Innovative Projects Realized

Assessment and Design Advancement of a Conjugate Anvil Hammer Mill

Since energy is the major concern in current and future mining operations, energy efficient technologies are a major focus for research and development. The CAHM machine was developed based on principals of energy efficient particle breakage by compression. The machine design was based on computer simulation and modeling results indicate the potential to reduce comminution energy requirements by 50% as compared to present technologies. CAHM simulations show that the technology can achieve high reduction ratios, consuming less specific power, which translates into energy efficient operation. However, to validate modeling results, experimental program that mimics CAHM particle breakage is needed. Outcomes of the planned research will lead to the development of a physical prototype of the CAHM as part of the future research

Formulation and clinical translation of a novel DOX-DelivraTM transdermal treatment for diabetic foot ulcers

This research project aims to develop a novel treatment for diabetic foot ulcers. Individuals with diabetes (3.4 million Canadians) exhibit impaired healing of acute wounds, and 15% (~510,000) are estimated to develop chronic non-healing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). DFUs precede 84% of all diabetes related lower leg amputations. Typical DFU treatment is excising devitalised tissue (debridement) and pressure relief (offloading) as a mean to postpone amputation. Novel therapies for DFUs are applied topically to the surface of wounds however clinical testing of such formulas has yielded limited effects on healing. In addition, these products are confined to the wound surface and may have a limited penetration into the skin. The antibiotic, doxycycline (DOX), can potentially promote wound healing in DFUS and Delivra Inc. has commercialized a novel transdermal delivery system, DelivraTM, which can introduce various drugs through the skin. We hypothesize that a DOX-DelivraTM formulation can generate a long-term stable drug product with pre-clinical and clinical efficacy.

Design and Implementation of a database driven website for IIBC Canada-based online Application

This project seeks to design and implement an online web-based application system for IIBC that will enable people to easily apply for Work permit, Study permit, Permanent Residence, etc. This will provide real-time access to data, making visa application easy for people from all countries to migrate to Canada. With this web application system in place, IIBC will reduce the time taken in handling the manual process, making their services effective and efficient, while generating extra revenue due to ease of processes for customers. This project will help the interns apply research skills gained in the area on provenance and semantic technology and will provide hands-on practical industrial skills to better position and shape them for real world complex challenges ahead.

Co-operatives in rural and remote communities in Canada’s North

Attracting and retaining employees in rural and remote areas is difficult due to the isolated nature of the communities. These communities, however, need places to shop for food, clothing and commercial goods and that is where local co-operatives come in. Local co-operatives are businesses that support their communities, but who is interested in working in these isolated communities? How can these businesses attract new employees? This project will look into what makes these co-operative businesses attractive to new employees and how can these businesses keep those employees they already have happy. We will examine how the board of directors can best support employees in their engagement with the business. Finally, as these communities are so remote the entire community plays a role in supporting these businesses, so we will look into how communities are engaged and supportive of their local co-operative business. The outcomes from this project will be video training tools that will help these co-operatives build-up their employees, their businesses and their communities.

Enhancing exercise capacity and performance in elite Wheelchair Rugby athletes by targeting stroke volume

This project aims to assess a number of novel exercise training techniques to improve exercise performance in elite Canadian Wheelchair Rugby athletes. The first training technique to be assessed is training in the heat, a condition that many Wheelchair Rugby players may have difficulty competing in, to lead to adaptations that will improve performance in the heat. The second is to train athletes using a combination of arm cycling and passive leg cycling to increase the hearts response to exercise and induce changes in heart structure & function and potentially exercise performance. Finally, we will examine how training respiratory muscles – which are weakened in many Wheelchair Rugby athletes – can benefit exercise performance among Team Canada athletes. Ultimately, the program aims to assist the Canadian National Wheelchair Rugby team achieve future Paralympic success.

