Innovative Projects Realized

Digital data engine for efficient storage and management of data

A lot of digital data is produced on a daily basis with high speed and complex formats. It is challenging to work and deal with such data. Data is in different formats from different sources and it is hard to organize, search and retrieve data. This makes it difficult to organize, clean and analyze data. Repetitive tasks for cleaning and analyzing data again and again requires a one-stop-shop custom technology based solution that provides efficient storage and easy management of data. In this project, the intern will work on designing and developing a technological solution. This solution will have data integrated into a larger database and then the process of managing data will be automated along with data organization, cleaning and analysis to assure convenient, efficient use of data. This will streamline the data management process and will enable smooth transactions for all stakeholders using the solution.

L’optimisation des horaires dans le secteur de lavente au détail

La gestion des horaires du personnel est cruciale pour l’industrie de la vente au détail. Ce secteur, hautement concurrentiel et dont les marges bénéficiaires sont faibles, est extrêmement sensible à la maitrise des coûts. Une gestion efficace des forces de travail à disposition, pouvant générer des bénéfices tangibles, fait appel à une planification efficace des horaires de personnels qui consiste à assigner à l’ensemble des employés des quarts de travail ou des tâches en respectant, parexemple, qualifications, disponibilités, prévisions de l’absentéisme ou du trafic, ou encore des règles issues du code du travail et des conventions collectives. Le projet vise essentiellement à améliorer la compréhension, le traitement et l’intégration de ces éléments au sein des outils d’optimisation d’horaires existants. Plus spécifiquement, il visera à développer les domaines de recherche reliés à l’attribution des tâches en temps réel et son optimisation, à la génération d’horaires sur le long terme ou basés sur le profit et à l’optimisation de l’emballage.

An Information Representation Framework for the Performing Arts

As much of the performing arts activity has moved to the virtual space over the past eighteen months, an effective online presence, as well as an efficient way to reach potential audiences has become essential for arts organizations everywhere.
Information that can be machine processed effectively is key to a successful online presence. However, existing representational frameworks struggle to address the unique challenge presented by the performing arts domain, and the existence of multiple, incompatible schemas, many of them informal or insufficiently formalized, further hinders the effective dissemination and processing of information.
This research project will undertake the development of open-source formal ontologies for representing knowledge in the performing arts field as well as a methodology for incorporating ontologies in recommender systems. This work will be integrated into StagePage’s technology platform which will be vital to the development of a new series of products and the company’s overall growth.

Implementation of accounting, dispatch software and related processes

Heartland Disposal & Recycling is a waste disposal & recycling business offering waste disposal bins, portable toilets, and temporary fencing to residential, commercial, and industrial companies. Heartland also provides ongoing accounting and financial reporting services to Hape International Inc., which is a multi-national toy manufacturing business. Hape International Inc. has approximately $25 million in annual revenue, with its head office based out of Switzerland.

Heartland Disposal is affiliated with Solv.x Enterprises Inc. which also rents and services portable toilets to various construction and paving companies, as well as supplying parts washers and bio-degradable solvents to mechanic shops and large and medium size machine shops in Central and Northern Alberta.

Both Heartland Disposal and Solv.x Enterprises are in the process of implementing dispatch software for the waste bins and portable toilets, as well as tracking all the assets. Solv.x is a newly acquired business that lacks up-to-date accounting practices, therefore we are in the process of converting over the current accounting software from Sage 50, to QuickBooks Online, to improve the company’s overall accounting processes, asset tracking and management, and financial reporting. This will improve the efficiency and accuracy of the companies financials.

Optimization of the tempering heat treatment cycle of large size forgings

Large size high strength steels parts used in transport and energy applications undergo several heating and cooling cycles during their manufacturing process (casting, forging, quench, tempering). Generally, in the tempering process the parts are heated in industrial furnaces and the impact of non-uniform heating on the subsequent steps is of critical importance. A non-uniform temperature distribution may result in property variation from one end to another of the part, changes in microstructure, or even cracking. On the other hand, optimization of residence time of these products inside the furnace can minimize energy consumption and avoid undesirable property changes. However, due to the large size of the components, empirical approaches based on trial and error are costly and not always reliable. The proposed project, through a combination of 3D numerical CFD simulations, multiscale experimental
measurements (industrial scale and laboratory physical simulation), and computer aided artificial neural network optimization, considering all participating parameters during the tempering within the industrial furnace, will develop heat treatment procedures with optimized residence time and uniform temperature distribution.

Conservation of the Oregon forestsnail through translocation and habitat enhancement efforts

Land snails are important ecological components of ecosystems, providing multiple services that maintain the health of ecosystems in which they occur. The Oregon forestsnail (Allogona townsendiana), currently designated as Endangered under the Species at Risk Act, is found only in southwestern British Columbia in Canada at the northernmost extent of its known range. Trans Mountain Canada Inc. is required to complete an Oregon forestsnail translocation study to satisfy Condition 16 of Species at Risk Act (SARA) permits issued for the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project. To meet this requirement, Trans Mountain has formed a partnership with BCIT and the Nature Trust of BC to conduct this study. This is a multi-year effort, with the first phase of the project designed to identify and assess locations in the Lower Mainland where Oregon forestsnails do not currently occur, but contain sites that are suitable for the development of habitat enhancement plans to create conditions appropriate for subsequent translocation of OFS.

