Innovative Projects Realized

TRLUP – Advanced Self-Driven Microfluidic Platform for Concentrating Therapeutic Vesicles

We are developing a novel microfluidic platform designed to enable efficient concentration of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from biological fluids such as plasma, serum, etc. This system reduces sample volumes from 1–10?ml down to less than 100?µl without the need for bulky instrumentation or centrifugation, offering a scalable and user-friendly alternative to conventional methods. By leveraging precisely engineered channel geometries and self-driven flow, the platform enhances both yield and purity of EV recovery. This concentrated output is ideal for downstream applications in biomarker discovery, liquid biopsy diagnostics, regenerative medicine, and EV-based therapeutics. The technology builds on our previously validated EV isolation device and incorporates improvements in throughput and handling capacity for integration into clinical and lab workflows. Ultimately, this advancement aims to streamline sample preparation, minimize EV loss, and accelerate translation of EV-based tools into practical healthcare and research settings.

BioSport

This project aims to help BioAro Inc., a Calgary-based biotech startup, promote its two new health products—PanOmiQ and BioSport—by improving how they reach and connect with customers. The project will help BioAro to research the market, identify who the ideal customers are, and create engaging content and strategies to raise awareness. The project will aim to make sure the company’s website and digital platforms offer a smooth and consistent experience for users. This support will help BioAro grow its customer base and successfully bring its new products to market.

Validation of a novel markerless motion tracking system for telerehabilitation

Physical therapy is a major modality in the treatment of patients with chronic musculoskeletal and neurological pain; however, current virtual reality (VR)-based solutions are unable to precisely capture full body motion leading to motion sickness and VR game design challenges. In this proposal, we aim to validate the accuracy of the AReve Health motion capture software, powered by the LightBuzz SDK, during (1) upper-body (shoulder abduction) and (2) lower-body (squat) exercises using the cameras of an iPad Pro against a gold-standard optical motion capture system. We hypothesize that the range of motion and joint angle values between the two systems will be similar. The project is expected to contribute to earlier detection of health and injury risks, promote preventive care strategies, and support individualized rehabilitation, thereby improving overall quality of life and reducing long-term healthcare costs. Also, the project will strengthen the partner organization’s competitive position within the expanding wearable health technology market. Collectively, the outcomes of this project will drive technological innovation, foster public health advancements, and support sustainable economic development for the partner organizations.

Optimizing modeling processes though building a AI Digital Twins

Toronto Pearson Airport (operated under the Greater Toronto Airport Authority – GTAA) is Canada’s largest airport in terms of total passenger traffic and North America’s second largest in terms of international traffic. With daily non-stop flights to many of the world’s economies, we move people and goods across the country, the continent and around the globe. Our goal is to create the airport of the future, and we are well positioned to make this a reality (Our Story, n.d.).
The research objectives within this project aims to optimize the modeling process for furniture and interior elements, and establish a standardized catalog of dimensions. Such a catalog would allow GTAA to implement a coding system similar to that used in EdgeWise (an as-built modeling platform that uses advanced algorithms to automate tedious scan-to-BIM workflows), where predefined element dimensions facilitate the automated detection of components within point-cloud data. This automation significantly reduces manual input and errors ultimately streamlining the modeling process and improving overall efficiency.
Beyond modeling, a standardized catalog can also enhance the organization and management of digital twin data. For instance, GTAA already plans to embed parameters into family models for elements like signage, improving both the accuracy and usability of the digital twin. However, the effectiveness of this approach relies on the standardization of geometry and the predictability and repeatability of these elements.
This project will provide research opportunities for the interns to model Architectural BIM elements. The research will involve 3D modeling of the Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 of Toronto Pearson Airport Modelling will include tenant kiosks, canopies, restaurants, sitting areas, and serving equipment, as well as signage, wayfinding and advertisements.