L’économie sociale comme levier financier pour le communautaire

Les organismes communautaires sherbrookois sont actuellement dans une situation financière précaire due à un sous-financement chronique, ainsi qu’aux nombreuses coupures dans les services publiques et les programmes sociaux. Cette situation force le mouvement communautaire à chercher des solutions innovantes et durables pour continuer à répondre aux besoins de la population tout en évitant la fermeture. La Corporation de développement économique et communautaire (CDEC) de Sherbrooke, qui a comme mission de contribuer à l’amélioration des conditions de vie des personnes en soutenant des projets structurants qui intègrent les dimensions économiques et sociales, souhaite appuyer le mouvement communautaire sherbrookois en leur proposant d’intégrer à leurs organisations un volet d’économie sociale, qui leur permettra de soutenir financièrement leur mission. Le projet de recherche a comme principal objectif d’analyser les défis et les enjeux auxquels font face les organismes communautaires souhaitant intégrer une activité marchande

Video-Based Fall Detection for Construction Workers Safe

Fall accidents are one of the leading causes for serious work related fatalities and injuries in the construction industry. Every year, construction workers get injured due to falling off of overhead platforms, elevated work stations or into holes in floors and openings in walls. In order to alleviate this issue, several research studies have been proposed for fall detection; however, their practical values in construction projects are still limited. The objective of this research is to investigate the fall detection with vision techniques, as video cameras are becoming more common on construction sites. The research focuses on the detection feasibility under 1) a single monocular camera and 2) a distributed camera network. The results are expected to build a solid foundation to create a vision-based fall detection solution for construction safety engineers, which could help them timely detect and rescue injured workers when fall accidents happen.

Small scale high efficiency purification of compounds

We are developing a new generation of devices for continuous chemical and nano-particle purification, based on the interactions of analyte with multiple types of driving forces in an electro-fluid-dynamic system. The two-dimensional electrofluid-dynamic (2-D EFD) devices, in which both electric field and hydrodynamic pressure are simultaneously utilized in 2-D channel networks to drive the mass transfer, provide better control on the analyte molecules or nanoparticles by simply adjusting the magnitude of pressure. Mixed analytes can be separated based on this theory.
The success of this project will help the partner organization to accelerate their drug development and decrease their budget. Once matured, this device also has great potential to be a good platform to study drug-cell interactions.

Storytelling Medicine

Fear is considered a natural reaction when a child visits the hospital. Much research has been done to

understand what causes it and how to treat it. Current methods to treat child hospital fear works on

decreasing anxiety at specific points in the procedure.

This project will investigate creating a series of tools and procedures that uses storytelling to link all

steps in a childs procedure, all the while calming, distracting, and educating the child.

Development of lead-free solder alloys for electronic assembly

Recent environmental concerns and legislations over the use of lead are driving the microelectronics industry towards intensive search for lead free solder alloys in electronic packaging. Among many lead free solders, Sn-Cu-Ag system has been regarded as the most promising and attractive candidate alloy system for the conventional Sn-Pb solder alloys, owing to its wettability and mechanical properties. However, problems such as the formation of large brittle phases, high melting temperature, low reliability and high cost of silver prevent its wide practical application in microelectronic industry. Moreover, in order to comply with demands for finer pitch and minatory microelectronics, novel lead-free solders with better thermo-mechanical and metallurgical performances are required. The alloys that are developed in this project should address and resolve those issues.

Evapotranspiration and Bioretention Performance in Stormwater Management

Every time it rains, there is a portion of water that doesn’t get absorbed by plants and soils. That water is known as run-off, and it requires management since it can create high energy flows and pick up harmful chemicals (e.g. fertilizers, pesticides, gasoline, tire wear) off the streets, driveways, and other hard surfaces as it flows towards the natural water bodies. This project is focused on analyzing how much runoff can be absorbed by a plant-soil system called bioretention, and whether specially constructed planting beds can help manage both the volume and the quality of runoff. Bow River Basin Council is dedicated to protecting the waters of the Bow River Basin. Addressing the need to manage stormwater runoff in an ecologically-driven and sustainable way is therefore of great benefit to this organization.

Operation Strategies for Energy Storage Systems in a Wind Park

The Wind Energy Institute of Canada has installed a large-scale wind power and energy storage systems. The institute’s goal is to investigate the wind integration techniques and to increase understanding of the industry for energy storage systems. The objective of this project is to demonstrate and evaluate the capability of energy storage system for shifting wind energy over time and providing ancillary services. Multiple functions of energy storage systems can bring more value to them and justify their high capital costs. This project is in line with institute’s research objectives to show how energy storage systems can facilitate high wind power penetration into the electricity grid.