Innovative Projects Realized

Les meilleures pratiques d’accompagnement entrepreneurial entre un incubateur et des start-up

Les start-up sont des entreprises émergentes qui contribuent positivement au développement socio-économique de la société. Les entrepreneurs à la tête de ces entreprises cherchent souvent un accompagnement entrepreneurial offert par des organismes nommés incubateurs. Des différences de perceptions entre ces deux parties freinent la mise en place d’une relation collaborative à long terme. Cette recherche vise à comprendre ces différentes perceptions et permettre leur arrimage afin que l’accompagnement offert soit mieux ciblé et permette la collaboration à long terme. Les résultats de cette recherche permettront aux incubateurs de mieux accompagner les start-up, rendant ces dernières plus compétitives sur les marchés et créant ainsi des emplois localement.

Intelligent control of space cameras

The intelligent control of space cameras project is concerned with development of the next generation of space cameras. Currently, there is a large gap between the onboard capabilities of standard commercial cameras and those currently in space (examples include image resolution, onboard storage, advanced scene understanding and exposure control). Closing this gap for space camera systems will provide higher quality images in general and allow the cameras to operate under a wider range of conditions and correspondingly improve their utility for a variety of different scenarios (from applications in space servicing, rover navigation all the way to direct interpretation of images for scientific agendas). The specific objective of this research project is to characterize and prototype technologies that currently are in use in commercial cameras that might be incorporated into next generation of space cameras.

Sensor Development and System Intelligence for Smart Hive and Apiary Management

Honeybees play a significant role in the Canadian economy for pollinating crops and producing honey. One third of our food comes from the crops and vegetables benefiting by pollination from bees. Around the world, honeybees are facing significant challenges, and this has led to increased costs of production for food products. This research project will develop technologies for the monitoring and management of apiaries. Smart Frames are a main focus, and will enable the monitoring of hive conditions at specific locations within hive boxes, and will offer to control temperature locally on each frame. Local thermal control will be explored to supplement regulation of hive temperature, and as a method of varroa mite control. An intelligent software platform will be developed that will incorporate and analyze hive sensor data. These technologies represent a strategic technology effort for both of our industry partners Function Four and Durston Honey Farms, who will collaborate closely on the technology development and its application in a commercial apiary.

Predictive Analytics for Charitable giving

Machine learning in the charitable sector is only beginning to be used successfully. Fundmetric Inc has applied various machine learning algorithms to predict donor behaviour, such as who will become a major ($10,000+) donor and which lapsed donors will return if stewarded correctly. There is ample opportunity for research in this domain, including building a super model across various charities, investigating feature synthesis and importance, applying deep learning to make use of the rich temporal data concerning donations, and learning to sequence email appeals. We plan to investigate the application and creation of various machine learning techniques to these and other pressing charitable issues in order to both help the charitable sector be more effective in raising funds and help advance the field of machine learning.

Connections Design in New Double Wythe Insulated Wall Panel Containing Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC)

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) double wythe panels are commonly used in building envelopes, however, the connections between panels have not been investigated properly. Several design connections will be designed and tested in association with the industrial partner to determine the feasibility of the designs. The project will investigate the structural behaviour and strength of different connections through experimental means. The connections of UHPC double wythe panels will be tested under various conditions to gather data in order to establish the efficiency of the panel connections. A parametric and analytical study will also be conducted to aid in producing design equations. This project will aid the industrial partner to promote the use of UHPC double wythe panels in the precast industry and establish a completed design guideline to benefit the construction sector.

Development of Fiber-based Entangled Photon Pairs Sources

Quantum entanglement is a fundamental resource in quantum applications. Optical fiber lays the foundations of infrastructure in metropolitan telecommunication system nowadays. The union of these two might lead to the next generation of practical quantum technology. Periodically poled silica fiber (PPSF) has been demonstrated to be ideal candidate as a source of polarization entangled photon pairs. A PPSF-based entangled photon pairs source is highly robust, compact, and compatible with the existing fiber network, thus it is crucial to the implementation practical quantum communication, sensing and computing. This project aims at further development on the PPSF-based entangled photon sources. By combining the knowledge of making PPSF from University of Southampton and the quantum specialty from University of Toronto, I plan to investigate the fabrication of PPSF that is able to generate ultrabroadband entangled photons and apply it to practical fiber quantum sensing and quantum communication. This project will contribute to the construction of quantum network in Canada.