An Intelligent Digital Twin for an Automated Warehouse

A manufacturing company that produces Aluminum profiles uses extrusion, cutting, straightening, heat treatment, and coatings processes. The warehouse of the company uses an automated warehouse with a loading/ unloading stacker (crane) and an AGV fleet.
The goals of this project which are summarized below are to develop an intelligent digital twin for the warehouse, which the company will then use to test and simulate various scenarios in the production and market demand and its effect on warehouse operation.
Designing, implementing, and evaluating an I-IoT system for the shelves of the warehouse to measure the accurate content of inventory at each cell of the warehouse
Designing, implementing, and evaluating the digital twin of the automated warehouse and its AGV fleet
Designing, implementing, and evaluating optimization algorithms to enhance the path planning operation of the loader/unloader stackers and AGVs
The proposed project will be carried out by a team of researchers led by Dr. Farshid Najafi at Simon Fraser University with unique laboratories in Digital Twin, Industrial Internet of Things, and Smart Manufacturing which will support the research project. The supporting organization, Longboard Architectural Products, manufactures aluminum products that are used for architectural cladding, siding, soffits, and ceilings.

The Pîsim Collective – Ispiciwin Project

The Ispiciwin Project (I???????, the Project) is an outreach and awareness project that explores the way in which we travel in our modern age to promote the progressive transition our society is making towards zero-emission vehicles (ZEV). Ispiciwin (I???????), in nêhiyawêwin, means to travel, and this Project focuses on the journey we are taking as a society towards more sustainable and affordable transportation solutions. The Project, at its core, is a public and industry education undertaking that seeks to promote knowledge around ZEVs and their adoption. This challenge will be addressed head on through the deliverables that form the main structure of Project.

The Project will be built on three (3) main deliverables structured in the form of outreach and awareness (O&A) initiatives. These O&A initiatives involve the development and publishing of informative and educational content through web and social media platforms (including written content and various multimedia), the development and delivery of an industry-based awareness and research program, and the development and delivery of a test drive partner program.

The Project requires input from a diverse set of experts because the issues at the heart of sustainability and new technology adoption are multi-faceted and interconnected. Each field—sustainability, business, marketing, and education—brings essential perspectives and tools to the table, which can increase the project’s effectiveness and impact. The Project is seeking interested candidates to assist with the development and delivery of industry outreach and research, program management, and web and social media content management. This opportunity will provide hands-on experience in a variety of professional disciplines, excellent networking opportunities, and collaboration with a group of exceptional multi-disciplinary specialists.

Développement d’appareils de transfert robotisés multi-fonctions

Avec le vieillissement de la population, le personnel en soin de santé est de plus en plus demandé pour s’occuper
des patients. Un aspect important des soins est la mobilité des patients. La mobilité peut être séparée en deux
catégories, soit le transfert de patient qui permet d’amener le patient d’un endroit à un autre, et la réadaptation qui
permet à un patient de rester actif en ayant une assistance pour faire certaines tâches physiques comme la marche,
la verticalisation et s’accroupir. Présentement, pour remplir les deux tâches de mobilité aux patients, différents
appareils doivent être utilisés. Un équipement permettant à la fois le transfert de patients et la réadaptation
permettrait de simplifier le travail des préposés et d’apporter plus de mobilité aux patients, et donc d’améliorer la
qualité des soins. L’objectif du projet est d’approfondir et d’intégrer de nouvelles technologies de motorisation dans
les futures générations de produits Arjo afin d’augmenter leurs fonctionnalités.

