabilities for a given SaaS and then propose remediation actions during an interactive chat session between a developer and an AI
chatbot.

Regulation of ubiquitin specific protease 8 by AMPK-mediated phosphorylation

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the 2nd most common neurodegenerative disorder, affecting greater than 1% of people over 60. As occurrences are predicted to double in the next 20 years, there is a critical need for the development of prophylactic and/or therapeutic interventions. We have recently identified two enzymes, USP8 and AMPK, that interact and may be involved in mechanisms that lead to the onset and progression of PD. In collaboration with the Parkinson’s Society Southwestern Ontario (PSSO), the interaction of USP8 and AMPK will be explored to determine if they are directly involved in PD or associated cellular mechanisms. The research proposed will add to the growing list of potential therapeutic targets for the fight against this debilitating disease.

COGNI-ACTIF: apprendre en bougeant, un jeu à prendre au sérieux

Ce projet vise à développer la version bêta du jeu sérieux COGNi-ACTif, un outil technopédagogique qui mise sur la synergie entre le mouvement et l’apprentissage. Ce jeu sérieux est développé par des praticiens et des chercheurs issus de domaines variés (arts numériques, éducation, informatique, kinésiologie et neuropsychologie) dans le but 1) d’augmenter le niveau d’activités physique des élèves pour favoriser leur développement global et 2) d’augmenter leur niveau de motivation et d’engagement scolaire.