Innovative Projects Realized

Explore thousands of successful projects resulting from collaboration between organizations and post-secondary talent.

13270 Completed Projects

1072
AB
2795
BC
430
MB
106
NF
348
SK
4184
ON
2671
QC
43
PE
209
NB
474
NS

Projects by Category

10%
Computer science
9%
Engineering
1%
Engineering - biomedical
4%
Engineering - chemical / biological

Development of a new generation of neurovascular device for the treatment of fusiform cerebral bifurcation aneurysms using CFD modeling and virtual simulation of stent crimping into a catheter

Cerebral aneurysm (CA), is an abnormal dilation of the cerebral arterial wall, which accounts for more than half a million deaths each year worldwide. Flow diverters (FDs) represent one method recently developed in treating CAs. Typically, they do not need coiling (releasing platinum micro-coils within the aneurysm) and act purely to prevent substantial blood inflow into the aneurysm.In a collaborative project between Biological Multiphysics Research Lab and Composites Research Network at UBC and Evasc Medical System Inc., whose area of expertise is developing novel CA therapies, we plan to develop a novel FD for the treatment of bifurcation CAs with fusiform-like pathology. Through a stepwise design modification process and utilizing CFD modeling, we aim to develop a new design for the Evasc FD (eCLIPs) with improved hemodynamics for such complex CAs. We also plan to develop a novel FEA platform to virtually model the crimping process of the new FD into a catheter. Results of this project will lead to the development of a new generation of neurovascular FDs, which may represent the only device available for the treatment of such CAs with fusiform pathology, and will increase Canada’s presence as a world leader in healthcare technologies.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dana Grecov;Abbas Sadeghzadeh Milani

Student:

Mehdi Jahandardoost

Partner:

eVasc Neurovascular

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Program:

Elevate

Evaluation of the implementation at scale of a public health intervention to promote social and emotional development in the early years in British Columbia

British Columbia’s Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions has identified healthy social and emotional development (SED) in early childhood as a priority action towards addressing the province’s mental health crisis. In response, ChildHealth BC (CHBC) is developing a multi-component provincial intervention to expand the capacity of caregivers to promote SED in young children- the first to be implemented at scale in Canada. While there is evidence on the efficacy of capacity-building SED strategies, research on how to bring these strategies to scale is lacking in the field. This project presents an opportunity to evaluate the scale-up implementation and short-term impact of a capacity-building intervention for parents and childcare providers.With the Elevate program, CHBC can benefit from having Angela Low, who specializes in SED and parenting interventions in her research and practice, oversee the evaluation, and a) monitor the implementation and provide feedback for course correction and quality improvement; b) assess short-term impact on caregiver knowledge and practices and; c) identify facilitators and barriers to this scale-up implementation. Skills and networking gained will enable Angela to take leaps toward her career goal of securing a senior position within the public health system to improve mental health outcomes for all Canadians.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Sheila Marshall

Student:

Angela Low

Partner:

Provincial Health Services Authority

Discipline:

Social work

Sector:

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Elevate

Visualizing information in situ with 3D photorealistic environments

Advances in computer graphics and display technology have brought new opportunities to create stunning visual effects and interactive experiences.Industry concerned with data visualization is seeking to incorporate these advances into their visualization pipelines. For example, our industrial partner LlamaZOO Interactive Inc. attempts to present abstract data situated in 3D realistic scenes. However, most research in information visualization assumes that the environment is a simple, abstract, monochromatic 2D plane. We know little about whether the guidelines from information visualization apply to these complex environments, and without clear guidelines, spontaneous attempts by the industry risk repeated work, resulting in unnecessary cost and efforts.In this project, we will tackle this challenge by 1) understanding the advantages and disadvantages of representing data with 3D rendering techniques, compared with traditional abstract visualizations; 2) designing visualization techniques to effectively present data in realistic 3D environments; and 3) evaluating visualization techniques to quantify their efficiency and usefulness for data analysis in these environments. We will contribute to the academic community by generating knowledge, and to industry by devising guidelines for visualizing abstract data in situ with 3D photorealistic environments. Research outcomes will be commercialized into products to enhance our industrial partner’s competitiveness globally.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Charles Perin

Student:

Xiyao Wang

Partner:

LlamaZOO Interactive Inc

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Information and cultural industries

University:

University of Victoria

Program:

Elevate

Ensuring Stability and Accuracy of Multi-rate Electromagnetic Transient Simulation

