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

Decision making with ontologies and measures of diagnosticity

Mineral exploration and natural disaster risk reduction involve reasoning with uncertainty about complex descriptions of parts of the Earth. Such complex reasoning is traditionally carried out by human experts who, through years of training and field experience, develop specific knowledge and are able to take the right decision at the right time. This project will advance the previous work to build computer models and tools that assist human in these decision making processes.

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Faculty Supervisor:

David Poole

Student:

Melika Farahani

Partner:

Minerva Intelligence Inc.

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Other

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Accelerate

AI Shading – An energy efficient Smart Blind technology

Increased energy consumption across the world for heating and cooling indoor living spaces has been a major contributor to global greenhouse gas production. As per 2015 statistics, buildings account for 76% of global electricity consumption and approx. 35% of that energy consumption is for air conditioning, heating, and ventilation. To combat climate change it is imperative to reduce our power consumption. To address this problem we are collaborating with 26 Celsius to build an automatic smart blind technology trademarked “AI Shading” capable of autonomously deciding when to open and close the blinds to promote maximum energy efficiency. AI Shading has the potential to cut down energy consumption for ventilation and air conditioning significantly during the peak energy demand times using the position of the sun, outside temperature, elevation of the window from the ground to decide when to open and close the blinds to keep the house warm or cool.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Eleni Stroulia

Student:

Jashwanth Reddy Sarikonda

Partner:

26 Celsius

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Accelerate

Lithium extraction from oilfield brines

In tandem with increase in demand for lithium products for use in electric cars and electronics, there has been an interest in finding more sustainable lithium production processes as opposed to conventional evaporation ponds and hard rock mining both of which are environmentally intrusive and have high carbon footprint. Recion Technologies, Inc., an Edmonton based startup, has developed a sustainable direct lithium extraction process which can extract lithium from conventional and unconventional resource. The company is in the development stage of the technology and needs to optimize its process and prepare an economics assessment of its process prior to building its field prototype. This project is focused on Recion’s process on Li extraction from a few field collected brines.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Daniel Alessi;Thomas Chacko

Student:

Jenna Maccagno

Partner:

Recion Technologies Inc

Discipline:

Geography / Geology / Earth science

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

An effective CO2 capture technology for offshore petroleum facilities

The current project aims to design and optimize the cryogenic CO2 capture process in terms of CO2 removal efficiency and energy requirement. The serious concern of global warming due to increasing CO2 emission has urged policymakers to employ various CO2 capture methods. Note that among different CO2 capture methods, the cryogenic capture is a favorable option since it uses less energy and no chemicals in the CO2 removal process. Cryogenic CO2 capture suffers from high equipment costs and energy consumption. Thus, an energy/exergy assessment of cryogenic CO2 capture can effectively reduce energy consumption and environmental impacts. Thus, toward the optimized operation, the partner organization will be benefit from energy-efficient operation as well as achieving a high CO2 recovery percentage.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Sohrab Zendehboudi

Student:

Mohammad Mohammadi Baghmolaei;Marziyeh Zare

Partner:

M.A. Procense Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Program:

Accelerate

Hydrology and geochemical cycling of a complex urban stormwater system

The hydrologic cycle in major cities is influenced by roadways, rooftops, and other features, resulting in greater runoff and poorer water quality. At airport sites across Canada, de-icing compounds can also degrade water quality by altering water chemistry in surface ponds as well as subsurface water (i.e., groundwater). This project aims to characterize water movement between surface stormwater ponds and groundwater at the Calgary International Airport, to better understand the physical connections between these key parts of the hydrologic cycle. This hydrology knowledge will be combined with detailed sampling of water chemistry, notably sulphur compounds (which cause noxious odours) and nutrients, to identify the sources and mechanisms of water quality degradation at the site. Calgary Airport Authority will use the improved understanding of water movement and sulphur cycling to develop effective strategies for better stormwater control and water quality.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Edwin Cey

Student:

Lucas Ogrins

Partner:

Calgary Airport Authority

Discipline:

Geography / Geology / Earth science

Sector:

Transportation and warehousing

University:

University of Calgary

Program:

Accelerate

Joint Force System Research & Development

The purpose of this project is to design and evaluate a biofeedback device to help users to complete isometric shoulder and knee joint exercises. Specifically, the device, currently called the “Joint Force System (JFS)”, will measure the user’s force output and exercise form, and provide feedback to encourage ideal levels of effort and correct postures and joint motions. Through this project, the partner organization will gain access to state-of-the-art research facilities, literature, and experienced academic researchers to design and validate the device. This will contribute to Joint Performance’s ability to release a thoroughly tested product and will contribute to the device’s efficacy through design suggestions and iterations throughout the study.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Scott Brandon

Student:

Regan Sheppard

Partner:

Joint Performance Inc

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Guelph

Program:

Investigating the role of bacteria in abdominal pain and chronic constipation.

