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

Leveraging Smart Growth via Ontario’s Climate Commitments

A strategic opportunity exists to integrate, strengthen and reform land use, transportation and municipal energy planning policies to address climate change goals in Ontario. The kinds of policies that reduce urban sprawl go hand in hand with climate policy, and vice versa. The project with the Pembina Institute, an organization committed to sustainable energy solutions, will analyze existing government initiatives and relevant government policies to determine opportunities for Green House Gas (GHG) reductions through policy modifications or additions. Based on those policies, this project will provide quantitative analysis of GHG reductions from changes to personal vehicle use due to changes in land use, transportation behaviour change, and vehicle emission standards in Ontario cities. The final report will present the research team’s findings and recommendation for implementation actions for the Climate Secretariat.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Christopher Kennedy

Student:

Robert Stupka

Partner:

Pembina Institute

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Alternative energy

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate

Investigating Cooling Water Toxicity at a Pulp and Paper Mill Cause by Seasonal Variability

Isolated instances of toxicity have occurred at AbitibiBowater, a Pulp and Paper industry in Thunder Bay, Ontario. For the past four years (2005-2008) AbitibiBowater Thunder Bay's cooling water has failed Canadian regulatory rainbow trout (oncorhynchus mykiss) toxicity limits during the month of April. This project will investigate the potential cause of such rainbow trout toxicity episodes by means of: (1) gathering background information on cooling water processes; (2) attempting to determine the cause of the Spring pH decrease; (3) modeling the chemical speciation of aluminum in the cooling water; (4) determining the source of aluminum in the cooling water; (5) modeling the seasonal toxicity phenomena in a laboratory setting. In addition, this project will provide AbitibiBowater with an effective wastewater monitoring system for Spring 2009. The Toxicity Early Warning System (TEWS) is a flow through biological monitoring system that utilizes rainbow trout breathing patterns and certain locomotion activities to determine alterations in water quality. This research project will enable AbitibiBowater Thunder Bay to evaluate its current cooling process and assist it in preventing future cooling water toxicity episodes.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Werden Keeler

Student:

Clayton Sereres

Partner:

AbitibiBowater

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Pulp and paper

University:

Lakehead University

Program:

Accelerate

Implementation of a non-linear block LU-SGS time stopping method

The objective of the project is the implementation of a fast solution algorithm for the simulation of complete aircraft configurations. In industry, these numerical simulations are used to compute detailed quantitative information about the flow patterns occurring during take-off, landing and cruise flight, and play an essential role in the optimization of aerodynamic surfaces. However, due to their computationally intensive nature, these analyses are very time consuming and usually require several hours to obtain. The goal of this project is to implement and validate a faster solution algorithm, shortening the time required to perform flow simulations. By employing more efficient mathematical tools, this solution methodology will reduce the computational cost of complete aircraft simulation, and will allow more cases to be treated in a given time frame.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Siva Nadarajah

Student:

Jean-Sebastian Cagnone

Partner:

Bombardier Aerospace

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Aerospace and defense

University:

McGill University

Program:

Accelerate

FPGA-accelerated Laser Line Profile Extraction

The research project with Xiris Automation Inc, a developer of high-end machine vision components, is to devise a laser vision system to inspect pipe welds at very high speeds. This will be accomplished by designing custom hardware on a field programmable gate array (FPGA). This process must detect reliably the quality of the welds in a noisy industrial environment and must account for specular reflection on the pipe’s surface. The desired image acquisition and processing speed will be in the range of 200-500 frames per second.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. David Capson & Dr. Derek Schuurman

Student:

Bryan House

Partner:

Xiris Automation Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

Program:

Accelerate

Development of CVA tools to analyze risk sensitivities

Credit valuation adjustment (CVA) is becoming an integral part of pricing any over-the-counter (OTC) trading portfolio, especially in the light of current market conditions. CVA is the difference between the portfolio values with and without accounting for the possibility of default of trading counterparties. BMO Capital Markets has launched a project to create a front office CVA system that will allow traders to analyze and hedge their credit exposure using adequate and appropriately calibrated models. The MITACS ACCELERATE intern will be involved in this project to assist traders with building spreadsheets for the risk sensitivity analysis (i.e. analysis of the CVA dependence on the model parameters and market conditions) and stress testing and with adopting an intermediate interest rate model to expedite an improved risk analysis.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Luis Seco

