Innovative Projects Realized

Le quantique comme levier stratégique de souveraineté numérique au Québec

Ce projet compte étudier comment les technologies quantiques peuvent renforcer la souveraineté numérique du Québec. Il ambitionne aussi de créer une feuille de route stratégique pour asseoir durablement celle-ci. Dans un contexte de forte dépendance aux technologies américaines et de guerre tarifaire menée par le gouvernement des États-Unis, cette recherche s’inscrit dans la volonté de rebâtir l’autonomie technologique du Québec et de rendre son écosystème numérique plus résilient.

La stagiaire réalisera un diagnostic de la souveraineté numérique québécoise, étudiera les approches internationales et proposera une stratégie de gouvernance quantique adaptée au Québec. Elle concevra également un dispositif de sensibilisation pour informer l’écosystème sur les risques et opportunités du quantique, dans le but de renforcer la position québécoise dans ce domaine.

Ce partenariat souhaite contribuer à renforcer la notoriété de Kirq, le banc d’essai en communication quantique de Numana, tout en identifiant de nouveaux partenariats innovants. Le projet vise également à soutenir l’ambition majeure de Numana de faire du Québec un centre névralgique mondial en communication quantique.

Automated optimization of robotic tasks and transitions using graph-based approaches

In recent years, machining with robots has become a trend in the manufacturing industry. The concept offers an
economical solution for medium to low accuracy machining applications. However, due to the complexity of the robot
kinematics, planning for these paths is challenging. Jabez Technologies has developed a semi-graphical approach that
can program large robot-paths. This approach has been very well received by the industry and has proven to be
extremely robust in practice. However, this approach is semi-automatic and cannot work without user input. Emerging
applications, on the other hand, are demanding a fully automated solution. A generic automated path planner for the
large variety of machining applications in subject is simply impractical. We, therefore, propose to build a customizable
automated planner framework on top of the existing semi-graphical approach. The combination will allow the
company to provide fully-automated solution with high flexibility and confidence.

Modular, Scalable, and AI-Enhanced Healthcare Platform: A Unified System for Advancing Patient Care through Modular Design, AI Integration, and EMR Readiness Across Clinical Settings

Tenzr Health is a B2B SaaS digital health technology company focused on improving rehabilitation outcomes through intelligent sensor-based platforms and gamified therapeutic experiences. Their solutions are widely utilized in hand therapy and musculoskeletal (MSK) rehabilitation, providing patients and clinicians with interactive tools that promote movement compliance and facilitate real-time data capture. With a mission to modernize patient care through wearable technology and digital platforms, Tenzr bridges the gap between in-clinic treatment and remote rehabilitation.

As Tenzr Health expands into more clinical environments, it faces a key challenge of upgrading its web-based Patient Care Management System. This upgrade seeks to support a broader range of clinical workflows, integrate with Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems, and offer a user-friendly experience for both medical staff and patients. Furthermore, the increasing need for AI-enabled functionalities, cross-clinic system compatibility, and multilingual support highlights a strategic opportunity to expand the platform’s scope from a specialized rehabilitation tool to a scalable, broadly applicable digital health solution.

The Tenzr Health team aims to collaborate with WIMTACH’s applied research team to conduct an in-depth analysis of the current Patient Management System’s limitations, explore innovative solutions to enhance system robustness, ensure compatibility across devices and clinical workflows, and improve the user experience for both practitioners and patients. This partnership will utilize research-driven methodologies and technological expertise to develop a more efficient, user-friendly, and data-rich platform.

Le régime juridique nigérien des investissements étrangers au prisme du développement : une analyse critique et transversale inspirée du régime canadien

Malgré ses ressources naturelles abondantes (uranium, or, pétrole), le Niger, pays d’Afrique subsaharienne reste confronté à un taux d’extrême pauvreté de 52 % et peine à attirer des IDE. Ceux reçus, concentrés dans le secteur extractif, sont très volatiles et peu bénéfiques pour l’économie, un paradoxe dû à un cadre juridique peu contraignant, de faibles exigences de durabilité, des politiques de contenu local inefficaces, des incitations déséquilibrées et un environnement juridique international asymétrique. À l’inverse, le Canada, grâce à des réformes de sa Loi sur l’investissement conciliant attractivité économique et protection des intérêts nationaux, est un exemple d’équilibre entre ouverture et souveraineté. Il se place comme l’un des pays où les IDE contribuent le plus au développement économique. Malgré les disparités socioéconomiques entre les pays, ce modèle offre des pistes d’inspiration pertinentes pour le Niger. Il en est de même du Brésil, 1er destinataire des IDE en Amérique latine. Acteur clé de la facilitation des investissements à l’OMC, le Brésil est un exemple emblématique incontournable pour la recherche sur les IDE. Le projet propose une analyse critique du régime nigérien des IDE, inspirée de ces cadres et vise à identifier les meilleures pratiques pour proposer des réformes contextualisées au Niger.

Investigating the effect of heat stress on the early life microbiome in Japanese dairy calves

Climate change is creating urgent challenges for livestock farming, as rising temperatures and more frequent heat waves reduce animal health, productivity, and welfare. Young calves are particularly vulnerable because their immune and temperature regulation systems are not fully developed, and their gut microbiome—the community of bacteria, archaea, and viruses that support digestion and health—is still forming. In Japan, temperature–humidity index levels regularly exceed calf comfort thresholds during the summer months, potentially leading to reduced growth, greater disease incidence, and reduced long-term performance. Similar threats are emerging in Canada, highlighted by increased frequency of “heat domes,” which cause unprecedented losses in dairy herds. This project will study how heat stress affects the developing gut microbiome communities of pre-weaned calves, focusing on the rumen and large intestine. Using novel “omics” technologies, the research will explore the disruption of early life microbiome development under heat stress and how these changes may affect calf growth, immunity, and resilience. The results will inform management strategies for heat-stressed calves, such as probiotics, microbial modulation, or phage-based strategies. Outcomes will support improvements in calf management in Japan, provide critical information for the Canadian dairy industry, and contribute to building climate-resilient dairy production systems worldwide.