Real-time digital power system simulators are used for testing and debugging control equipment intended for field installation. They simulate the power network in ‘real-time’, i.e., the simulation computations are rapidly completed so as to retain synchronism with a real-world clock. This requires the level of complexity in different components of the network to be judiciously selected so that the computation speed-up does not significantly compromise accuracy. Multi-rate simulation is a widely used approach to achieve this. It partitions the network into interconnected smaller sub-networks, and simulates critical sub-networks using a smaller timestep with larger timesteps for the others. As methods for stability and accuracy analysis for this method have hitherto not been investigated, this Mitacs project will extend the state of the art in simulation stability to investigate the stability of multi-rate simulation of power networks.
With the lessons learned, it will venture to develop a more robust interfacing technique for interconnecting the sub-networks in Multi-rate simulation. RTDS Technologies is expected to use this to enhance the quality of their commercial simulation products.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Aniruddha (Ani) Gole

Student:

Huanfeng Zhao

Partner:

RTDS Technologies Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

University:

University of Manitoba

Program:

Elevate

Development of a specific targeted therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

The global burden of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing as it has become the second leading cause of cancer-relateddeaths and the fifth most common cancer worldwide. HCC is heterogenous, arising in the setting of various chronic liver diseasessuch as hepatitis C, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. Patients with cirrhosis who develop cancer cannot tolerate therapydue to inadequate liver function. We hypothesize that PorphyHDL, a carrier that behaves like a lipoprotein (fat transporter), willeffectively deliver a small interfering RNA targeting spalt-like transcription factor 4 (SALL4), a fetal oncoprotein expressed inaggressive HCCs. We will partner with Highland Therapeutics Inc., which has designed a novel oral drug delivery technology knownas DELEXIS® and has successfully commercialized a DELEXIS methylphenidate formulation in the US. Our partner will utilize thistechnology, which precisely controls time of release and rate of release of an active ingredient, to design a DELEXIS-PorphyHDLSALL4 formulation. This formulation will be targeted to specific regions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to facilitate uptake into thehepatic portal vein, with the aim of delivering drug directly to HCC tumors and avoiding side effects associated with systemiccirculation.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Mamatha Bhat

Student:

Anita Bakrania

Partner:

Highland Therapeutics

Discipline:

Medicine

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Elevate

Hyperpolarized 129Xe Cerebral Perfusion MRI Imaging Development

Imaging of cerebral perfusion (the delivery of blood to a capillary bed in the brain tissue) is significant for diagnosing a variety of diseases. There are multiple challenges associated with perfusion imaging which significantly limits the quality of cerebral perfusion images. I am planning to develop a novel approach of cerebral perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using hyperpolarized (HP) xenon-129 (129Xe). To conduct HP 129Xe perfusion imaging, I am developing a novel HP MRI Time-of-Flight (TOF) pulse sequence. This imaging technique allows for the acquisition of perfusion images with a high signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio. Furthermore, this imaging methodology allows for the acquisition of quantitative perfusion images in less than 20 s. HP 129Xe TOF imaging has the potential to overcome the challenges of current cerebral perfusion imaging and become a powerful tool for early-stage diagnosis of perfusion related neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson diseases. This will allow for better treatment planning, which will be beneficial for modern clinical practice. Furthermore, HP 129Xe TOF imaging can significantly improve the understanding of the mechanism of perfusion-related diseases, which will allow for the development of highly efficient treatments for further translation into clinics.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Mitchell Albert

Student:

Yurii Shepelytskyi

Partner:

Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute

Discipline:

Chemistry

Sector:

University:

Lakehead University

Program:

Elevate

High heat flux microprocessor cooling using binary fluid mixtures

As the heat fluxes produced by modern high-performance microprocessors continue to rise, so too must the effectiveness of the removal of these fluxes. Accordingly, a large amount of research has focused on developing techniques to enhance cooling in computer systems. A novel method of doing so involves replacing the single-phase liquid or two phase-liquid vapor coolants typically employed in such systems with binary fluid mixtures. Previous studies indicate that this may increase mixing within the flow and/or improve the critical heat flux (CHF) of the system, potentially leading to significant increases in heat transfer. The proposed project will therefore investigate the use of such mixtures in microprocessor cooling technologies in greater detail. The first part of the project will use experiments performed in simple flows to study heat transfer in fluid mixtures and identify the mixtures capable of significantly enhancing heat transfer. In the second part of the project, these mixtures will be tested in existing microprocessor cooling technologies, including both spray cooling and microgap cooling technologies. Should the research be successful, this may allow the partner organization to increase the clock speeds, and thus the performance, of their high-performance servers.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Laurent Mydlarski

Student:

Alaïs Marie-Pierre Hewes

Partner:

Hypertechnologie CIARA Inc

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

McGill University

Program:

Elevate

Vison-based frameworks for automated robotic machining of aerospace composite panels

Canada is a global leader in the aerospace manufacturing industry. Canadian companies produce complex assemblies and system solutions including carbon fiber composite panels used in the body of airplanes. Manufacturing of such panels requires a significant number of operations such as trimming, drilling, and abrasion. Currently, some of these operations are performed manually, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. The overarching goal of this project is to develop automated and accurate robotic systems for aerospace composite manufacturing applications. Such robotic systems will help the industrial partner improve the productivity and efficiency of their operations.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Matt Khoshdarregi