Student:

Tunman (David) Chow

Partner:

BMO Capital Markets

Discipline:

Mathematics

Sector:

Finance, insurance and business

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate

Developing highly sensitive biosensors for MRSA bacterial detection

Nosocomial infection is a growing problem in Canadian hospitals, these bacteria can kill as many as 8,000 patients per year, and the expenses reach at least $100 million annually. Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are among the most common bacteria. For example, C. difficile has killed more than 600 people in Quebec alone between 2003 and 2005. The control of the spread of bacteria to multiple patients in hospitals and the efficacy of treatment will be improved with early detection of bacteria. The conventional methods used to determine the causative agent of an infection is bacterial culture that takes several days to obtain the results. Current attempts to prevent propagation of disease by pathogenic bacteria are therefore the subject of major research and efforts to develop techniques for rapid detection and the selection of appropriate treatment/therapy. Biosensor devices, in particular, are potentially the tools of choice for these purposes, and technological improvements in this area continue at a rapid pace. The general aim of the internship with Biophage Pharma Inc., a company focusing on the development and commercialization of agents to prevent and control antibiotic resistant infections and inflammatory diseases, is; 1) to develop a user friendly, rapid and reliable, phage‐based biosensor technology that responds to the current and future needs for detection of bacteria, 2) develop BioMEMS for phage selection against a wide variety of clinically useful strains of pathogen species to identify an efficient treatment. The novelty of this proposed research: is developing a miniaturized, rapid and specific Biosensor for bacterial detection. The biosensor will use the unique advantages of phages as biocapturing agents for rapid (in less than 3 minutes) and specific bacterial detection. This biosensor will have huge potential as it has many advantages over the existing technologies such as rapidity, specific, highthroughput platform, and highly miniaturized which can be used for in‐field applications.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Mohammed Zourob

Student:

Nancy Tawil

Partner:

Biophage Pharma Inc.

Discipline:

Biochemistry / Molecular biology

Sector:

Pharmaceuticals

University:

Concordia University

Program:

Accelerate

Control of fruit ripening in stone fruits – a molecular perspective

Fruits such as peaches and plums are highly perishable fruits with a very short shelf life and hence are aptly called ‘tender fruits’. This necessitates the growing of several varieties that ripen at different time slots to ensure that there is a continual supply of these fruits in the market during the short season of availability. It is interesting to note that, though all these diverse varieties flower at about the same time in spring, fruit ripening is extended by a few weeks in some varieties over the other. The research team hypothesizes that this change is due to a certain ‘molecular switch’ that regulates the ripening process in these fruits. In this proposed project we intend to explore the possible mechanisms that may be related to the molecular switch.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Jayasankar Subramanian

Student:

Islam El-Sharkawy

Partner:

Vineland Research and Innovation Centre

Discipline:

Other

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

University of Guelph

Program:

Accelerate

Support Implementation of Kamakura Risk Management System

For this project, the mathematical finance intern will assist in the development and implementation of a new Economic Capital system, a method used by society to produce and distribute goods and services. The internship will also look into the development and implementation of appropriate risk management policies and procedures. The intern will manage the performance of operational tasks related to asset and liability compliance reporting and credit reporting as well as oversee the performance of credit and financial assessments of treasury credit counterparties.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Luis Seco

Student:

Riyaad Dinath

Partner:

Export Development Canada

Discipline:

Mathematics

Sector:

Finance, insurance and business

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate

Scaling up of the Synthesis of new Polymers for Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Use

