Innovative Projects Realized

Procédure d’audit et d’entretien des systèmes de traitement d’air dans les espaces confinés exposés à la COVID-19

La recherche consiste à appliquer le protocole d’utilisation des tests de contamination des surfaces et de l’air par ATP-métrie, définie dans un précédent projet Mitacs. Elle consiste donc à appliquer ce protocole d’utilisation des tests de contamination d’air et de surface dans les locaux de l’École de Technologie Supérieure de Montréal. Trois étapes sont nécessaires : la première étape sera consacrée à l’application régulière du protocole de mesure sur les surfaces, et éventuellement dans l’air, afin de suivre l’évolution de la flore bactérienne au cours d’une année, tout en appliquant différentes sollicitations afin d’évaluer l’état des systèmes (filtres par exemple). La deuxième étape sera consacrée à l’analyse des performances sanitaires et des systèmes de traitement d’air après application du protocole de mesure et la validation des résultats. Par la suite, la troisième étape permettra de concevoir et de tester des protocoles améliorés de désinfection, d’entretien et de maintenance des systèmes de traitement d’air.

GPS/Wi-Fi/ MEMS Sensors Integration for Indoor Navigation

In the last few years, pedestrian indoor navigation systems are widely used for various applications such as health care monitoring, Location Based Services (LBS) and emergency services. However, most of the indoor navigation systems are not mature, and could not provide continuous, accurate and reliable positioning solutions. GPS, MEMS sensors and Wi-Fi are three main candidate technologies for pedestrian navigation. GPS cannot provide reliable pedestrian navigation indoors because the GPS signals are degraded in indoor environments. MEMS sensors provide accurate but relative positioning solution for short time periods of standalone usages because of MEMS sensors’ errors characteristics. Wi-Fi can provide absolute location information by using pre-existing wireless infrastructures. However, Wi-Fi positioning requires special radio maps databases which is labour intensive and time consuming. Moreover, accurate orientation information from Wi-Fi cannot be provided in any of the existing methods. This research aims to improve the accuracy, reliability and accessibility of indoor navigation in two different ways for the current smart phones using GPS, Wi-Fi and MEMS sensors. Firstly, an algorithm is proposed to estimate the Wi-Fi heading by using clustering based and estimation based techniques.

Textile-based Delivery System for Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy: Novel Electrodes and Compliant Conductors

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is an effective technology for the therapy of patients who suffer from physical impairment. To increase the effectiveness of FES and reduce the cost of hospitalization, a new design is required for the remote and long-term application of FES so that the patients can easily undergo FES during their daily life activities without the need of clinical assistance. The goal of this project is to develop a smart wearable technology for long-term and remote application of FES. This will be achieved through two objectives: (i) design and development of a novel electrode to be reusable and functional for a long time, and (ii) design and development of a textile-based medium for connecting electrodes inside the wearable system and delivery of electric signals. With the design of advanced electrodes and novel textile-based connections, a new wearable system can be achieved for a user-friendly, remote, and long-term application of FES.

Lumiio Inc – Fall 2021

Lumiio’s goal is to accelerate health outcomes through data collection. They specialize in real-world data collection and connect stakeholders in health communities by aligning interests. The organization has identified a significant gap in the standardization and use of patient information to drive improved health outcomes. The team recognizes a number of core offerings are missing from their platform that could streamline the acquisition of data, provide a better understanding of the health information landscape, and make the data collection process more user friendly. The intern will be utilized to complete business case analyses for additional platform products that will allow Lumiio to identify business opportunities that will allow them to scale and improve health outcomes globally.

Vapor-phase processing of nickel for EV batteries and Metal Additive Manufacturing

The proposed research project aims at technology for environmentally benign recycling of nickel. The
process entails conversion of nickel found in the “black mass” from recycled Ni-based batteries into
nickel carbonyl, Ni(CO)4, by reaction with CO at modest temperatures around 50-120°C (pressuredependent).
Only nickel carbonyl is volatile under these conditions and is easily separated from other
metals and residual materials found in the “black mass”. Downstream, the nickel tetracarbonyl vapors
are introduced into a high-temperature zone (ca. 200 to 500°C) where the carbonyl decomposes into
pure nickel metal film or powder and CO gas, which is then recycled back to the carbonylation reactor.
The project will focus on identification of optimal process conditions and equipment design for this new
source of “urban mining” materials and high-purity nickel products needed for the production of
advanced, high-capacity rechargeable batteries.

Smart Based Socks for Wound Prevention and Management

Lower extremity wounds are painful wounds in the legs and feet that can result from immobility (e.g. secondary to Multiple Sclerosis, spinal cord injury), peripheral vascular disease and/or diabetes. They are slow to heal and cause immense pain and suffering. These wounds can cause infections, may lead to amputations, and in more severe cases, death. These wounds impact an individual’s ability to engage in their daily activities and impact the individual’s quality of life. Many people living with diabetes are unable to feel changes in their feet. Being able to sense pressure and changes in skin temperature may help prevent these wounds from occurring. This project will develop socks that will sense pressure and temperature changes in the feet, to help alert individuals to engage in behaviours that will prevent wounds from occurring.

