Innovative Projects Realized

Le fonctionnement d’une firme de consultation en marketing : Le cas de Valence Co

Ce projet de recherche est réalisé en partenariat avec la firme de consultation marketing Valence Co. Il comporte une double contribution. Premièrement, sur le plan académique, il représente la première étude à explorer le fonctionnement des agences de consultation en marketing. Deuxièmement, sur le plan managérial, il permettra à Valence Co de réviser, grâce à un audit, son outil des « 12 Vs » (outil intégrateur offrant une vision holistique plus large que les « Ps » classiques associés aux stratégies marketing) et d’intégrer de manière systématique la dimension de la responsabilité sociale du marketing à son approche de consultation auprès de ses clients. Afin de réaliser ce mandat, un étudiant de M.Sc. en marketing d’HEC Montréal interviendra à titre de stagiaire chez Valence Co pour une période de 8 mois.

Complex network based data analysis for shared mobility

This project aims to build a new analysis toolkit for shared bikes, escooters, and cars. The method is based on a mathematical theory called complex network. Like internet and human brains, transportation system possesses network structure. To study its topological properties, we can calculate some indices that encode the information of the network. There are theoretical and empirical studies proposing and examining various models based on spatial networks structure of transportation, and especially shared mobility. This project is going to develop a toolkit applying spatial network analysis methods and adapting to the available dataset. This toolkit is meant to be an add-on to the partner company’s existing toolbox. It will give quantifiable results and support data visualization.

Synthesis of chelating Bis(NHC)-Phosphinidine ligands

The transformation of renewable feedstocks such as carbon dioxide, is closely linked to homogenous catalysis. In homogenous catalysis transition metal complexes, containing a metal center and a of ligands (modulating the reactivity of these complexes) are key to achieve challenging transformations. This project aims to synthesize unique phosphorus-containing molecules (ligands) that can bind to transition metal centers, similar to how metals are embedded in enzymes. We will tailor our phosphorus ligands to achieve unique reactivities. The ligands made in this project will help to stabilize metals such as nickel or rhodium, as metal complexes, in a way that these complexes then can activate and functionalize small molecules of industrial interest, such as carbon dioxide. To realize the proposed research experts in transition metal chemistry at the University of Calgary and experts in organophosphorus chemistry will join forces to make molecules that have the potential to change the way we use renewable resources.

New aptamer/SERS biosensors for antibiotics in water

The abuse of antibiotics has caused many drug-resistance problems due to the development of resistance in bacteria. Monitoring the concentration of antibiotics in water is important for managing the problem of drug-resistant bacteria. While analytical instrumentation based methods such as mass spectrometry are available, they are expensive with a long turnaround time. This project aims to develop highly sensitive and selective biosensors for the detection of the main antibiotics currently prescribed including tetracycline, ampicillin and chloramphenicol.

Homelessness Prevention in Youth and Families Across Six Canadian Cities

Each year in Canada, approximately 40,000 people under the age of 24 will experience homelessness. Youth experiencing homelessness are highly vulnerable to crime, violence and sexual assault. Once homeless, youth are at high risk for multiple episodes of homelessness or chronic homelessness into adulthood. Interventions must be youth-centered, low-barrier, strengths-based, and prioritize diversion and/or family and natural supports to prevent long-term homelessness and its deleterious effects. One approach to prevention is through shelter diversion. Shelter diversion aims to provide the necessary resources to help youth stabilize their housing situation, ideally with case management supports, to prevent them from entering the shelter system. Using a blended methodology including quantitative and qualitative measures grounded in human-centered design principles, this multi-site study is a three-year comparative case study to assess the effectiveness of shelter diversion programs currently being offered in six sites in Canada.

Modelling the nucleocytoplasmic transport cycle

In eukaryotic cells, genetic material is stored in a specialized compartment — the nucleus — while other cellular material is mostly found in the surrounding cytoplasm. The selective exchange of materials between the nucleus and cytoplasm, known as nucleocytoplasmic transport (NCT), is vital to many important cellular processes including gene regulation and protein synthesis. NCT occurs through conduits connecting the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments known as nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) and is regulated by reaction networks of molecular compounds which produce coupled nuclear import and export cycles. Understanding the NCT cycle has important applications for identifying potential treatments in diseases implicating NCT such as certain cancers and neurodegenerative diseases, and for controlling artificial nano-scale filters and transporters inspired by the NPC. The goal of this project is to characterize the dynamics of the NCT cycle through combined theoretical and experimental approaches, which allow us to directly integrate model development with experimental validation. By advancing our ability to predict and control NCT, the outcomes of this project will enable future innovations in drug discovery and nanotechnology.

Designing data collection forms for unexpected data: The case of Suspicious Activity Reports for financial fraud detection

SARs (Suspicious Activities Reports) are the forms that financial institutions use to report any suspected activity. Literature shows that the user interface will affect the data provided by users, because of many psychological reasons like different biases and cognitive shortcuts. Data collected is typically analyzed with machine learning algorithms. Different user interfaces provide different levels of quality for this data, which will influence the outcome(s) of the machine learning techniques.