The use of natural compounds in the preparation of polymers may yield materials with the desired properties and better bioacceptance. Bile acids are natural amphiphilic compounds biosynthesized in the liver and have been used in the making of such polymers. In this project, the research team use cholic acid, a major bile acid, in the preparation of new star‐shaped polymers. Poly(ethylene glycol) chains and functional groups can be attached to the cholic acid core to obtain star‐shaped polymers. These polymers have been shown to form large stable micelles which may serve as a vehicle for the delivery of therapeutic and cosmetic agents. Star‐shaped polymers with varying chain lengths will be prepared and characterized. The intern will work on the scaling up of the synthesis of such polymers in an industrial environment. The products will be used for the testing of their biocompatibility and application as drug carriers.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Julian Zhu

Student:

Zhang Jie

Partner:

AB Chemin Inc.

Discipline:

Chemistry

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

Program:

Accelerate

Automatic non-invasive detection of diseases of birds using Infrared Thermography

Alberta Veterinary Surveillance Network (AVSN) is a unique effort in Alberta which provides diagnostic pathology and disease investigation support to veterinary practitioners to detect and respond to animal health issues that may affect public health, food safety, or market access that serves the mutual benefits of veterinarians, industry and government. Latest research reveals that Infrared thermography is a comprehensive, non-invasive, non-contact and safe method for early detection of a number of contagious animal diseases. Infrared images contain the body surface temperature of the animal, and a drastic change in the body temperature is observed even before other clinical signs are manifested when an animal falls ill. These images can also be used to detect changes in group behaviours that reflect onset of disease before manifestation of clinical signs. In order to monitor images from large flocks in a timely manner, specialized software to evaluate infrared images is required to automate the analysis is on a province wide scale. The internship consists of developing a novel methodology which would automatically segment infrared images of the animal and groups of animals, identify abnormal regions (high temperature zones or animal clusters) and continuously monitor these regions, and raise an alarm if there is an epidemic. The MITACS ACCELERATE intern will discover the methodology and develop the software for AVSN to facilitate the implementation of a system for early detection of animal diseases.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Nilanjan Ray

Student:

Baidya Nath Saha

Partner:

AQL Management Consulting Inc.

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Accelerate

Women’s Use of Cosmeceutical Products

The term ‘cosmeceutical’ represents the marriage of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and is the new buzzword in the cosmetics industry. Cosmeceutical products are cosmetic products with a biologically active ingredient purporting to have medical or drug‐like benefits. Dermatological research suggests that the bioactive ingredients used in cosmeceuticals do indeed have benefits beyond the traditional moisturizer, but the term cosmeceutical remains a marketing term, as there are no requirements to prove that the products actually live up to their claims. Therefore it is up to the consumer to decide whether these claims are valid and worth the cost. However, currently there is no academic research on the characteristics of those most likely to purchase cosmeceutical products or of the factors involved in the decision to purchase these products. This internship is a survey of women over the age of 18 about their knowledge and use of cosmeceutical products, and the factors involved in their decision to purchase these products. The results will have implications for the development, marketing and sales of cosmeceutical products in the future, and will provide insight into how women’s ideas about aging and beauty influence their purchasing habits.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Serge Desmarais

Student:

Amy Muise

Partner:

Haber Dermaceutics

Discipline:

Psychology

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Guelph

Program:

Accelerate

Research and Innovation Change Management in the Canadian Construction Industry

The purpose of the internship is to identify the existing status of research and innovation (R&I) processes in the Canadian construction industry. The internship will look at target levels and the extent of research and innovation (R&I) based in part on comparisons elsewhere. The intern will also research the barriers to change and an implementation plan to effect change. Through the research, resources and tools to assist the Canadian construction R&I process will be available, and a change management roadmap and implementation plan will be developed. The research results will benefit the partner in promoting and advancing research and innovation processes within the Canadian construction industry, as well as benefit all Canadian construction companies to accomplish research and innovation activities.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. S. Michael Brooks

Student:

Kui Jun Xu (KJ)

Partner:

Canadian Construction Association

Discipline:

Business

Sector:

Construction and infrastructure

University:

Ryerson University

Program:

Accelerate

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