Innovative Projects Realized

Technology therapy with MakerKids®: Supporting children’s socioemotional development with innovative STEM-based programming

Technological advancements have profoundly altered the lives of children and youth in the 21st century. While there are undeniable harms associated with excessive screen use, digital media has positively transformed how children learn, make friends, and interact with society. Research has firmly established the benefits of technology-based learning for young people’s reasoning and thinking abilities, and preliminary evidence also suggests that some digital media activities may improve children’s mental health. These findings support the potential for an innovative form of “technology therapy”, though this has received little research attention. Thus, this project will evaluate whether long-term enrollment in MakerKids® coding, robotics, and Minecraft courses improve children’s well-being and social skills. Data from surveys completed by parents of children enrolled MakerKids® classes will be analyzed using advanced statistical modelling. Results will help parents, clinicians, and educators understand ways to harness the power of technology to improve children’s mental health and promote positive attitudes toward digital media use.

Evaluation of smart microcarriers for high-density culture and enzymefree harvesting of primary dermal sheath cells and fibroblasts

RepliCel is a regenerative medicine company that develops autologous cell therapies to treat chronic tendinosis, UV-damaged or aged skin, and pattern baldness. The cells in this technology are isolated from skin biopsies obtained from patients. However, because of limited available tissue samples, RepliCel seeks novel technologies to improve their cell culture process, which is currently time-consuming, labor-intensive, and low throughput. The overarching goal of this partnership is to develop a high-density cell culture system using smart microcarriers that enables 1) producing millions of cells from small tissue samples taken from the back to the patient’s scalp and 2) harvesting the cells without using enzymes. This proposal will build on the encouraging results we obtained from previous collaboration and optimize the microcarrier formulation and culture protocols for primary cells isolated from patients. The proposed research is anticipated to result in significant economic gains for BC and Canada since the targeted technology applies to an emerging and strategic market. Innovations in this area can reduce the costs associated with current cell-based treatment and transform the health and life sciences sectors.

Optimal Energy Storage for 5G Network

The telecommunication industry is rapidly evolving towards providing faster services to accommodate the global surge in network demand. The next-generation (5G) network aims to increase the current network speed by more than twentyfold. This transition brings enormous benefits for the economy and society. A main challenge faced by network providers, however, is that the existing infrastructure cannot fulfill the new requirements of the 5G network. For example, the future 5G small cells need to be more powerful than the conventional 4G network architecture. Thus, further research and development are required in powering future 5G network. The research and development at Alpha Technologies Ltd. in Burnaby is currently focussed on developing new two-stage power converter for powering 5G small cells with power 3KW. The work involves layout of power converters optimized for electrical and thermal performance. In addition, the converter will be evaluated in terms of its EMI performance.

Evaluating Attitudes Towards Needle Use, Experience with Needlestick Injuries, and the Uptake of a Needle-Safety Device Among Research Workers in British Columbia

Among healthcare workers the yearly global needlestick prevalence is 35.1%, which is expected to be much greater due to 30-50% needlesticks going unreported, putting a large number of workers at risk for contracting dangerous diseases and infections. However, data is lacking on how animal care and research personnel experience needlesticks compared to healthcare workers. Our study will investigate needle use and injuries in these neglected professions and determine underlying reasons that influence adherence to needle safety recommendations. We will further determine if an alternative approach to needle recapping by providing workers with the option to safely recap needles will affect feelings towards working with needles and help reduce needlestick injuries.

DECAP Research & Development envisions a future with no needlestick injuries. We design innovative easy-touse products with the purpose of reducing needlestick injuries and provide users with alternate ways to use needles that do not put their safety at risk.

Light-ends incorporation and new catalysts for hydroconversion of heavy oils

The proposed project seeks to improve the processing of Canadian oilsands bitumen using two key technical advancements associated with the upgrading of bitumen to fuels. Firstly, we will seek to reduce the consumption of costly hydrogen by using light-ends as a source of hydrogen and secondly we will improve the catalysts used to control the chemical reactions and thereby enhance liquid product yields.