Evaluation of Pneumatic Massage in Automotive Seating

This study aims to validate whether a new pneumatic massage system has a physical benefit to drivers. Using two seating conditions (massage and no massage), this study will examine the effects during a one-hour simulated seating task for each condition on separate days. The researchers will measure participant discomfort, low back muscle blood flow/oxygenation, heart rate, and blood pressure. Data for these measures will be collected and analyzed in order to determine if a relationship exists between seating condition and any other variable. An exit survey will be administered after the second trial to record the participant’s preferred seat condition. The massage system is being manufactured by the partner organization with an automotive industry partner. This evaluation of the massage system will provide the partner organization with information that will allow them to satisfy customer demands.

Hybrid and multi-device quantum machine learning models

Over the past 2-3 years, commercial quantum computing hardware has begun to come online. While emerging quantum processing devices (QPUs) are still small and noisy compared to ideal quantum hardware, they are nevertheless expected to demonstrate quantum supremacy soon. During the same period, quantum machine learning (QML) has emerged as a rapidly expanding research field, perceived as one of the most promising algorithmic paradigms for near-term quantum computers. In this project, the candidate will leverage their skills in machine learning to carry out research in QML. Specifically, the candidate will use PennyLane software to explore and understand a variety of hybrid and multi-QPU machine learning models, including generative adversarial networks, autoencoders, and parallelized models. It is important for Xanadu to identify as many use-cases for QML as can be found, and to demonstrate these with our software PennyLane.

Collision-free Farm Field Coverage Path Planning using Autonomous DOT Vehicles

The objective is to: (1) develop full-coverage path plans for an autonomous DOT vehicle, designed and developed by Dot Technologies Corp., operating in a farm field, and (2) avoid collision with other agricultural machines operating in the same field, e.g., a combine, via model-based motion tracking using on board camera vision.
A software suite, with a user-friendly GUI, will be developed, where the user can upload a satellite image of a farm filed, and also the type of agricultural implement to be used. The software will provide an optimal path that can be uploaded to the control unit of a DOT vehicle. The optimal path found via simulation would produce a path that has the best coverage, minimum number of turns, and straight-line motions that can be implemented via GPS feedback.
Furthermore, the proposed model-based motion tracking algorithm, when implemented on the DOT vehicle, can detect other vehicles, estimate their direction of motion and speed, and provide action plans to avoid collision for safe navigation.
This will pave the way towards an improved yield via safe and precise navigation of the DOT vehicles in a farm field.

Implementing biological control of introduced Phragmites australis in Ontario

Introduced Phragmites australis (common reed) is considered one of the most invasive plants in North America. European genotypes spread widely and can form dense stands with undesirable ecological impacts. Conventional management approaches have proved largely ineffective, leaving classical biocontrol (i.e., introducing herbivores of the plant from its native range) as the most promising alternative. The goal of this project is to partner with Ducks Unlimited Canada to survey 23 locations around Ontario as candidates for the release of the moths Lenisa (Archanara) geminipuncta and Archanara neurica to manage populations of introduced P. australis. Field surveys will document populations of P. australis and collect habitat data to help determine which sites should be used for initial biocontrol releases. Ducks Unlimited Canada will receive up-to-date data about this invasive plant on their properties and will get to participate in the first Canadian biocontrol program for P. australis.

Understanding factors limiting Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) abundance in the foothills of Alberta

Bull Trout (Salvenlinus confluentus) is a large fish species in the Salmonidae family, that is undergoing dramatic declines. This study will focus on stream reaches with critical Bull Trout habitat features in the foothills in Alberta, Canada. The objectives of this study are to: 1) determine temporal trends in Bull Trout abundance, and 2) assess competition between Bull Trout and invasive salmonids (e.g. Brown Trout, Brook Trout) and potential hybrids. Data will be collected and analyzed, comparing Bull Trout habitat and adult presence in 6 watercourses having different stressors (e.g. land use impacts and invasive species) for each watershed. The results of this study will help understand factors limiting Bull Trout in the foothills of Alberta and to develop appropriate management and recovery actions.

Intercultural Education Professional Development in teacher education programs and in-service programs

Objectives:

•The objective this study is to explore the perspectives of in-service instructor’s and teacher educator perspectives of intercultural education. A secondary objective is to understand the intercultural professional development of in-service teachers in the Faculty of Education at Nelson Mandela University and to examine teacher education programs and their practices related to intercultural education.

The expected outcomes of the study are:

• To gain an understanding of current practices of initial and in-service professional development for post-secondary teachers in the Faculty of Education at Nelson Mandela University and if intercultural education is a regular practice.

• To gain an understanding of in-service instructors perspectives of intercultural education

• To gain an understanding of teacher educators perspectives of intercultural education

• To provide recommendations and implications on the intercultural training of teachers in both initial teacher education and in-service training based on the findings.