Innovative Projects Realized

Retrofit of Switcher Locomotive: Clean Energy Hydrogen Fuel Cell/ Battery Hybrid (Hydrail) with Innovative High Density H2 Storage

The H2M project, with the assistance of University of British Columbia Okanagan, will demonstrate a scaled down fuel cell powered rail locomotive (Hydrail) (250 horse power) and solid-state hydrogen storage retrofit solution on a Southern Railway of BC (SRY) diesel-electric switching locomotive. If the scaled down trial is successful, the project will proceed to scale up to a full powered locomotive (700 horse power). The project is expected to be complete by March 2022. H2M’s application includes local partners: University of British Columbia Okanagan and Southern Railway of BC. Research problem to be addressed: To reduce cost of H2 storage and dispensing, thereby increasing locomotive range and improving economics for NA fleet conversion. At $1 to 2 million/conversion, across all 24,000 locomotives, this approaches a $50 Billion commercialization potential for BC industry.

Shot peening for fatigue life improvement and forming of aerospace structures

Shot peening is a cold working process widely used to improve the fatigue life of

metal components in the aerospace industry and to produce thin components with complex shapes such

as wing skins. This process is accomplished by bombarding the surface of a metallic component with

shots at a high velocity that induce a layer of plastic deformation near the surface. This plastic

deformation leads to a residual compressive stress field in the peened surface that reduces the

likelihood of premature failure under cyclic loading conditions and therefore improves the fatigue life of

the peened component. Peen forming is a special application of shot peening, during which, the

combination plastic deformation and compressive stress generation causes the material to develop a

compound, convex curvature on the peened side. Shot peen forming is often more effective in

developing curvatures than rolling, stretching or twisting of metal. Because it is a dieless process, shot

peen forming reduces material allowance from trimming and…..TOBECONTINUED

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Cultural memory and diversity in Canadian film festival programming

“Cultural memory and diversity in Canadian film festival programming” will work with the Kingston Canadian Film Festival and the Vulnerable Media Lab at Queen’s University to research best practices related to film and video preservation, media digitization, and public programming. Specifically, interns will investigate the role of historic films made by diverse Canadians – including women, Indigenous and Métis, Inuit, and LGBT2Q+ people – within national film festivals, considering the social roles that these films and their screening cultures play. Through researching, archiving, and digitizing a selection of films made by marginalized Canadians, interns will work with the Kingston Canadian Film Festival to diversify their screenings and preserve their own archive.

Innovation indicators framework for technology-based companies

The project consists on the construction of a system of innovation management indicators (framework) for managing innovation in technology-based companies. For this, studies will be carried out together with companies, since the lack of harmony between the theoretical frameworks and companies’ needs is a highlighted problem. There will be three main activities in the research scholarship: (a) refinement of the literature review, applying topic modeling tools developed by professor Stoyan Tanev to structure the insights from literature; (b) field research, understanding Ottawa’s innovation ecosystem and being in contact with companies; and, (c) framework applicability check, based on the state of the art and state of the practice.

Security Analysis of the Rainbow-eta Signature Scheme

Digital signatures are used as electronic alternatives to handwritten signatures, and are built upon mathematical problems. Such problems are computationally unfeasible to solve with classical computers, and give the security basis for signature schemes. With the possible advent of quantum computers, conventional signatures created by currently used schemes cannot be considered secure. Thus, the need for quantum-safe digital signature schemes arises. We focus on Rainbow, which is based on multivariate quadratic equations. Some problems connected to such equations are not known to be solved more efficiently with quantum computers. It generates and verifies signatures very efficiently, but the key generation step is slow and produces large keys. We have proposed a variant of the scheme, called Rainbow-eta, which employs a novel method to reduce private keys. We expect to provide a detailed security analysis of the scheme, as well as a constant-time reference implementation, which does not leak information through physical means.

Towards creating intelligent heat stress monitoring and management solutions to safeguard health and wellness

The scientific challenge for this research project is to advance our understanding of the impacts of heat stress in heat vulnerable workers and to use this information towards the creation of intelligent heat stress monitoring and management solutions to safeguard health and wellness. Currently, our understanding of the effects of heat exposure on vulnerable individuals remains incomplete, limiting our ability to implement protective measures to optimize performance/safety during work in hot environments. Our work employing the world’s only air calorimeter (device to measure precisely whole-body heat loss) shows that government-recommended heat exposure guidelines fail to protect workers, especially older adults, against dangerous increases in core temperature during work in the heat. This is because they do not consider factors like age, chronic disease and others that can affect heat dissipation. Moreover, they do not account for factors that modify a person’s day-to-day tolerance to heat (exposure time, hydration, others). Thus, this project aims to develop thresholds for ‘high-risk’ work conditions based on ambient temperature, work intensity and duration, and biometric data which will be integrated into a first-generation ‘heat’ app and lead to the creation of a physiological monitoring system for the assessment of heat strain in heat vulnerable workers.