Breast density measurement tool

Lululemon develops and markets athletic apparel including women’s bras. Some women experience difficulty finding the appropriate bra to achieve adequate support without discomfort [1]. Lululemon is experienced in tissue biomechanics models of the breast including measurement of tissue movement, forces and accelerations in an effort to better understand the complex issues around bra performance. Nevertheless, gaps remain in this understanding, and current measurement tools do not provide measurements of all tissue properties, such as breast density. Therefore, opportunities exist to keep improving bra design and fitting. UBC has expertise and novel technology in the measurement of tissue biomechanics including ultrasound-based measurement tools. Ultrasound has been used successfully in women’s health, for almost a century, such as during pregnancy, because of the safe nature of the ultrasound waves and the rich information in the ultrasound signals. This project aims to develop a portable breast density measurement tool that is accurate and easy to use. Such a tool will be used by Lululemon in fundamental research on tissue biomechanics such as enhancing their computational models of the breast. In the longer term, such a tool can be envisioned for use in customized/personal fitting and for adaptive apparel.

Le Web Sémantique pour la modélisation et l’enrichissement des contenus dans DITA – Year two

IXIASOFT, notre partenaire, utilise le standard DITA, basé sur XML, pour la rédaction de la documentation technique
et l’organisation d’une information structurée orientée sujet. DITA encourage la rédaction du contenu sous forme des
topics indépendants. Les techniques du web sémantique offre la possibilité de faire des liens entre les topics et les
documents pour faciliter l’interopérabilité sémantique. En plus, il offre la possibilité de vérifier la consistance et la
cohérence des informations lors de la création d’un document ou d’une mise à jour.
Devant la grande quantité de documents XML stockés, les techniques du web sémantique aident notre partenaire à
dépasser les limites du langage XML, qui n’offre aucun moyen pour approcher la sémantique de données, et avoir une
meilleure représentation de la connaissance en reliant l’ensemble des concepts décrivant les documents afin
d’améliorer la recherche qui est un problème partiellement résolu par DITACMS basé principalement sur les métadonnées.

Endovation

This project focuses on extending Neuraura’s LoOoP neurostimulation platform to address the unmet needs of individuals with endometriosis—a chronic, debilitating condition affecting 1 in 10 individuals with a uterus. While TENS therapy is already used for symptom relief, Neuraura is exploring its potential to influence tissue behavior and possibly slow or reverse lesion growth. To create a market-ready, inclusive, and privacy-conscious solution, the team will deliver four strategic prototypes beyond the current PCOS scope: a comprehensive business plan; an adapted MyLoOoP app tailored to endometriosis; a severity grading algorithm to enable personalized, predictive therapy; and a trusted LLM-based chatbot, AskBetsy, built on a curated repository of peer-reviewed literature and clinical guidelines. These efforts will help transform LoOoP into a precision health platform that promotes both clinical efficacy and user empowerment.

SharpNexus AI Tools and Product Development

SharpNexus is a Canadian AI consulting firm that enables organizations to achieve digital transformation, uncover efficiencies, and generate new value through artificial intelligence. The company applies a broad range of AI technologies—including open-source models, proprietary frameworks, and third-party services—to address diverse business needs, ranging from automation and analytics to customer engagement and decision support. Solutions are tailored at a high level to each client’s unique requirements and architecture, ensuring strategic use of AI for productivity, innovation, and sustainable growth across industries.

Automated RFP Research

Hivelighter is a SaaS provider specializing in personalized and perspective-based knowledge discovery and knowledge management. Hivelighter helps businesses in knowledge intensive industries (marketing, consultancies, law firms, educational organizations, etc.) preserve human intelligence at the core of their competitive advantage. The current project explores “task-tuned” customisation for organizations. The task being tackled in this case is: RFP response research for creative marketing agencies.

Le Web Sémantique pour la modélisation et l’enrichissement des contenus dans DITA

IXIASOFT, notre partenaire, utilise le standard DITA, basé sur XML, pour la rédaction de la documentation technique
et l’organisation d’une information structurée orientée sujet. DITA encourage la rédaction du contenu sous forme des
topics indépendants. Les techniques du web sémantique offre la possibilité de faire des liens entre les topics et les
documents pour faciliter l’interopérabilité sémantique. En plus, il offre la possibilité de vérifier la consistance et la
cohérence des informations lors de la création d’un document ou d’une mise à jour.
Devant la grande quantité de documents XML stockés, les techniques du web sémantique aident notre partenaire à
dépasser les limites du langage XML, qui n’offre aucun moyen pour approcher la sémantique de données, et avoir une
meilleure représentation de la connaissance en reliant l’ensemble des concepts décrivant les documents afin
d’améliorer la recherche qui est un problème partiellement résolu par DITACMS basé principalement sur les métadonnées.

DBSCAN Graph Clustering

Making use of the ever-growing amount of data available is a vital opportunity for many industries and research labs, both in Canada and the rest of the world. The initial exploratory data analysis phase is when many of the hypotheses and our intuitive understanding of a data set occurs. Thus, it is essential that the methods used during this phase accurately reflect the data, and avoid making any extreme or exaggerated assumptions. In this research project, we propose to develop a clustering algorithm for graph data that can be used for exploratory analysis, based on the popular DBSCAN clustering algorithm for vector data. The project continues a long and fruitful collaboration on the topic of clustering for graphs, and will result in an open source software implementation of the developed algorithm and a report in a leading scientific journal.