Innovative Projects Realized

Investigating the effect of a novel regularization technique for neural networks

Despite the fact that neural networks have been widely applied in practice, training such networks can suffer from slow convergence, poor local minima and some other difficulties such as catastrophic forgetting. Such shortcomings severely undermine the applicability and usefulness of neural networks. The objective of this project is to identify the reasons behind such difficulties in training and to investigate the effect of novel regularizations. We will analyze the strengths and shortcomings of existing algorithms and benchmark recently proposed regularizers for neural network training. The performance of these techniques will be evaluated for supervised tasks.

Securitized Tokens as a Service (STaaS)

This research study aims to investigate the potential and performance of a novel Securitized Tokens as a Service platform. Blockchain is the distributed ledger of verified transactions, and smart contract is the programmable part of the blockchain which can automate more complex transactions. We can define the tokens on top of the blockchain platform; and actually, these tokens can stand for anything in real business world which can be transferred. In addition, smart contract is used to define the required rules of the business market through the blockchain. Using our suggested platform, companies can define their own tokens and use them for variety of purposes. These tokens, for example, can be used as a utility tokens, or as a tool for share management, asset management, and fund raising.

A Device for the Effective Use of Composted Chicken Manure in Hydroponics Systems

Innovative agricultural methods may be able to provide affordable food and vegetables in Canada’s North. In support of this, Choice North Farms has partnered with PolarPonics to develop a ‘PoultryPonics’ facility that will reduce production costs by integrating chicken and hydroponic production with an automated composting system. To effectively do this, they will require optimal methodologies for composting chicken manure which will need a high-precision, high-frequency sampling device to measure the nutrient content of the manure solutions that are produced. Peter Tikasz at McGill University has performed preliminary work on composting manure and on the development of device composed of Ion Selective Electrodes (ISEs) to measure the quality of the manure solutions. Peter will continue this work in conjunction with northern agricultural partners which will lead to the development of a northern-tested prototype device that will have applicability for any horticultural operation that utilizes manure-based compost.

Developing Intelligent Approaches for Factories of the Future – An intelligent strategy for robotic part inspection in advanced manufacturing – Year two

This project explores incorporation of artificial intelligence tools for advanced control techniques in order to improve quality on industrial production lines. Particularly, the novelty of this project suggests the use of the recent embedded computer systems and icloud computer assistance. This strategy is currently used for commercial products (i.e., application related to communication). However, this project explores how to use AI and dynamic optimization tools by identifying both dynamic structure and parameters. The purpose of exploring such advance data analysis for industrial automation is meant to predict quality inspection based on high complex identification patterns during production. The complexity of advance product manufacturing impose important limitations for humans to process. Human inspection affected by both temporal processing and quality consistency impacts directly on safety and cost concerns. TO BE CONT’D

Developing Intelligent Approaches for Factories of the Future – An intelligent strategy for robotic part inspection in advanced manufacturing

Human inspection of high quality components in advanced manufacturing, automotive and aerospace applications is challenging, as detecting imperfections that are variable can result in inconsistent part quality decisions. These inspection tasks are very repetitive. Achieving zero incorrect part quality decisions that are required in high tolerance assembly, as well as in critical process operations becomes almost impossible for humans to perform. Currently, robotic systems are being used at various stages of producing parts, as well as in the final stages of manufacturing such as part removal, stacking and other finishing operations. This has resulted in improving overall efficiencies throughout the part production cycle. Robots are being used for quality inspections, and is in its embryonic stage. Robot operators perform time consuming repetitive setups and path planning of its motion to execute these inspections. This inspection procedure has to be repeated for different dimensional parts and quality metrics. TO BE CONT’D

BC Pulp and Paper Bioproducts Alliance: Upgrading black liquor lignin through fractionation and chemical modification

Lignin represents the largest reservoir of natural aromatic compounds available on earth. It is a potential substitute for a range of chemicals currently derived from petroleum, but product development and identification of market opportunities remain challenging. The objective of the research is to utilize industrial softwood kraft lignins from the black liquor of British Columbia mills, process them into uniform lignin streams with known performance specifications by fractionation and chemical modification. The outcome of the research will be to generate and characterize various grades of lignin, with different degrees of reactivity and size, offering tailored lignins to be marketed to different industrial sectors. Finally, a special emphasis will be given to identifying and leveraging any specific lignin properties that are unique to the BC resource and/or applicable to products of interest to BC industries (e.g. wood products, mining, food).