Advancing Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Through 3D Printing Construction

A new process to create greenhouse glazing using 3D Printing is prototyped and tested. Using the principle of layer height fusion of plastic, new glazing will be created to provide shading and diffused light. The 3D Printed glazing will also be changed through the 3D Printer to change the amount of shading and diffused light, a benefit in hot climates.

Understanding in/exclusion in health and wellness programming across minoritized differences: A collaboration with the YWCA Hamilton

The YWCA Hamilton advocates for the improved status of individuals experiencing oppression; however, they have noticed high drop-out rates in their health and wellness programming. This collaborative study aims to unpack the relationship between health and/or wellness, physical activity participation, and inclusion/exclusion. Specifically, we seek to understand, strengthen, and build up the facets of physical activity participation that make them inclusive for marginalized/minoritized differences across age, disability, body size, gender, income, race, and/or sexuality. We will: 1) Explore how a diversity of bodies are represented and discussed a) within the body positivity movement on social media; and b) within purportedly inclusive physical activity spaces; 2) understand the physical activity experiences of those with marginalized/minoritized differences; and 3) increase awareness of the consequences of exclusion and how to create and nurture inclusion, through the exploration of body-related stories and art, and investigation of characteristics of inclusive physical activity environments.

Optical approaches to modular quantum computers

Quantum computing technology research has been a fast-growing academic field since the start of the century. In recent years, it has become apparent that in order to perform large, useful computations on a quantum computer, one must link multiple smaller quantum computers via a quantum communication channel, much in the same way that modern classical computers link many processor cores. This research project will study the limitations of currently demonstrated techniques for interconnecting quantum computers, advance the basic technologies of these techniques to design a viable interconnect, and explore new innovations to accelerate the achievement of modular quantum computers.

Improving the tools for assessment and analysis of energy losses through building envelopes using Infrared Thermography (IRT), Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAV), and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

IR imaging presents the temperature distribution of the exterior surface of a wall and is typically assessed through visual inspection by building science experts. A specialist must review numerous images one by one which is inefficient and inaccurate. The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with IR camera attachments has become a method of faster and more accessible on-site building envelope evaluation. The proposed research aims to develop a machine learning framework to improve the evaluation of energy loss through the envelope, using UAV and IR thermography. An artificial intelligence algorithm will help significantly cut down assessment times and make the process more advanced. Understanding the heat transfer process within the wall system without a need for intrusive openings will allow for representative and more applicable retrofit intervention strategies. This research and development will drive the building rehabilitation industry to be more practical and effective.

Optimizing return on investment using artificial intelligence: A recommendation system-based solution

The main goal of this project is to develop an artificial intelligence based approach for recommendation to improve Videotron marketing solutions. We aim to focus on improving Vidéotron return on investment (ROI), engaging more users and retaining subscribers using advanced artificial intelligence techniques. The proposed system will be based on a collaborative filtering technique that involves state of the art deep learning and reinforcement learning techniques.

Are playgrounds really for everyone? Disabled children’s experiences at playgrounds designed for inclusion

negative attitudes toward disability. To address the exclusion that disabled children and their families often experience on playgrounds, inclusive playground initiatives have become increasingly common, promising accessibility, fun, and belonging for kids and families. Despite the advancement in inclusive playground design, there is recent research evidence to suggest that disabled children and their families continue to face mistreatment and exclusion at playgrounds. A deeper understanding of what makes an inclusive playground ‘inclusive’ (or not) from disabled children’s perspectives is necessary to (re)create and optimize these experiences for children across Alberta and Canada.

Improving power production by better recognizing power quality issue events with machine learning

Solar energy offers a green energy future both for Canada and the world. To best collect this energy, solar farms, collections of solar panels, are often distributed to ensure efficient local collection. Weather is often a challenge for production; however, the failure of components can also adversely affect this as well. These failures can be difficult to track and predict; in this project, we propose to develop tools to help operators expect events that could lead to power losses and improve solar energy harvesting using both standard analytical tools and machine learning. This will lead to improved economic benefits for Canada and production efficiency improvements.