Analyse de la variabilité phénotypique et génomique des groupes socioculturels émergents à Montréal au XVIIe-XVIIIe siècle. Analyse comparative du cimetière catholique de la première église Notre-Dame (1691-1796) à Montréal

L’établissement au XVIIe-XVIIIe siècle d’immigrants d’origine française à Montréal a entraîné le développement d’un centre urbain en marge d’un vaste territoire Autochtone. Si les fondateurs de Montréal y entrevoyaient une population biculturelle, mais catholique, l’élite commerciale et religieuse a imprimé son identité sur l’histoire de la ville, en marginalisant la présence autochtone. Le cimetière de la première église Notre-Dame (1691-1796) donne un accès inédit à la part réelle des Autochtones et Africains dans le peuplement du Montréal colonial. Ma thèse examine la variabilité phénotypique crânienne et génomique en vue d’identifier l’origine des individus pour approfondir les connaissances des rapports entre euro-autochtones. Les individus inhumés ne sont pas identifiés car les sols archéologiques au Québec tendent à multiplier la fragmentation des ossements. Cette étude mobilise deux méthodes de pointes complémentaires : la morphométrie géométrique, soit l’imagerie 3D pour l’analyse de la morphologie crânienne et la paléogénomique, soit l’étude de l’ADN ancien.

Development of Models and Control Schemes for Soft Open Points in Distribution Systems

More than 80% of power outages in power grids are caused by faults in distribution networks. To improve the system’s reliability and resiliency, the service restoration is critical after faults. The Soft Open Point (SOP) is an emerging power electronic device, which can be connected to terminals of feeders or between networked microgrids, and can be used to realize service restoration. In this proposal, we aim to develop models and control schemes of SOPs in distribution systems for service restoration purpose. To achieve effective service restoration, models and control schemes of SOPs must be developed under both normal and faulty operating conditions. Compared to traditional network reconfigurations, service restoration through SOPs is more secure and reliable, and can significantly enhance the faulty system’s self-healing capability in distribution networks. The research results will greatly benefit the power grid modernization for Saskatoon Light & Power’s future urban distribution network.

Low carbon footprint carbon nanofiber admixture for cementitious materials applications

To reduce carbon footprints, the development of new materials with enhanced properties is of great importance. The construction industry, with a record of 9.95 Gt of CO2 production in 2019, is the 3rd largest sector contributing to climate change31. One way of reducing the amount of carbon in their manufacturing process is by adding materials in their concrete that can replace traditional commodities and are produced sustainably. Carbon NanoFibers (CNF), as produced through a patented Carbonova process, offer the opportunity to substitute such materials and reduce the carbon footprint of many processes, while at the same time, imparting the innovative material with properties that could enhance usability and open the doors for new applications, such as concretes with sensing capabilities.

Assurer la cyber résilience dans l’industrie 4.0

L’industrie 4.0 désigne l’automatisation continue des pratiques de fabrication et industrielles traditionnelles, en utilisant une technologie intelligente moderne. La communication machine à machine à grande échelle (M2M) et l’Internet des objets (IoT) sont intégrés pour une automatisation accrue, une communication et une auto surveillance améliorées, et la production de machines intelligentes capables d’analyser et de diagnostiquer les problèmes sans intervention humaine. La cyber-résilience est la mesure de la capacité d’une entreprise à continuer à fonctionner normalement pendant qu’elle tente de prévenir, détecter, contrôler et récupérer des menaces contre ses données et son infrastructure informatique.
Dans ce projet, nous allons proposer un modèle de cyber-résilience pour l’industrie 4.0 pour garantir la disponibilité et la continuité de production en dépend des menaces de sécurité. Les résultats proposés peuvent être organisés en trois étapes pour aider les entreprises à prendre des décisions sur les pratiques qui assurent la cyber-résilience de leurs procédés industriels. La première étape considère l’assurance de la cyber-résilience des appareils connectés, la deuxième étape considère la sécurité de la communication et la coopération d’entités autonomes et connectées. La troisième étape considère l’intégrité, la confidentialité, et la disponibilité des données.

Treatment Outcomes: Conditioning on Electronic/Personal Health Records for congestive heart failure

We will build a prototype system that can be used to predict the outcome of treatments for congestive heart failure given a patient’s personal health record or electronic medical record. This will be based on building a relational probabilistic model that is based on standard medical ontologies, initially on expert knowledge, and can make predictions from electronic/personal health records. The system will be evaluated against clinical practice guidelines. This will be used as the basis for a future system, that can learn the models from data, and so provide auditable best-practices recommendations.

Improvements to Mobile Control App for Autonomous Service Robots

Tasks involving lifting, pushing, and carrying (e.g., lifting laundry, cleaning the floor) are often challenging, especially for seniors and people with limited mobility. On stairs, performing these tasks becomes dangerous, potentially leading to serious injury (falls, back strain, etc.).

Quantum Robotic Systems Inc. (QRS) addresses this problem by making unique mobile service robots. QRS has developed and patented a novel stair-climbing technology that the company has incorporated into its Robotic Stairclimbing Assistant (“ROSA”). ROSA’s sister product is “QBii”, a smaller non-stairclimbing robot.

QRS has developed a prototype version of a Control App, allowing a user to specify rudimentary paths for its robots. However, the existing App lacks the functionality to make it truly useful.

The primary goal for this innovation project is to improve upon the existing Control App to enhance its capabilities and its ease-of-use. The App will run on commonly used mobile devices (smartphones, tablets) to enhance convenience. The improved Control App will be intuitive enough to allow any user (e.g., older homeowners with no programming or robotics experience) to command a QRS robot to drive to a destination (e.g., “Kitchen”, “Bedroom”). The robot will then autonomously follow a path between its current location and the destination. Along the way, the robot can perform a useful task (e.g., carry a box, pull a cart, sweep the floor, etc.), freeing the user to do something else.

Achieving this goal will significantly increase market acceptance of QRS’s service robots.