The bacteria living in our gastrointestinal system, the gut microbiome, play a key role in human health and disease. Multiple studies demonstrated altered gut microbiome in patients with constipation or abdominal pain but knowledge of a clear cause-effect relationship or underlying mechanism are lacking. We found previously that microbiota from patients with irritable bowel syndrome induces altered gut function, low-grade inflammation and abdominal pain. Thus we aim at studying the regulatory role of microbiome in gut function, focusing on abdominal pain and constipation.
We will use mice that are completely devoid of bacteria, germ-free mice, and colonize their intestine with stool microbiome of well characterized patients with chronic abdominal pain, or severe constipation that developed after C. difficile infection. We will identify and isolate bacteria involved in gut dysfunction and study the underlying mechanisms. We will also explore potential treatments by modifying the microbiome composition and function using specific benefical bacteria (probiotics) or dietary components (fibers and flavonoids).
Our results will lead to better understanding of the role of microbiome in colonic motility and abdominal pain, discovery of biomarkers to identify those who benefit from microbiota-based interventions, and development of novel therapeutic approaches.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Premysl Bercik

Student:

Yuichiro Nishihara;Fernando Vicentini;Zarwa Saqib;Vidhyalakshmi Mohan

Partner:

Weston Family Microbiome Initiative

Discipline:

Kinesiology

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

McMaster University

Program:

Accelerate

Fire-resistant elastic fiber

Personal protective equipment (PPE) for essential workers in flammable environment requires two essential traits: fire resistance (FR) and fitting comfort. The fitting comfort is especially an issue for women firefighters, whose protective clothing are not appropriately catered. Elastic fibers in sportswear, such as Lycra, offer superb fitting and comfort, but their FR version is commercially unavailable. The project proposes to apply a FR surface coating on commercially available elastic fibers by depositing a composite layer that thickens explosively upon contacting flame. This way, the flame does not reach to the core of elastic fiber, which fuels up the fire. In addition, our coating has heat-insulating properties, which further delays the detrimental chemical interaction in fire. The project benefits from a team that combines expertise in materials engineering, textile science, and protective clothing with the experience of the industry partner as a woman firefighter and working in the trades.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Hyun-Joong Chung;Patricia Dolez

Student:

Zhitong (Lynn) Lin

Partner:

Jess Black Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Accelerate

Deep learning segmentation of anatomical structures in three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound images of the female pelvic floor

Pelvic floor disorders (PFD) result in urinary and fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse (POP), loss of support for the pelvic organs. While not commonly known, POP affects upwards of 50% of females. The common non-surgical treatment is to use intravaginal inserts, known as pessaries, to hold up the pelvic organs. The correct pessary is found using a trial-and-error method currently. Thus, there is a need to improve the pessary fitting process. To create custom pessaries, the pelvic floor must be analyzed and segmented on 3D ultrasounds in different positions because the location, size, and shape of the various structures change significantly. For this project, a deep learning-based segmentation algorithm will be developed to automatically segment the pelvic organs for improved pessary fitting, reduction in segmentation time and to avoid user variability. This project has the potential to improve the quality of life of those affected by POP.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Eranga Ukwatta

Student:

Zachary Szentimrey

Partner:

Cosm Medical

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Guelph

Program:

Accelerate

Nurturing Good Beginnings: Evaluating and Assessing the YWCA’s community care program for new mothers/birthing parents

The YWCA aims to evaluate, through partnership with McMaster University, the impact of Good Beginnings, a program providing support for mothers/birthing parents who are vulnerable, precarious, and at-risk for postpartum depression. The program provides service for approximately 70 postpartum people and their babies annually, for a total of 500 people since 2014. During these six years, the YWCA has collected entrance, mid, and exit data from program participants. The research partnership will analyze these data, determine the strengths of the program, and set the foundations for ongoing evaluation and best practices to further meet the needs of the community. The primary goal of this project is to maximize positive social impact among vulnerable populations through quantitative and qualitative impact assessments which will inform the expansion of this and similar programs. This project assessment will provide the YWCA with leverage in the form of tangible results in obtaining sustained program funding.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Tina Moffat;James Gillett;Sarah McDonald

Student:

Isabel Dewey

Partner:

YWCA Hamilton

Discipline:

Anthropology

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

McMaster University

Program:

Accelerate

Linear and non-linear replication factor models for Funds look-through

The Fundamental Review of the Trading Book (FRTB) is a set of regulations by the Basel committee, which is expected to be implemented by banks by 2022. The regulation targets market risk management in banking industry. The regulation targets market risk management in banking industry. According to FRTB, banks must decompose funds that can be looked through into their constituents and determines the relevant capital requirements as if the underlying position were held directly by the bank. Implementing a look-through approach is challenging for funds with large number of underlying constituents. In this research, we will design a procedure for constructing a replicating (proxy) portfolio comprising securities from the potential universe of portfolio securities the subject fund hold. The proxy portfolio has less number of constituents and is designed to achieve an expected shortfall tracking error of no more than a given threshold compared to the expected shortfall of the fund’s actual portfolio. Then, the proxy portfolio is used to calculate the capital requirements.
Another topic of this research is identification of event risks and its disentanglement from market-wide risk using time series analysis.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Mario Ghossoub

Student:

Corina Birghila

Partner:

CIBC

Discipline:

Statistics / Actuarial sciences

Sector:

Finance, insurance and business

University:

University of Waterloo

Program:

A new automated approach for Engineering Design and Manufacturing Specification generation

RPS Composites Inc. designs and manufactures a wide range of corrosion-resistant (fibre reinforced plastic/polymer) FRP and Dual Laminate equipment from piping systems to ducts, stacks, hoods, covers, cells, and other miscellaneous custom equipment. Their engineering team has used different design methods provided in the codes and standards. The current process of designing and generating the manufacturing specifications is observed to be very time-consuming. The goal of this project will be to automate and optimize the current design process and manufacturing-specifications generation of the processes. This automated system will benefit the partner organization in improving the speed and accuracy of their design processes. This project will also aim to improve the documentation and archival of the company’s historical data for effective reference in future

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Faculty Supervisor:

Alison Olechowski

Student:

Pranav Milind Khanolkar

Partner:

RPS Composites

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate