Innovative Projects Realized

Valorisation des données opérationnelles en transport collectif

Les sociétés de transport collectif font la collection en continu de données opérationnelles à l’aide de différents systèmes, dont ceux de paiement par cartes à puce, de comptage de passagers, de suivi de véhicules et d’opération des réseaux ferrés. Dans certains cas, ils gèrent également des systèmes de vélopartage et d’autopartage. Dans ce projet, nous proposons de développer des méthodes permettant de valoriser ces flux de données en attaquant cinq thématiques : les méthodes de fouilles de données visant la catégorisation des comportements des usagers composant la demande, les méthodes de fouille de données liées à la catégorisation de l’offre de transport (composantes du réseau), l’analyse des impacts de certains facteurs exogènes tels que les conditions météorologiques sur les catégorisations de l’offre et de la demande,TO BE CONT’D

Exploring Symbolic Techniques for Fast Robust Nonlinear Model Predictive Control of Autonomous Vehicles

The goal of this project is to design computationally-efficient solvers that can be used for autonomous vehicle control developments. Because autonomous cars have complex mathematical models, it is usually hard to perform their necessary control computations on-line and when the vehicle is running. Therefore, it is required to come up with much faster solvers for their controllers. At the end of this project, the developed control methods will be tested on an accurate simulation platform to evaluate their performance and robustness in realistic scenarios. The partner organization will add the developed method to their resources to improve its capabilities. Moreover, Intern will generate webinars and whitepapers that the organization partner will use for marketing purposes.

Phased array inspection of large size forged steel blocks

The objective of this project is to integrate ultrasonic imaging into nondestructive inspection process performed in industrial settings on large size steel blocks. Indeed, Fink Steel is specialised in manufacturing large size forged steel and need to warrant the quality of each part before shipping using ultrasounds. This imaging method based on the same principle as echography is commonly used for numerous industrial applications. However, the large dimensions involved in this project require new transducer design. Based on his previous material studies and simulations, the intern will validate his work by performing measurements on calibration blocks and actual blocks with the final designed phased array transducer. These results will be exploited in order to confirm the imaging probe capabilities and implement a defect database.

An advanced battery charger with a wide DC input voltage range for electric-bike applications

Thanks to the rapid development of solar power technology and the effort to use the renewable energy, charging e-bikes from a solar charging station installed in public areas will be a prospective scenario. Depending on the weather conditions and charging station specifications, a solar charging station usually provides a DC voltage within a range going from 12V to 72V.
Therefore, it is desirable to design a DC battery charger for e-bikes that is able to work with such a wide range of DC input supply voltage. In this project, an advanced battery charger, which is able to work under such a wide DC input voltage range, will be developed to charge 24V-battery-based electric-bikes (e-bikes) produced by our industrial partner, Alizeti Ubimobil Inc.. In addition, an optimal charging technique will be presented to optimize the charging current during charge, aiming to prolong the battery lifetime.TO BE CONT’D

Développement d’une méthodologie de repérage des besoins et du développement de prototypes en mode accéléré de l’internet des objets (IoT)

Développer une méthodologie de repérage des besoins de l’internet des objets pour les entreprises Québécoises afin qu’elles puissent se transformer au ‘’Manufacturing 4.0’’. Afin de vulgariser ce concept, une technique de repérage sera créée pour cibler les entreprises chez qui l’internet des objets sera le plus bénéfique. Par la suite, il s’agira de créer des prototypages rapides pour vulgariser et rendre accessibles les concepts afin de convaincre les entreprises québécoises d’aller de l’avant vers cette nouvelle technologie.

Production of 68Ga on High Current Cyclotron Solid Target

Gallium-68 (68Ga) is a radioactive isotope that undergoes a decay process that emits gamma rays suitable for an imaging technique called Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The 68Ga is attached to molecule which targets the isotope to specific types of cancer such as prostate and neuroendocrine. With a relatively short half-life, it means that half of the available activity decays every 68 minutes, which necessitates a method to make the isotope close to the PET scanner. Current methods for obtaining 68Ga rely on a device called a generator which is an expensive and inefficient way to obtain 68Ga. This project seeks to develop a method to make large amounts of 68Ga using a type of particle accelerator called a cyclotron. Our group has previously developed a solid target station to produce a different isotope, which will be adapted to produce 68Ga. TO BE CONT’D

Variation du microbiome des mésanges bleues Corses, en relation avec le microbiome de leurs proies (les chenilles tordeuses du chêne) et celui des feuilles de deux espèces de chênes dont elles se nourrissent

Les études récentes ont démontré que le microbiome d’un organisme (l’ensemble des organismes vivants dans ou sur cet hôte) influence beaucoup ce dernier. Les connaissances sur le microbiome des oiseaux en milieu naturel demeurent encore minces. Un suivi à long terme des mésanges bleues en Corse a permis de déceler des adaptations morphologiques, comportementales et démographiques entre des populations selon l’environnement dans lequel elles vivent : forêt de chêne aux feuilles persistantes ou caduques. Est-ce que le microbiome de l’espèce d’arbre dominante diffère entre ces environnements? Si oui, est-ce que cette différence se répercute jusqu’aux mésanges via leur principale proie: la chenille tordeuse du chêne? Est-ce que les individus d’une même famille ont des microbiomes plus similaires? Est-ce que le comportement des individus pourrait être corrélé à la composition de leur microbiome? Le projet sur lequel je travaillerai tentera de répondre à ces questions dans le but de mieux comprendre ce qui fait varier le microbiome de populations d’oiseaux.

