Innovative Projects Realized

Image segmentation of foliage and man-made objects in aerial RGB images

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology has advanced significantly in recent years. With the aerial data, analysis provides solutions to government agencies and industries, including the energy and forestry sectors, as well as urban/rural planning. Among the many aerial data modalities, RGB images play an important role in the analytics process. Our research problem involves segmenting aerial RGB images composed of natural and man-made objects into two categories in real-time as the data, i.e., video frames, are collected. We will begin with an investigation of a combination of state-of-the-art computer vision and machine learning methods that work in real-time. This includes discovering training features and determining the correct method for training the model to achieve the best results. Another important objective is to develop a strategy which does not rely on a large training dataset. Improving the model’s accuracy and time performance will be the final focus of the project.

Advanced Statistical Signal Processing Algorithms for Precise Radar Positioning

As the users rely increasingly on GPS/DGPS, there have been increasing concerns about the GPS vulnerability due to unintentional or intentional GPS disruptions. It is suggested that low-cost and reliable backup systems are quite necessary, especially in exceptional situations. We will expand on a previously developed and tested, but little known, radar navigation system of Russell Technologies Inc. Russell’s previously developed radar positioning system was mainly based on the approaches outlined in U.S. Patent 4,533,918 and U.S. Patent 4,990,918. In this project, we propose the use of Kalman filter to increase the estimation accuracy of the radar positioning system and employ kernel Principal Component Analysis to identify significant geographic information. The developed technologies will be important new components of the company’s new product, Precise Radar Positioning System of Russell Technologies Inc.

L’inclusion en emploi des personnes en situation de handicap invisible:une recherche-intervention

Au Québec, les personnes en situation de handicap invisible (PSHI) sont fortement sous-représentées dans les milieux de travail. Pourtant, les recherches confirment qu’elles pourraient offrir une solution novatrice au plein-emploi en plus de démontrer l’importance du travail comme vecteur d’intégration sociale pour ces personnes.

Afin d’aborder cette problématique, plusieurs stratégies visant à inclure ces personnes ont été mises en place. Cependant, les chercheurs et les acteurs oeuvrant dans le domaine de l’employabilité des PSHI remarquent que ces stratégies interpellent majoritairement le soutien individuel de la PSHI et proposent donc, en plus des stratégies existantes, de responsabiliser et de soutenir les organisations de travail.

C’est dans le cadre d’une recherche-intervention, c’est-à-dire, une recherche qui générera à la fois des solutions pratiques et théoriques, que le chercheur-intervenant s’associe à deux organismes partenaires dans le but de : favoriser l’inclusion en emploi des PSHI en proposant des stratégies d’inclusion qui visent la responsabilisation et le soutien à l’employeur et qui intègrent le vécu et le savoir des acteurs oeuvrant dans le domaine de l’inclusion en emploi des PSHI au Québec.

Comparer les engagements extrêmes (Belgique – Québec) : écologie radicale et mouvement pro-vie

Ce projet de thèse doctorale, en cotutelle entre l’Université Libre de Bruxelles (sous la direction de Carla Nagels, Département de criminologie) et l’Université de Montréal (sous la direction de Valérie Amiraux, Département de sociologie), propose une analyse comparée des modalités d’entrée dans des mouvements extrêmes de nature diverses, à partir d’un terrain auprès de collectifs d’écologie radicale et de pro-vie. En prenant distance avec l’approche de la radicalisation pensée à partir de sa trame religieuse, nous proposons de faire de « la radicalisation » un outil d’analyse des engagements extrêmes quel que soit la cause qu’ils
embrassent, en contrastant les situations de deux contextes nationaux que différents aspects politiques et institutionnels rapprochent (fédéralisme, bilinguisme).

Marine Oil Spill Tacklers

A swarm of robots should be available on the board of a vessel or oil rig so they will be deployed when spill occurs. Based on our existing know-how knowledge and technology, the swarm of robots automatically detect the boundary of the oil, then they deploy inflatable booms to contain the oil. After they successfully contain the spill by detecting whether or not the booms achieve a close loop, the swarm continues to expand its searching area until it could not find any new spill.

Développement d’un véhicule autonome de descente guidée pour unenacelle stratosphérique

Lux est une entreprise de robotique spatiale spécialisée dans la conception, la fabrication et l’exploitation de satellites atmosphériques pour l’observation de la Terre. Les satellites atmosphériques de Lux sont constitués de ballons de haute altitude équipés d’une nacelle stratosphérique de matériel qui supporte un large éventail d’instruments scientifiques comme par exemple du matériel de télédétection. Le présent projet Mitacs se concentre sur la phase de récupération qui implique une descente et un atterrissage contrôlés afin de retrouver la nacelle et les données acquises. Le principal objectif de recherche sera axé sur la conception et le développement d’un véhicule autonome de descente guidée qui permettra de mieux contrôler la descente et l’atterrissage de la nacelle, et ce malgré les conditions atmosphériques. Il est alors possible d’assurer une récupération et une réutilisation sûres de la nacelle, et de privilégier une aire d’atterrissage en toute sécurité loin des centres habités et sur un terrain favorable.