This research will help Verafin design better user interface(s) for their input form for reporting suspicious activities, which should then provide them with more complete data for analysis. For the purposes of this research, ‘more complete data’ is achieved by collected more diverse and granular data, achieved through the improved input forms. Diverse data refers broader diversity of information collected while granular data refers to the depth of a specific information set.

L’impact de l’innovation collaborative sur la performance des PME manufacturières québécoises dans le contexte de l’Industrie 4.0

Pour faire face aux changements fréquents dans leur environnement externe, les PME manufacturières sont
appelées à effectuer régulièrement des virages numériques leur permettant l’adoption et l’intégration des
nouvelles technologies. Pour relever ce défi, elles ont besoin de développer des capacités leur permettant de
mieux gérer leurs ressources et de les rendre plus disponibles aux moments opportuns. Les grandes entreprises
relèvent ce défi à travers l’innovation. Faute de moyens et de ressources propres, les PME manufacturières
multiplient les efforts pour développer leur potentiel d’innovation à travers l’innovation collaborative. Avec une
approche pragmatique, notre recherche vise à développer un modèle d’innovation collaborative permettant aux
PME manufacturières québécoises d’innover collaborativement et d’assurer leur pérennité dans le nouveau
contexte de l’Industrie 4.0.

Caractérisation et amélioration des performances des dispositifs à particules suspendues pour les vitres intelligentes

Les matériaux intelligents chromogéniques sont très importants pour les applications domotiques telles que les fenêtres intelligentes. Ces produits sont essentiels pour les applications d’économie d’énergie telles que les bâtiments durables. Parmi ces matériaux, les matériaux activés électriquement (électrochromes) offrent des avantages tels qu’un fonctionnement simple et linéaire. En comparaison avec les autres dispositifs électrochromes à base d’oxydes de métaux de transition sur substrats de verre, les dispositifs à matrice polymère organique sur substrat souple apportent des solutions beaucoup plus simples, souples et économiques. Des nanoparticules organométalliques photoactives dispersées dans des matrices polymères sont utilisées comme couche active de photocommutation (PS) dans un dispositif à particules en suspension (SPD). De plus, ces dispositifs s’adaptent aux techniques de fabrication à faible coût, telles que la sérigraphie. Malgré des performances plus élevées, les SPD ont reçu beaucoup moins d’attention parmi les chercheurs. D’autres études sur l’amélioration des SPD pour les applications PS en termes de meilleur transfert de charge entre les électrodes et la matrice polymère, une transmission optique plus élevée, des temps de commutation et une consommation d’énergie faibles, et la longévité sont essentielles pour la durabilité et la viabilité commerciale.

Towards 3-D spot recovery in laser diode-based photoacoustic imaging

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging has shown a great potential in cancer detection, tissue characterization, and therapeutic applications. Compact, portable, cheap, and high frequency, but low-power, Laser Diode has been a new venue for PA imaging. Laser diode-based PA imaging can be a supplement for image guidance during prostate studies and nerve or cancer imaging procedure or used for the localization of a needle target. To accurately localize and/or image the spot, a small region of interested is illuminated, and US and PA signals are collected simultaneously. Point source or spot imaging using the conventional US transducer is needed for these image guidance procedures. Preliminary study for the laser spot recovery has been performed in [Moradi et al, SPIE, 2021] using 2-D clinical transducer, in this project, 1) 3-D spot recovery using T-shaped arrays of the prostate transrectal ultrasound transducer is investigated, 2) machine learning algorithms will be employed to increase signal-to-noise ratio of the signal recorded with the laser diodes, 3) multi-spectral PA spot recovery will also be discussed.

Energy-Efficient Precast Concrete Wall and Floor Connections

Developing energy-efficient and durable floor and wall systems is critical to modern precast building construction, particularly with extreme weather conditions in Canada and the associated high costs of heating. This project addresses the structural performance of two components critical to energy efficiency of buildings as a result of their low thermal conductivity, namely double-wythe ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) walls and cantilevered balcony component of precast concrete floors. Both components incorporate a thermal insulation system, which is sandwiched between the two wythes of the walls, and incorporated as a thermal break at the junction between the balcony and the rest of the concrete floor. Outcomes of this study will assist the industrial partner in introducing and promoting novel precast concrete components that are thermally efficient and structurally sound, as well as establishing a design guide, which is expected to benefit the Canadian construction sector.

An Automated Object Detection and Tracking through Multi-Modal Image Fusion

This research project will develop an automated maritime object detection and tracking system using fused images from infrared and visible RGB sources. The developed system can be deployed and used in patrol vessels for maritime surveillance. As the system takes advantage of both infrared and visible RGB images, it is capable of running for 24 hours all over the year under various illumination and different weather conditions. By efficiently and effectively detecting and tracking maritime objects, the system will provide timely and accurate information about maritime objects. The partner organization can take this system as the maritime surveillance software solution and attract more investments and collaborations. Overall, the developed system will enhance the maritime surveillance software system and benefit Canadian ocean safety.