Innovative Projects Realized

Intelligent Chatbot Development for the Tourism Industry

This research helps to automate ontology development in order to support semi-supervised and active learning chatbot as much as possible, so that the overhead of chatbot training that requires human supervision is minimized, while relevant knowledge management activities become more efficient. The research objectives are both to refine the quality of the chatbot interactions and to automate its development and training as much as possible, to implement and test its practical and cost saving capabilities in tourism industry.

Machine Learning for Breath-Based Cancer Diagnosis

Non-invasive breath analysis has substantial potential for monitoring of a wide range of medical conditions and observation of overall health status. Breath testing is easy and painless; it can be done quickly and inexpensively, and can be repeated as often as needed, making it an attractive approach for screening or clinical diagnosis. In this work, we aim to leverage machine-learning principles to improve and validate the performance of a novel breath-based cancer screening tool.

Closing Skill Gaps in Under- and Unemployed Youth

Learning, an online learning platform, to underemployed or unemployed youth. Building on the work of a pilot project by CivicAction, the intern will plan and implement a randomized controlled trial to test factors driving uptake of online learning and its effects on employment outcomes. The intern and CivicAction will engage with Toronto-area employment services providers to provide various treatment intensities. Treatment groups range from a simple offering of a license to weekly reminders and curated playlists to encourage uptake or hands-on help in setting up online learning modules. Based on their pilot study, online learning has great potential to improve youth unemployment. This project will provide CivicAction with a rigorous evaluation of their online learning initiative. This evidence will inform future projects and support project expansion to larger populations.

Liability-driven investment strategy and portfolio immunization: a dynamicalapproach.

Since the recent financial meltdown and because of the current economic instability, many fund

managers tend to shift their total-return-oriented investment approach toward a liability-driven

investment (‘LOI’) strategy. The main objective of such a strategy is to find investment portfolios that

will match or outperform a liability stream (pensions, insurance claims, etc.). In a previous MITACS

project in collaboration with Addenda Capital, we investigated two basic liability matching strategies:

cashflow matching and moment matching. These strategies are now in use within funds managed by

Addenda Capital. The main objective of the present project is to further enhance the two methods.

The two LOI strategies are implemented by optimal selection of a portfolio of bonds (among a large

universe of liquid bonds) that will best match the cashflows or the moments of the liability stream. With

the passage of time the selected portfolio may no longer be optimal and may therefore require rebalancing.

We propose to implement multi-stage algorithms where the…..TOBECONTINUED

An Integrated model of Geomechanics and a Multiporosity Reservoir Simulator to Investigate Improved Recovery Techniques in Shale Reservoirs-Part 2

Shale reservoirs have become a very important source of hydrocarbons, especially in North America. Shales are rocks with very low permeability and therefore, produce the hydrocarbons stored in them is difficult. In order to do it, oil companies have to inject high pressurized fluids to break the rock. But, by using this unique strategy, most hydrocarbons are being left in the subsurface. This work aims to use mathematical and numerical models to investigate different methods that can lead to recover a bigger portion of the hydrocarbons stored in shale reservoirs. In this study, the application of the developed models will be focused on a particular shale reservoir, but the methodology can be applied to other fields in Canada

Need Definition and Need Mapping Methods for Innovation Projects

User needs analysis is a major concern in innovation projects and needs analysis methods differ in level of details, information overview, structure, interrelations, transparency, and ease of use. Depending on the project, the involved stakeholders, the required level of details, and time constraints, it is not clear which method should be used and why. The aim of this project is finding the best mapping method(s) and test them with the stakeholders. This project involves three phases. First, investigate current and future innovation projects in the organization to have an overview; prioritize and select three of them with different scopes. Second, investigate the work processes and human tasks; elicit the user needs and requirements to satisfy; select and use different methods to represent the needs. Third, test and compare different need mapping methods, or design a new one, by using them with different stakeholders to show their outcomes, strengths and limitations.