Développer un modèle d’apprentissage automatique pour déterminer des stratégies de transactions virtuelles dans le marché énergétique de MISO « Midcontinent Independent System Operator »

Les transactions faites sur les marchés de l’énergie permettent aux opérateurs de systèmes d’assurer la satisfaction de la demande énergétique à un prix compétitif. Les négociants du parquet des transactions énergétiques doivent prendre positions sur le marché et soumettre des transactions de vente ou d’achat qui seront profitables pour le parquet. Afin de prendre ces positions, les négociants et analystes doivent prendre en considération un très grand nombre de variables (la demande de l’énergie, la production de l’énergie, les conditions météorologiques, entre autres). L’objectif de ce projet est d’utiliser des techniques d’apprentissage automatique pour prévoir le prix local de l’énergie dans le marché du Mid-Ouest nord-américain.

Automatisation de la classification par magnétométrie quantique de failles en présence d’erreurs de mesure

De nombreuses structures sont enfouies sous terre dont les conduites de transport de liquide dangereux tel que le pétrole. Lorsqu’une alerte est donnée pour indiquer qu’il y a possiblement une faille dans une zone de la conduite, identifier l’emplacement de la faille nécessite soit de déterrer la conduite, soit l’utilisation de magnétomètre (détecteur de champ magnétique). La première option est très couteuse en temps et main d’œuvre et la deuxième utilise des magnétomètres classiques insuffisamment précis. À l’aide de magnétomètres quantiques à base de diamant, l’objectif de ce projet est de développer un algorithme d’apprentissage automatique de détection de la présence, la forme et l’emplacement de failles de structures métalliques enfouies. Par la suite, le système pourra être installé sur un véhicule afin de balayer de grandes zones de façon autonome.

Toward an understanding of how YB-1 regulates drug resistance in glioblastoma multiforme through epigenetic regulation governed by BMI-1.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive form of brain cancers and is the second most common cancer in children only behind leukemia. Conventional therapy consists primarily of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, and while these approaches have slightly improved the length of patient survival, there remains no cure for this disease. With the emerging understanding of biology in the process of cancer development, identification of therapeutic targets are being elucidated that will allow more targeted and effective treatment of the disease. This approach is especially important in pediatric brain cancer where conventional therapies may result in damage to the brain causing long-term neurocognitive deficits. We have identified one such target, a protein called the Y-box binding protein (YB-1) that is expressed in adult and pediatric GBM. In those cancer cells it promotes tumor cell growth and also drug resistance making it an….TOBECONTINUED

Drone hélicoptère de surveillance maritime

Le projet, affilié au projet CRIAQ UAS MaSu mobilise deux PME canadiennes appuyées par deux universités spécialisées en génie, soit l’Université de Sherbrooke et l’École de technologie supérieure, afin de développer plusieurs concepts et technologies dans le domaine des drones maritime. Les partenaires feront la démonstration à la fin du projet d’un système sans pilote capable d’atterrir sur une plateforme en mouvement représentant le pont des navires. L’entreprise LAFLAMME AÉRO démontrera l’expertise et les technologies de la jeune entreprise en aérospatiale en proposant une version maritime de son hélicoptère développé dans le cadre du projet CARIC AUT-703 en y intégrant une motorisation à carburant lourd certifiée et plusieurs autres technologies nécessaires pour les opérations en haute mer. L’entreprise N.G.C. AÉROSPATIALE de Sherbrooke, qui se spécialise pour sa part en conception et en déploiement de logiciels intelligents pour systèmes spatiaux, aéronautiques et terrestres, mettra à profit son expertise et ses technologies en développant et intégrant un système d’autopilotage évolué et adapté aux hélicoptères tandems ainsi que son propre environnement de simulation hautefidélité.

Determination of Structural Behavior of UHPC piles

This Mitacs project will develop and determine the structural performance of a novel bridge construction method using precast girders and precast deck slabs made of ultra high-strength and durable concrete. Full-scale tests and computer simulations will be conducted to accomplish the goal of this project. The test data obtained from this study will be analysed to determine the performance and suitability of this beam girder for its use in large-span vehicular road bridges. Such bridge girders and decks, if found successful, will be used to build Canada’s first vehicular road bridge made of ultra high-strength concrete. This will certainly bring Canada into the elite club of building road bridges using high performance concrete. The work will be completed by one doctoral student and one master’s student under the guidance of Dr. S. Das at the University of Windsor and Mr. P. Loh at Facca Incorporated with the help of two experienced lab technicians.

Towards a Theory of Blockchain as a Socio-Informational-Technical System

Blockchains operate as perhaps the most promising system of trust for any type of digital transaction of value — everything from cryptocurrencies to patient medical records. But a number of barriers — involving social institutions, data and identity management and technological processes — stand in the way of broader adoption. These challenges also ultimately speak to fundamental issues of trust and perceived legitimacy on the part of both service providers and their end users. This project intends to advance the state of the art in all three areas to reduce if not eliminate the barriers to broader adoption. The partner organizations involved in this project are all working to integrate blockchain in their processes and expect to significantly advance their efforts through the fruits of this research.