CliniSonix Technology Development

1. Our primary mandate at API is to advance basic research and innovation to commercialization by providing access to world-class industry expertise, services, and infrastructure. Our activities focuses on engaging and supporting drug discovery and development initiatives, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and driving innovation and commercialization through collaborative research and clinical studies.
2. The project will address specific challenges including development of improved 3D ultrasound technology. It aims to reduce development timelines by leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration and intern support while addressing talent gaps through hands-on training.
3.This social and economic benefit of the project is vast. Specifically, it will accelerate innovative ultrasound system development, reduces costs, enhances patient outcomes, and strengthens market leadership. It will also address workforce gaps by training skilled interns, boosting talent pipelines. These benefits drive sustainable growth, improve healthcare, and position our client as a leader in advanced ultrasound technology

Orange Orange Technologies Ltd

Orange Orange Technologies Ltd is a growing software consulting firm specializing in SAP, Salesforce, ZOHO, and ERP solutions, helping businesses optimize their operations through seamless system integration and digital transformation. As the demand for enterprise software solutions increases, the company faces the challenge of expanding its market reach, identifying high-potential clients, and enhancing engagement strategies in a highly competitive industry. Traditional lead generation and sales processes are time-consuming and may not fully capitalize on data-driven insights, automation, and emerging trends in business development. The key innovation challenge is to design and implement an improved business development framework that integrates AI-powered analytics, automated lead generation, and strategic digital marketing to enhance client acquisition and long-term partnerships. This project will go beyond routine sales and marketing activities by developing and testing new methodologies for data-driven decision-making, refining customer outreach strategies, and improving the efficiency of business development processes. The intern will play a critical role in researching and applying innovative CRM strategies, implementing automation tools, and exploring untapped market segments to create a scalable, technology-driven business development model. Solving this challenge requires expertise in business strategy, sales, digital marketing, CRM platforms, data analysis, and emerging sales technologies to develop and implement solutions that enhance Orange Orange Technologies’ market position and drive sustainable growth.

BSI- City of Langley Data Project

The City of Langley is in the process of establishing the City’s Citizen Assembly, the focus of which will be Transforming Community Safety through Well-being and Resiliency. The structure of the Assembly and its mandate is based on a robust community engagement model centering quantitative and qualitative data and an assessment of effective practices in other jurisdictions. The Community Health and Social Innovation Hub would support the Assembly’s work by engaging in the research activities to help understand how the municipality can best respond to community needs, calls to service, and public safety.

Contribution of power electronic circuits to the reliability of low-carbon electric power systems

Governments around the world are making considerable efforts to promote renewable energy generation in electric power systems, and to promote technologies such as electric vehicles to replace fossil energy by green electric energy in order to combat the adverse societal impacts of global warming. However, the rising uncertainties in power generation from renewable resources and uncertainties in energy demand profiles will create growing challenges in balancing the supply and demand, and maintaining the reliability of power supply to the consumers. The vulnerability and the performance characteristics of power electronic circuits that integrate the renewables, energy storage and EV technologies to the power grid will considerably affect the reliability of the system and the decisions to invest in maintaining the reliability standards. This research will develop reliability models and evaluation methodologies capable of incorporating the characteristics of the power electronic circuits and the associated components in the reliability of power system transitioning towards a net-zero emission target.

Optimisation du processus de déclaration des effets indésirables aux organismes de sécurité des patients et aux autorités de réglementation de Santé Canada.

Le processus de déclarations des effets indésirables est un élément clé dans l’enrichissement des bases de données de notre gouvernement (Santé Canada). Elle est également primordiale dans la prévention et l’élaboration de plan de gestion de risque, pour préserver la santé et la sécurité de la population canadienne. Lorsqu’un déclarant signale la survenue d’un effet indésirable en lien avec la prise d’un médicament, un processus complexe est consciencieux est entamé pour relayer l’information à la sécurité des patients. Qui eux se chargeront par la suite, de transmettre le tout auprès des autorités réglementaires concernées. Présentement, le processus de signalement des effets indésirables au département de sécurité des patients est complexe, exigeant et peut conduire à des points de friction entre les informations recueillies et soumises. Pour optimiser le flux de renseignements à l’intérieur de ce processus, plusieurs méthodes tels que : l’analyse des déclarations, la création d’un formulaire standardisé, et l’automatisation d’un système numérique seront utilisés. Ces approches permettraient de traiter ces déclarations d’effets indésirables à une plus grande vitesse.