Pore Pressure Prediction, Hydraulic Fracture Propagation and Huff-and-Puff Gas Injection in Multiple-Porosity Shale Reservoirs

Shale reservoirs store gigantic volumes of petroleum (oil and gas). However, because of the complex nature of the reservoir rock, it is difficult to recover the oil and/or gas stored in shales. Under normal conditions, it is possible to extract only as much as 10% of the resources in place, thus leaving behind a huge potential that promises to satisfy the energy needs of Canada for several decades. The proposed research project aims to provide a scientific methodology whose practical application will allow increasing the recoveries from shales, i.e., getting more oil and/or gas out of the reservoir. The project is therefore aligned with the interest of Canada for boosting its shale industry.

Light Weighting Structural Injection Molded Parts for the Automotive Industry

Light weighting in the automotive industry is ever becoming important. The overall objective of this research project with Axiom Group Inc. is to develop an innovative, cost-effective and industry-scale technology that can produce lightweight automotive products with good impact strengths. The project is aiming to achieve the cellular morphology to maximize weight reduction (20-30%) without sacrificing (or even while enhancing) impact properties of the product. This high-performance and more environmentally-friendly automotive product will be developed with zero ozone depletion potential blowing agents to further improve the sustainability of our environment. Various parameters such as material choices, filler/fiber contents, mold designs, processing conditions and others will be investigated in detail. The outcome of this project will offer Axiom a solution to produce lightweight structural injection molded automotive parts in its product lineup in response to the global trend.

Action research on youth physical literacy

Physical literacy means developing the foundational skills and the confidence required to participate in regular physical activity, play a sport or get to the podium. Research shows that physical activity levels start to decline as children enter into adolescence. Recreation organizations, such as YMCA Calgary are interested in finding out how their programs help support youth to stay active. Through action research, a unique strategy where researchers and practitioners work together on a particular project, this project aims to investigate the coaching and instructional approaches used in youth programs that focus on helping youth stay active taking place at YMCA Calgary. A PhD student from Brock University will work alongside the staff at YMCA Calgary, as well as youth in the community to determine what works well and learn about what changes they could make to help youth develop confidence, motivation and the skills to lead a healthy, active lifestyle.

Bacteriophage Endolysin Proteins Development

In response to the antimicrobial resistance crisis, several nations (including Canada, U.S., and Europe) have drastically limited the use of medically important antibiotics for livestock production. As a result, alternative methods must be explored for disease prevention and treatment in animals from bacterial infections. The intern will explore the effects of using toxic proteins that destroy bacteria derived from viruses that only infect and kill bacteria as a plausible alternative. The benefit of this research to Cytophage Technologies Inc. is the development of a procedure that can be used to test the ‘kill activity’ of future proteins against the growth of bacteria. In addition, if a protein is found that is of high interest (kills different types of bacteria), it can potentially be used to help fight off bacterial infections in livestock anima

Efficacy Assessment and Improvement of an Allergen Dispersion System in an Exposure Room

Red Maple Trials (Ottawa, ON) created a new facility where patients can be exposed to airborne allergens. In this facility, the patient’s symptoms (with or without medication intervention) can be monitored in a controlled manner. In the current project, airborne allergen (pollen and dust mites) concentration and size distribution will be monitored in time. It is expected that more homogeneous allergen concentration and spatial distribution in this exposure room will allow better competitiveness for the company to attract pharmaceutical companies. Nevertheless, allergy research regarding the approval of new medication (with better efficacy) can impact a significant portion of allergic patients in Canada and abroad.

Development of a supervised and transparent prediction model for predicting bond credit rating migrations in real-time for short to moderate time frame

The purpose of this research is to develop a supervised prediction model that will be used to predict whether a bond credit rating will migrate down to a lower credit rating in a short to moderate time frame. The problem will consist of the development and optimization of a bond credit-rating migration prediction model; the development of a framework that gives the model transparency and explain-ability lending weight to the credibility of the results; and the integration of the credit migration prediction into a portfolio allocation optimization for bond portfolios.

The model will provide insight into the short-term creditworthiness of corporate bonds that will be used to develop a platform for which the probability of credit rating migration will be available to a broad network of financial professionals in real-time. This can play a significant role in reducing the losses due to an un-expected bond credit rating downgrade.