Student:

Bhavin Dharia

Partner:

Magellan Aerospace

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Manitoba

Program:

Accelerate

Achieving Circular Wastewater Management with Machine Learning

Effective wastewater treatment is essential to the health of the environment and municipal wastewater treatment plants in Canada are required to achieve specific effluent water quality goals to minimize the impact of human generated wastewater on the surrounding environment. Most wastewater treatment plants include a combination of physical, chemical, and biological unit processes and therefore have several energy inputs to drive mixing, maintain ideal temperatures, and move water from one unit process to the next. Methane and other gases (biogas) and biosolids are generated during wastewater treatment. Both of these can be captured and repurposed for use within and outside of the wastewater treatment plant and can in some cases even be converted to revenue streams. Thus, biogas and biosolids are considered recoverable resources rather than waste products. Circular wastewater management (CWM) is an emerging approach that aims to optimize wastewater treatment, energy usage, and resource recovery. To achieve CWM, the operators of wastewater treatment plants must have a thorough understanding and reliable control of the different elements of the system. This is usually achieved using a combination of operator expertise, online sensors, and offline water quality measurements coupled with data collection, storage, and analysis software. TOBECONT’

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Faculty Supervisor:

Stephanie Gora;Usman Khan;Satinder Kaur Brar

Student:

Michael Vincent De Santi

Partner:

Ontario Clean Water Agency

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Construction and infrastructure

University:

York University

Program:

Accelerate

Methods development and applications for neuromelanin-sensitive MRI

Dopamine and noradrenaline are neurotransmitters that are released from neurons located in the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus. Therefore, these brain structures have the unique property of containing high concentrations of neuromelanin, a dark pigment that can be visualized with specialized MRI sequences. The neuromelanin-sensitive MRI signal has been used to visualize degeneration of these neurons. Recent work has shown that this signal can also serve as a proxy measure for long-term imbalance in activity of these neurotransmitter systems. This line of work will investigate this novel measure as a potential biomarker in diverse populations including, PTSD, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, ADHD, and healthy children. The goal of this line of work is to develop and optimize the method and test it in expanded research and clinical applications.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Clifford Cassidy

Student:

Rami Hamati;Ramy Al Haddad;Ahmad Sibahi;Martina Speck

Partner:

Terran Biosciences

Discipline:

Biochemistry / Molecular biology

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Ottawa

Program:

Accelerate

Qualitative assessment of breast asymmetry using 3-Dimensional modeling, with Computer Vision and Deep Learning

Breast asymmetry is a condition affecting over 50% of all women and often not a cause for significant concern, but asymmetry due to life-saving invasive surgeries like mastectomy are severe and known to have a profound impact on a breast cancer survivor’s emotional well-being and quality of life. Despite the growing demand for aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgeries in recent times, there is a lack of reliable tools for assessing patients’ breast morphology perioperatively. Due to this, surgeons can only rely on their expertise to perform naked eye assessments, often leading to more revisions. To address this issue, OpAI Innovations Inc. aims to study available imaging data using Machine Learning algorithms. This will facilitate the design and development of an easy-to-use software tool, capable of assessing patient’s breasts perioperatively, operable by surgeons and clinical technicians for improving the outcomes of reconstructive and aesthetic breast procedures.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Thomas Fevens

Student:

Prabhakara Subramanya Jois

Partner:

OpAI Innovations Inc

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Health care and social assistance

University:

Concordia University

Program:

Designing for better novice assembly: towards energy efficient novice building

This research is about technologies for ‘DIY’ or ‘novice’ home-construction. The research asks if high energy efficiency homes could be built by novice and non-expert builders. Energy efficient construction is an increasingly expert craft: with specialized knowledge, tools, and practices now required to achieve excellent building energy performance, this presents barriers to building efficiency for novice builders. This research will identify the barriers and opportunities for evolving more energy efficient novice building processes by working with Habitat for Humanity (an organization that specifically leverages novice labor) and Passive House 43 (a Toronto based energy efficient home designer) to understand Habitat’s current construction practices, and how their use of novice labour shapes energy efficiency in the completed homes. Using human centered design and analysis methodologies (such as stakeholder interviews, process blueprinting, and builder/resident journey mapping), researchers will work alongside the design and construction team for a live Habitat for Humanity project build to envision feasible possibilities for more energy efficient novice processes. The results of this research will form a set of design and process recommendations that can be used on future Habitat for Humanity projects to address the need for affordable energy efficient home-building.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Jonathan Enns

Student:

Natalie Kopp

Partner:

Passive House 43 Architecture

Discipline:

Architecture and design

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Waterloo

Program:

Accelerate

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