Innovative Projects Realized

Optimization and value determination of products attained from wood waste materials through a novel dewatering and lignin extraction process.

Bridges Environmental Solutions Inc has developed a novel and low cost process for dewatering wood and waste wood materials and extracting a lignin-based solution useful in subsequent wood reforming and laminating processes, which they have helped develop. They use this lignin product to both chemically modify cellulose structures and permanently reform wood for improved mechanical properties. Their technology reduces the chemical and energy investments needed for attaining lignin and offers an environmentally friendly alternative to adhesives and laminates used in other manufacturing processes. Their dewatering process also represents a means for taking wood waste materials that have very low value, such as legacy sawdust piles and bush grind with high moisture content, and converting them into useable feedstock for biofuels and syngas production. To further develop their technology, they need to 1) validate the energy balance and cost recovery of their novel dewatering process; 2) chemically characterize the composition of the lignin product they produce; and 3) improve the colour, purity and stability of that lignin product to better serve the product quality requirements needed by other industries.

Control of shock-induced turbulent boundary layer separation using air jet vortex generators

Internship in analytical chemistry – trace element analysis with LA-ICP-MS

Mammalian genome architecture and mobility

Molecular mechanisms of DNA methyltransferase recruitment in health and disease

Vibration Analysis of Rotating Composite Compressor Blades

Machine learning for inline quality analysis in a mechanical press-line

Reinforcement Learning for Traffic Light Optimization

Automated Mapping of Software Projects to Common Platform Enumerations (CPEs)

Creating a Blood Vessel Model to Study Atherosclerosis by Using Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Gaze Detection with Monocular Cameras

Wave View Imaging Internship

Wave View Imaging is developing a novel breast imaging device that uses microwave signals to create an image of the breast. The technology has significant potential to be used at point of care to monitor breast health. Wave View Imaging is actively exploring the application of monitoring neo-adjuvant therapy. This treatment approach is provided for women with locally advanced breast cancer. The goal of the neoadjuvant treatment is to decrease the tumor size prior to surgery, as well as to down-stage the lymph nodes. Chemotherapy is typically used for treatment, while endocrine therapy is another option. To evaluate the patient response to the treatments, oncologists rely on palpation of the breast which is subjective. Our technology has the potential to accurately measure patient response to treatment. As the Wave View Imaging device has a compact form factor, is safe and easy to operate, it can be used at the point of care. Patient can have a scan during their scheduled visit with their oncologist. The scan takes about 5 minutes and results are provided immediately to the oncologist. Clinical testing of the device will take place this summer at the Tom Baker Cancer Center, where patients going through chemotherapy treatment will be followed.