Conditionnement microbien du biogaz issu d’un LET pour sa valorisation en biométhanol

Le produit biosourcé final de ce projet est le bioMéthanol (100% biogénique) et, indirectement, sa filière de dérivés. La matière première utilisée est des déchets organiques humides, qui génère du biogaz. Actuellement, Valoris, qui a son LET situé à Bury, capture ce biogaz (175 SCFM actuellement, pouvant doubler par méthanisation additionnelle) et l’achemine vers une torchère sans récupération énergétique ni aucune autre forme de valorisation.
Afin de valoriser ce biogaz sous forme de bioMéthanol, ce projet vise à valoriser un consortium bactérien isolé par l’Université de Sherbrooke, pour produire du biogaz ultrapur, un mélange de CH4 et CO2. Pour ce faire, le bioprocédé développé permettra une élimination des impuretés présent dans ce biogaz (ie.H2S, les VOCs et les siloxanes). Ce bioprocédé valorisera également l’O2 généré par le procédé d’électrolyse qui servira à générer du H2. Ceci servira essentiellement à oxyder le H2S en sulphates. TO BE CONT’D

Improving fisheries management of southern BC Chinook and coho salmon by understanding recreational and First Nation participation in a voluntary coded wire tag (CWT) sampling and recovery program

Salmon populations in BC have declined substantially since the 1990’s. A US/Canada Coded Wire Tag (CWT) fishery monitoring program was implemented in the 1980s to help managers understand the status of salmon populations and to make informed management decisions. Currently, the submission rate of heads by the recreational and First Nations Food, Social, and Ceremonial (FSC) fisheries is too low to provide reliable information. One perceived gap is in science communication and outreach. We will work with stakeholders and fishers to improve science communication and outreach, and importantly, to better understand the fishing community. Using quantitative approaches to describe the fishing community will allow us to understand the motivation, values, and potential barriers to participation, thereby allowing targeted science communication and outreach to the intended audience. TO BE CONT’D

Can retaining wetlands in agro-ecosystems mitigate the effects of agricultural intensification on biodiversity?

Agricultural practises in the North American prairies have intensified in the last several decades to increase food production, resulting in the drainage of up to 70% of prairie wetlands in some areas. Not surprisingly agricultural intensification is associated with the loss of biodiversity. Our research aims to assess whether retaining wetlands in agro-ecosystems can mitigate the effects of agricultural intensification on biodiversity, by monitoring wetland-derived insects and the breeding success of birds that depend on wetland-derived insects as prey. Since wetlands in the prairies continue to be lost, research focusing on how wetland retention influences biodiversity in agro-ecosystems is essential for management strategies aimed at conserving biodiversity, while also maintaining agricultural productivity. Research identifying possible co-benefits to agricultural producers and conservation agencies of retaining wetlands could sustain profitability for producers through economic incentives and “green” marketing opportunities, and the provisioning of ecosystem services by wetlands to society.

Programme d’analyse des troupeaux de boucherie du Québec

La production de bovins de boucherie représente la quatrième production animale en importance au Québec avec un volume de plus de 710 000 animaux commercialisés annuellement amenant des revenus à la ferme de 1 milliard de dollars. Le programme d’analyse des troupeaux de boucherie du Québec a pour but de récolter des données de performance des animaux afin de fournir aux producteurs de l’information tangible sur leurs entreprises. Des données sont recueillies et de consolider les différentes bases de données et de faire des analyses afin de générer des informations quant aux tendances au niveau de la production, des ventes et des rendements. La stagiaire évoluera dans un contexte très appliqué et produira des données importantes pour la prise de décisions afin d’améliorer la productivité, l’efficacité et la rentabilité des troupeaux de bovins de boucherie du Québec.

Utilisation des lymphocytes B humains, pour l’activation de lymphocytes T in vitro, dans une perspective thérapeutique

L’immunothérapie est un traitement prometteur pour soigner le cancer et les infections virales. Ce traitement consiste à éduquer des cellules du système immunitaire, les lymphocytes T, pour qu’ils puissent éliminer les cellules problématiques du patient. Une des grandes difficultés est de fournir de l’aide spécialisée aux lymphocytes T pour faire leur travail. Cette aide vient de cellules qui montrent aux lymphocytes T comment combattre ces maladies. Ces cellules aidantes sont difficiles à obtenir en quantité suffisante pour préparer les lymphocytes T pour les patients.
Lors d’un don de plaquettes réalisé chez Héma-Québec, le produit sanguin est filtré pour enlever les globules blancs et le filtre est jeté. Ces filtres sont très riches en cellules et contiennent justement les cellules aidantes que nous recherchons. Notre projet propose la récupération des cellules contenues dans ces filtres pour éduquer des lymphocytes T et rendre l’immunothérapie disponible pour un plus grand nombre de patients.

Correlation of multiple antibiotic resistance with biofilm-formation ability and the role of RpoS on biofilm formation in environmental E. coli

Bacterial contamination of fresh waters is a concern for the Great Lakes region.

Contamination can be prevalent due to direct faecal deposits, as well as environmental

conditions, such as sand, serving as a reservoir. One of the major contributors to bacterial

persistence in the environment is the formation of multicellular biofilms. RpoS, a general

stress response sigma factor, likely has a positive function in biofilm formation, but RpoS in

environmental isolates is also subject to loss through mutation and selection. This project

aims to identify a putative correlation between multiple antibiotic resistance and biofilmformation

ability, as well as the effect of RpoS on biofilm in environmental E. coli strains.

Because the partner organization (Environment Canada) works on multiple antibiotic

resistance for microbial-source tracking and has previously collaborated with us on work

related to RpoS, this project is a natural extension of earlier work.