Identification, localization, and characterization of human body inflammation using thermographic imaging

The research project undertaken by the intern is to investigate the relationship between inflammation and temperature, use that knowledge to define thermal metrics and develop a standard operating procedure for 3D thermal body imaging. During the project the intern will build a phantom to evaluate and optimize the performance of a commercially available 3D thermal imager for the identification, characterization and localization of inflammation. By the completion of the project, the intern will have a pathway towards a human study and a validated technology to perform accurate 3D thermal data collection. The expected benefits for the partner organization is a validated use case for inflammation related to back and spine health that can be offered as a solution to their customers.

Aluminum-Water Reactors for Sustainable Generation of Hydrogen

There is an urgent need for carbon free sources of energy to mitigate the climate change effects. Hydrogen is a very promising fuel to transition to climate-friendly energy and sustainable energy future. However, most hydrogen is produced from carbon sources and thus undesired emissions are unavoidable during the production. One key solution is to use aluminum and water reactions to produce zero-carbon hydrogen on-demand. The cost of hydrogen can be reduced by using recycled aluminum. The scope of this project is to produce catalysts to enhance the hydrogen generated from recycled aluminum and water mixtures. These experiments will support the commercialization of this hydrogen generation process.

Development of a wet fractionation process for producing millet protein ingredients

The quest for finding plant protein alternatives to traditional protein sources (e.g., meat, dairy, eggs and soy) used by the food industry is being driven by consumer demand for healthier choices, population growth, environmental sustainability and regulator influencers. Millet represents a staple food for developing countries, especially in Africa and Asia, and represents rich source of dietary fibre, minerals and B-complex vitamins. In terms of their protein content, levels range between 8-10% by weight. The present research focuses on developing a wet fractionation process (e.g., alkaline extraction followed by isoelectric precipitation) to obtain protein isolates with protein levels >80%, and then to characterize their functional properties (e.g., solubility, emulsification, foaming and water/oil holding capacities) and their protein quality (e.g., amino acid profile, digestibility and PDCAAS). Depending on the protein ingredients yield and functionality, the process will be scaled up at GFR Ingredients (Alberta) to gain sufficient quantities of materials for product application testing. This new ingredient could be positioned to fill the market gap in the emerging plant protein sector.

Micro Geothermal Power Generation in Depleted Wells

Engineers use the earth’s heat to create heat pumps, to store energy, and to generate power. As the world moves away from carbon fuels, geothermal resources are increasingly attractive, promising sustainable, reliable sources of energy. Fortunately, the oil industry has already provided infrastructure to access this resource—depleted horizontal oil and gas wells drilled to a minimal depth of 1500 m, where a supply a steady heat can be sourced at a minimum of about 60 °C. While much geothermal research has focused on conventional geothermal using convective heat transfer at temperatures above 150 °C, this project seeks to optimize heat extraction from the greater reaches of these abandoned wells, enabling partner GeoGen Technologies Inc. to create an operational and economic system to perform such extraction—thus developing a sustainable energy resource and mitigating the environmental costs of well closure or cleanup.

Algorithme de résolution de conflits pour l’application dynamique de règles commerciales

Les solutions d’optimisation et d’aide à la décision logicielles développées par ExPretio comportent un « moteur de règles commerciales » qui permet aux utilisateurs de configurer les modèles d’optimisation par l’ajout de contraintes, de sorte que les résultats produits en sortie respectent des stratégies commerciales de la firme utilisant les logiciels. Comme le mécanisme de règles offre beaucoup de flexibilité aux utilisateurs, il se peut que, par inadvertence, deux ou plusieurs règles soient contradictoires entre elles. Comme les règles ne sont pas évaluées au moment de leur écriture, mais plutôt de manière asynchrone dans le cadre d’un traitement d’optimisation de masse (qui typiquement est exécuté durant la nuit), le logiciel doit être en mesure, par lui-même et sans intervention humaine, de régler efficacement les conflits en relaxant de façon appropriée les règles qui contribuent au conflit.

Energy assessment of AI Shading – A Smart Blind technology

The green building movement within building designs has put a spotlight on the application of green technologies to reduce the energy consumption and overall carbon footprint of residential and commercial buildings. In general, approximately half of a building’s total energy usage goes towards heating, cooling, and lighting requirements [1]. According to a recent report from the Attachments Energy Rating Council (AERC), fenestration products such as windows account for up to 30% of residential heating and cooling energy needs [9]. The application of smart blind systems such as AI Shading aim to minimize a building’s total energy consumption by reducing the heating and cooling load contributions from windows. Through the automated adjustment of blind configuration, smart blind systems reduce the indoor solar energy gain during the cooling season and limit indoor conductive energy losses during the heating season. This study works to quantitatively assess the energy-saving potential of AI Shading for application in residential and commercial buildings within Canadian climate zones. A computer-generated energy simulation model and prototype field study will be used to assess and verify the performance of AI Shading during both the Canadian heating and cooling seasons.