Evaluation de l’impact de l’innovation technologique sur la productivité et la durabilité en construction

Le projet de recherche cherche à comprendre l’impact de l’innovation technologique sur la productivité et la durabilité en chantier. L’objectif principal du projet de recherche est donc d’investiguer et de documenter les différentes catégories d’innovation technologiques, notamment la construction industrialisée, dans une optique d’accroissement de la productivité et de la durabilité et d’encouragement de l’innovation au sein de l’industrie de la construction.
Le projet est divisé en deux volets :
– Le développement d’une cadre de référence portant sur les innovations technologiques en construction et un sondage investiguant le taux d’adoption de celles-ci au Québec
– Une investigation approfondie de la construction industrialisée et de son impact sur la productivité en chantier.
Les bénéfices escomptés du projet sont de développer des connaissances afin d’éduquer et formuler des pistes d’accompagnement en matière d’innovation technologique pour l’industrie. De plus, le projet jette les bases d’une étude plus large sur l’impact de l’innovation technologique en construction sur la productivité au Canada, notamment en offrant une mise à jour des connaissances sur l’impact de l’innovation technologique sur la productivité en construction, offrir des données empiriques sur celle-ci et d’informer les politiques en matière d’innovation technologique en construction au Canada.

3D Modelling and geophysical data integration: application to SudburyStructure, Ontario, Canada

3D geological models attempt to integrate all sources of geological and geophys ical data into a single

comprehensive model whose purpose is to help identify future poss ible mineral exploration targets. These

models are normally built based on sparse surface outcrops, a few boreholes and sometimes airborne

geophysical surveys to fill the gap. However, often the resulting geophysical models appear inadequate

because of a lack of phys ical property measurements, problems in contact definition and source depth

estimat ion caused by the interference of signals from overlapping sources, non-vertical geological contacts,

and the inherent non-uniqueness of unconstrained geophysical models. A combination of algorithms

involving edge mapping and strike and dip determination of geological contacts by means of using both

geophysical and topographic data represents a first step toward the construction of a set of constraints that

can be utilized for the actual 3D geologica l model. However all these algorithms and models need to be

tested on areas where we…TOBECONT’D…

Wind Powered Heat Generator

Imagine a freezingly cold winter day with the strong wind blowing outside your house somewhere in Newfoundland, and you are comfortably sitting in your room with heating and warm water – even during a power outage! This could be realized with a novel device that directly converts the wind energy to heat. This project aims to develop such a technology. The kinetic energy from the rotational motion of a small wind turbine is converted to thermal energy through fluid agitation and friction in a unique heat generator with specially designed rotating blades, baffles, and working fluid.

Saltmarsh and dykelands in Atlantic Canada: implications of biological and socio-economic change for conservation

Saltmarshes and coastal wetlands in Atlantic Canada are some of the habitats that have experienced the greatest decline in area over the past 400 years. Various organizations have monitored habitat change and bird use of these sites for decades, but no one has undertaken a comprehensive examination of changes in habitats or avian abundance, potential factors that influence those (including government policies), and the perspectives of local stakeholders on the successes and failures of conservation efforts in these region. This project seeks to remedy that through a collaborative examination of 40+ years of scientific data, as well as interviews with stakeholders and local landowners. The results will help direct future, multi-stakeholder land use activities and long-term planning for coastal wetlands in Atlantic Canada.

Porous polymeric extraction devices for fast, convenient, and portable monitoring of organic contaminants in marine environments

Organic contaminants enter the marine environment through atmospheric transport, runoff into waterways, or directed disposal into the ocean. They are prone to long-range, bioaccumulation and can have adverse effects on human health and the environment. In this project, a simple and convenient extraction device developed for analysis of organic pollutants will be examined for various types of environmental monitoring such as active and passive sampling. Our proof-of-concept studies have shown the that these devices provide simple, high throughput, reliable and green analyses. However, there is a need to validate the devices for on-site purposes, which will be performed during this project.

Development of innovative approaches for the extraction and recovery of resources from gold-bearing materials

This project would address basic unanswered questions about how the application of environmentally benign process (i.e., biohydrometallurgy) on mine ores and tailings can leach and extract base and, precious that are essential for today’s “smarter” technologies. Bioprocessing methods for bio-extraction and bio-recovery of elements offer a new potential sustainable alternative compared to chemical conventional approaches. Rather than biohydrometallurgy, the proposed research program will also develop an economic process capable of recovering valuable metals directly from ores without the need for reprocessing. Therefore, this project will increase the flow-on benefit to the Quebec and Canada economy in a circular way. The results of this research will offer better management practices for tailing and reduced risks of environmental impacts and liabilities. Among HQP, 2 Ph.D.s and 1PDFs will be trained throughout the proposed research program. Such scientific and technological advances would significantly help for successful reclaiming mine tailings to address high-risk elements or effluents thereby reducing the overall volume of these waste in the long term.