Innovative Projects Realized

Development of wearable device for real time non-contact hydration monitoring

A well-maintained hydration status is important for the well-being of human body. Significant deviation from the proper hydration state, either dehydration or hyper hydration, could lead to neurologic complications or even fatal results. Existing hydration measurement carried out in laboratory settings, such as blood and urine test, though accurate, require both expensive equipment and professional experiences. Some newly developed devices which measure saliva, sweat, or bio-impedance improved measurement flexibility but either with compromised accuracy or limited to specific activities. This project aims to develop a new hydration monitoring module based on frequency dependent interaction between radio waves and biological tissues, which could not only measure real-time hydration status in a non-invasive or even non-contact manner, but also be integrated with existing wearable systems. Intelligent algorithm will also be developed to adapt to individual variations. This project will bring new opportunities for both the partner organization and Canadian electronic industry.

CARIC AUT-703_TRL4+ (Projet mobilisateur : Drone hélicoptère intermédiaire)

Le projet CARIC AUT-703 mobilise quatre PME canadiennes appuyées par deux universités spécialisées en génie, soit l’École Polytechnique de Montréal et l’École de technologie supérieure, afin de développer plusieurs concepts et technologies dans le domaine des drones. Le quatuor d’entreprises fera la démonstration d’un prototype d’hélicoptère sans pilote de catégorie intermédiaire.
Située à Saint-Joseph-de-Coleraine au Québec, l’entreprise LAFLAMME AÉRO démontrera l’expertise et les technologies de la jeune entreprise en aérospatiale en proposant un concept révolutionnaire d’hélicoptère de petites dimensions, aux performances et à la versatilité inégalées.
L’entreprise N.G.C. AÉROSPATIALE de Sherbrooke, qui se spécialise pour sa part en conception et en déploiement de logiciels intelligents pour systèmes spatiaux, aéronautiques et terrestres, mettra à profit son expertise et ses technologies en développant et intégrant un système de navigation, de guidage et de commande avec évitement d’obstacle pour le drone.
Pour sa part, ROY AÉRONEF & AVIONIQUE SIMULATION est une des seules entreprises à l’échelle mondiale possédant l’expertise et les produits nécessaires afin de concevoir et implanter une unité d’essais intégrée pour un aéronef complet. RAAS développera au cours de ce projet des technologies d’environnement de test extensible et de station de contrôle au sol. TO BE CONT’D

Archaeological Data Management in Canada and the Comprehensive Heritage Research Information Platform – Year 2

The proposed project undertakes a comparative study of existing regional archaeological data management systems and practices. Deconstructive analysis of each of these systems will preface a comparison of their component parts and identify relative absences and deficiencies. When reassembled, a theorizing of why these systems might be “missing pieces” can be undertaken recognizing their jurisdictional contexts. This research will then be applied in theorizing and eventually designing a centralized, multi-jurisdictional and remotely accessible model heritage research information platform. Timmins Martelle Heritage Consultants (TMHC) in cooperation with Sustainable Archaeology at Western University and under the auspices of a Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellowship will oversee this research initiative and any pilot application thereof. The production and analysis of these regional datasets together with the application of this research in constituting a model platform will be of immediate relevance to Canadian heritage stakeholders, commercial, academic and otherwise.

Archaeological Data Management in Canada and the Comprehensive Heritage Research Information Platform

The proposed project undertakes a comparative study of existing regional archaeological data management systems and practices. Deconstructive analysis of each of these systems will preface a comparison of their component parts and identify relative absences and deficiencies. When reassembled, a theorizing of why these systems might be “missing pieces” can be undertaken recognizing their jurisdictional contexts. This research will then be applied in theorizing and eventually designing a centralized, multi-jurisdictional and remotely accessible model heritage research information platform. Timmins Martelle Heritage Consultants (TMHC) in cooperation with Sustainable Archaeology at Western University and under the auspices of a Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellowship will oversee this research initiative and any pilot application thereof. The production and analysis of these regional datasets together with the application of this research in constituting a model platform will be of immediate relevance to Canadian heritage stakeholders, commercial, academic and otherwise.

Use of Satellite Imagery to map Seagrass beds in shallow coastal waters across Atlantic Canada

This project is part of a research program that will develop a bay-scale cumulative effects monitoring program for eelgrass in Atlantic Canada, adding to work previously completed by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the Northumberland Strait Environmental Monitoring Partnership (NorSt-EMP) in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The proposed research aims to develop a method that uses satellite optical images to map eelgrass beds over two estuaries across the Atlantic Canada region. The resulting maps will then be compared to previous data available through DFO, Environment Canada and industry as well as data collected by a community-based monitoring effort. Project partners (Stantec and the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Coalition on Sustainability) will provide equipment and expertise in the field. Such a project will contribute to understand the current state of eelgrass in Atlantic Canada estuaries. Such information will permit resource managers to formulate mitigation plans for areas where eelgrass is found to be declining.

Scalability and performance considerations for the Asset Store

This proposed research will be held as part of the implementation of an online marketplace for smart assets, project that will be developed at Side Effects Software .The main objectives of this applied

research project will be first, trying to predict the performance requirements. Second, estimating the set of queries that need to be performed. Third, doing an exploratory and deep comparative (Sql versus NonSql

databases) study of the different data storage systems and technologies with the aim of selecting the right model for the asset store. The results of this applied research project will be crucial for the success of the

smart asset store. With the participation of the intern in the design and implementation of the data store of the system, the company will benefit from both, the inter prior expertise in databases and distributed systems,

as well as its capacity of research as a master student.