Advanced Data Science Research for Social Good II

Municipal governments and urban centres across Canada are being inundated with data—data that have potential to improve public service. Despite this, local governments do not have enough data expertise to extract insight from these overwhelming datasets. Simultaneously, high-quality personnel (HQP) in the domains of data science and urban analytics lack opportunities to work closely with local government to address this gap. Thus, the “Data Science for Social Good” program at the University of British Columbia seeks to mentor and train HQP to solve data intensive, high-priority urban research projects identified by local government. These projects aim to adapt and advance existing data science tools to assess the quality of existing municipal data sets, inform the design of new datasets, and extract actionable insight on topics such as transportation, education, public safety, and economic development. TO BE CONT’D

Deep Networks for Perceptual Image Quality Assessment for IRYStec Perceptual Display Platform

As most imagery is ultimately displayed to humans via physical display panels under a variety of viewing conditions, it is important to evaluate the quality of perceived imagery in addition to the quality of digital imagery alone. Conventional Image Quality Assessment (IQA) methods typically do not consider the variety of viewing conditions and make generalized assumptions about the viewer. The currently proposed research thus intends to define a method to evaluate the quality of displayed imagery, while considering various viewing conditions and the characteristics of the viewer. IRYStec’s Perceptual Display Platform (PDP) software adapts the viewing experience of displayed imagery via image processing performed in accordance with the characteristics of the surrounding environment, the image content, and the viewer. IRYStec plans to use the developed solution to evaluate the quality of imagery produced by their image processing algorithms.

Une investigation empirique des mécanismes psychologiques sous-jacents à l’efficacité des récompenses monétaires et non-monétaires au travail

Dans l’optique de répondre à un besoin criant entre le monde de la recherche et la réalité sur le marché du travail (Conroy et a., 2015; Giancola, 20112), nous proposons d’investiguer les perceptions uniques et individuelles des employés afin de mieux comprendre l’effet de l’utilisation de récompenses monétaires et non-monétaires sur leur motivation et leur performance subséquente. De plus, pour la première fois dans la littérature documentée, nous testerons empiriquement un mécanisme psychologique, soit la satisfaction des besoins psychologiques d’autonomie et de compétence selon la théorie de l’auto-détermination, expliquant l’impact de ces récompenses sur la motivation et la performance des employés. Les résultats de notre recherche permettront non seulement d’établir les fondements pour réviser et améliorer les programmes de récompenses actuellement offerts en entreprise, mais informeront également les employeurs sur les meilleures pratiques en rémunération pour avoir une main d’œuvre sainement motivée et pleinement engagée au travail.

Breathing Beyond Biology: How postcolonial theory, literary analysis, and phenomenology can be used to better understand experiences of breathlessness

While the medical-scientific basis of breathing/breathlessness are relatively well understood, the subjective experiences of and discourses surrounding breathing/breathlessness are poorly understood. Moreover, breathlessness is disproportionately experienced by people living in the “global south,” yet has never been researched through a (post)colonial framework. My project addresses these research gaps in two ways. Firstly, I will analyze representations of breath/breathlessness in postcolonial literatures. By tracing how literature shapes discourses surrounding breath/breathlessness, one can better understand the unique cultural and social significance attributed to breath/breathlessness outside the dominant Euro-American paradigm. Secondly, I will develop a postcolonial phenomenological methodology to better understand embodied experiences of breathlessness as they intersect with issues related to (post)colonialism (e.g. culture, nationality, and ethnicity). In these ways, my research will help bridge the gap between the ways patients experience, describe, and understand breathlessness and the ways medical professionals do–especially across cultural, national, and ethnic borders.

Airline crew scheduling

The crew pairing problem begins with a time table of flights and a fleet of available aircraft.

The time table is created from considerations such as available slots at airports, available

aircraft, aircraft specifications, airport limitations, projected load factors and passenger

demand. After the timetable has been set and aircraft have been scheduled to that timetable,

the crew requirements are generated. This is the demand which produces the crew pairing

problem. Considerations for crew requirements include the equipment to be used and

duration of the flight. For instance different aircraft may have different flight crew

requirements (ie. 2 or 3 person flight decks) and long-haul flights may require relief crew

members to be on-board so that maximum consecutive flying time restrictions are not

violated. These requirements are the first criteria to be addressed by the crew pairing…