New methodology for seismic assessment and design of Non-Structural Components (NSCs) of building based on Ambient Vibration Measurements (AVM)

Past and recent earthquake clearly demonstrate that the poor seismic performance of Non-Structural Components (NSCs) can cause the building to lose its functionality, risks the life safety of occupants, and give a rise to huge economic damages even if the structural components have performed well. During past four decades, several analytical methods and empirical equations have been developed and recommended in codes and standards for seismic design and assessment NSCs. However, all of these approaches have shortcomings that make them either impractical or imprecise. Hence, this research study is aimed to develop an original method to generate experimental Floor Response Spectrum (FRS) and inter-story drift curves based on the Ambient Vibration Measurements (AVM) to provide engineers with a simple, practical and yet reasonably accurate method for seismic design and assessment of NSCs. The industrial partner (Sensequake) has developed 3D-SAM methodology and software, a robust tool for seismic assessment of structural components, and the outcome of this research study will benefit them to extend their methodology to cover the seismic assessment of NSCs as well.

Optical functions and the performance of a photovoltaic solar cell

We aim to set-up an elementary and practical experimental tool, based on a conjuncture of the reflectance/transmittance and the photothermal deflection spectroscopy experimental approaches, which will be used in order to rapidly acquire the spectral dependence of the optical absorption spectrum corresponding to thin-film-semiconductor-based photovoltaic materials. System calibration will be performed using benchmark thin-film silicon samples that are already available in our laboratory. We will then use this set-up in order to perform characterizations on a number of thin-film-semiconductor-based photovoltaic materials of interest to our industrial partner, Solar Earth Technologies. The photovoltaic potential of each material considered will be critically examined. Further improvements to this system will be considered. Opportunities for publishing the results of this research in the open scientific literature will be pursued.

Une nouvelle approche hydro-limnologique appliquée pour quantifier la contamination provenant des eaux usées domestiques: le cas du lac Saint-Charles. – Year 2

Le lac Saint-Charles est une source d’eau potable qui alimente plusieurs municipalités sur le territoire métropolitain de Québec, soit 300 000 personnes. L’urbanisation de son bassin versant a contribué à sa dégradation. L’objectif du projet est de faire un bilan hydrologique afin de tracer et de quantifier les sources des contaminants dans le lac. L’APEL a identifié deux sources importantes, une qui provient des installations septiques et l’autre des deux stations de traitement des eaux usées. Le projet postdoctoral proposé développera le modèle de débit hydrologique basé sur les traceurs isotopiques dans l’eau (oxygène et hydrogène) et sera en mesure de quantifier chaque source afin d’identifier la plus dominante. L’APEL a l’intérêt à appliquer ce modèle. TO BE CONT’D

Une nouvelle approche hydro-limnologique appliquée pour quantifier la contamination provenant des eaux usées domestiques: le cas du lac Saint-Charles.

Le lac Saint-Charles est la source d’eau potable qui alimente plusieurs municipalités sur le territoire métropolitain de Québec, près de 300 000 personnes. La forte urbanisation de son bassin versant a accéléré sa dégradation. Les données scientifiques laissent croire que cette dégradation pourrait être irréversible si les actions requises ne sont pas mises en œuvre rapidement. Ici, nous utiliserons une nouvelle approche hydro-limnologique appliquée mettant en relation le bilan hydrologique et les propriétés limnologiques du lac pour quantifier l’impact des eaux usées domestiques. La méthode hydrologique basée sur les traceurs isotopiques dans l’eau (oxygène et hydrogène) et les propriétés physico-chimiques du lac (nutriments, matière organique) seront utilisées pour établir l’apport relatif des eaux usées des installations septiques et des stations de traitement. Les résultats aideront à identifier la source la plus dominante et à prioriser les investissements afin d’améliorer la qualité des eaux de rejets dans le lac.

An exploration of community-organised social enterprise in the development of local food system infrastructure

This research will explore how community organised social entrepreneurship and enterprise can be used to build and strengthen local food systems in the Capital Region of British Columbia. It will ask questions about how effective social entrepreneurship could be in developing warehousing, distribution and processing services that are compatible in scale and quality with community-based local food system objectives and values. It will ask about the blended value that social entrepreneurship could bring to achieving environmental, ecological and social goals while shifting the food system away from industrial food production and toward more sustainable and resilient local production. The research will provide new information and knowledge to the innovation that industry partner, Thrifty Foods, is interested in bringing to the expansion of its local food initiatives in the region and beyond.

Apprentissage automatique de la croissance et présence de maladies au sein de populations de crevettes

Le domaine technologique de l’aquaculture est en pleine expansion. De nouveaux instruments d’échantillonnage génèrent beaucoup de données alors l’analyse de celles-ci s’avère un défi important. Les aquiculteurs à travers le monde ont besoin d’être guidés de manière fiable dans leur pratique et les avancements en technologie sont là pour les aider. Dans ce projet, le partenaire bénéficiera d’une expertise en matière d’analyse de données pour la conception de modèles statistiques, descriptifs et prédictifs pour améliorer leur produit actuel de collecte d’information. Appliquer ces techniques d’analyse en aquaculture sera une première et certainement un avantage concurrentiel non négligeable pour le partenaire.