Innovative Projects Realized

Wireless communications for sensor networks in perturbed environments: application to vehicles

Modelling consumer choice processes in a dynamic and competitive environment

A “choice model” is a mathematical tool that can be used to anticipate the behaviour of economic agents when they must choose among several options. We will use this technique to predict airline or railway passenger choices as a means of anticipating demand and optimizing supply with regard to availability and ticket prices. As part of this internship, the intern will develop new models and test their performance using actual data. This internship will allow ExPretio to test new approaches and apply advanced techniques in choice modelling, an area in which the intern has specialized as part of his Ph.D.

Intelligent kinetic architectural envelope development

In the project, three interns will work intensively with Philip Beesley Architect Inc. on designing and implementing kinetic architectural envelopes. The envelopes will be presented as sculptural installations and as a dynamic shading system for the Canadian North House entry to the 2009 Solar Decathlon. Parametric modeling of components will be used to explore the conceptual possibilities for the project and establish design alternatives. Solar power and wireless communication technologies will be developed, building on the open source Arduino platform. Physical component implementation will employ inhouse laser cutting and CNC routing, expanded by new thermoforming equipment supporting lightweight sheet-formed elements. Full scale prototypes of key assemblies will be mocked up and tested to ensure they withstand outdoor environmental conditions. The contribution to the work of PBAI will take the form of direct work on two of the company's projects, the sculpture and the dynamic shading system, and of hardware that can be deployed in future projects in the Reflexive Membranes Series.

Development of Tree Ring – C Climate Relationships in Boreal Forests

Mining operations in the Oil Sands area can affect extensive areas of boreal forest. Those forested areas affected by mining are expected to be reclaimed by mining companies to re-establish their natural conditions after the exploitation ends. The long©term success of reclamation plans can be assessed with ecological models that simulate how different environmental factors affect tree growth and development. Climate is possibly the most important factor influencing plant growth. In this project, a data base of tree ring widths for different years will be assembled along with a corresponding series of historical climate records from local weather stations. A series of statistical equations will then be developed that describe the relationship between annual tree ring width and climate. Results of this research will be used in the development of an ecosystem model (FORECAST©climate) designed to explore the ecological consequences of climate change on forest growth and mine reclamation practices.

Architecture and application of an innovative decision-support module for use in primary care with electronic patient records

This project is designed to develop a decision-support module to be used with electronic patient records. By using innovative methodologies to analyze patient data as well as the sharing of such data with clinicians and the patients themselves, the project seeks to resolve current problems faced by clinical decision-support information systems (including problems that have limited the impact that these systems have had to date on medical practice). The central hypothesis of this research initiative is that the use of a matrix of patterns can accommodate the complexity of diagnostic information. As a main innovation, we will build and evaluate an intelligent engine to connect specific patterns with a visual representation of contextual knowledge modelled on physician and patient mindsets. This dynamic engine will be able to prescribe diagnostic tests and therapies directly or query and obtain complementary information immediately. Myca, a company that is developing an electronic patient record platform, is counting on its research partners with expertise in medical information systems to design a high-quality, valued-added module for their information platform.

Utilizing Key Performance Indicators to Increase the Production Efficiency of Ontario Cow Calf Operations

The Ontario beef industry is a significant part of the agricultural economy, accounting for the highest farm cash receipts in the sector. Through linkages to other parts of the economy, beef production employs thousands of Ontarians and generates $1.4 billion for the provincial economy. The industry is under threat, however, from such challenges as trade restrictions, higher feed costs and changing food preferences. The most effective medium term solution to ensure the viability of the industry is to increase efficiency at the farm level. This study seeks to evaluate the determinants of production inefficiency and propose a system of benchmarking, whereby producers can compare their operations to ones identified to be relatively more efficient. This study will identify efficient producers and determine which production and management factors contribute most to the level of production efficiency. Producers will benefit from the identification of key performance indicators, which will help them improve the efficiency, and thus the profitability, of their operations.

Modeling of a Multi-Stage Roll Forming Process Applied to Textile Composite Bridge Deck Slabs

The replacement of metallic materials by polymer matrix composites which possess a multitude of improved properties (lower density, higher stiffness and strength, resistance to fatigue and damage, high temperature stability, etc) is becoming a main objective in several industries including aerospace, automotive and construction. Structural components used in such industries often include sharp radii and angles, which have proven to be difficult to form on a controlled basis because of the spring-back or spring-in phenomenon. During the forming and cooling cycles, spring-back or spring-in can cause up to 4 degrees of error on the fabricated parts and it poses more problems on thick parts. The intern in this project will be working on a (finite element) modeling, simulation, and optimization approach to predict and minimize this effect for a V]shape roll formed profile made of a typical woven composite material and used in bridge deck slabs. Once validated (by comparing to available test data as AS Composite), the model can be modified and used for similar materials and parts with different profiles.

Investigating Effects of UV Disinfection on Wastewater Estrogenic Activity

This project is in partnership with the Canadian Water Network. Endocrine disrupting compounds or chemicals (EDCs) generally refer to chemical substances with the capacity to disrupt the endocrine system of animals. Scientific studies on the impacts of EDCs on aquatic wildlife in Canada, particularity studies on fish in the Great Lakes, have brought the issue of EDCs in the aquatic environment to the forefront. Efforts are now ongoing to comprehensively understand the fate of EDCs in wastewater treatment processes and develop effective ways to remove them to satisfactory levels. The objective of this project is to investigate effects of UV disinfection on wastewater estrogenic activity with the partner company Trojan Technologies. Trojan markets UV technologies for water and wastewater disinfection all over the world. The proposed project is important for Trojan to understand and clarify the estrogenic effects of UV byproducts on the quality of wastewater effluent from wastewater treatment plants.

Financial analysis and evaluation model for willow plantations at Grappe agroénergétique des Coteaux

The project has to do with the financial evaluation of using different types of trees as biomass for energetic consideration. This initiative is designed to develop a model to analyze and evaluate the economic benefits of the intensive cultivation of willow trees and compare them with results obtained with traditional forestry practices. The project also aims to determine optimal production conditions for poplar plantations and the cultivation of other woody plants, including triticale and switch grass. This model will help establish analysis and evaluation standards for the industry and its business models.

Evaluation of a Neuro-fuzzy Machine Vision System for Intelligent Inspection

This project is in partnership with AUTO21. Van Rob is an automotive parts manufacturer of metal stampings with plants in the Toronto area. The objective of this internship is to evaluate the performance of a machine vision inspection system in an industrial environment. The evaluation of the intelligent neuro-fuzzy inspection algorithm used by the machine vision system known as QVision is the subject of the intern’s Master’s thesis. The original QVision was developed by a previous Master’s student. QVision has been installed on one of Van Rob’s Manufacturing cells. The basic methodology is for the intern to test the performance of QVision as the cell operates. Different techniques will be studied to correct for problems revealed during the testing process. The criteria for success is for QVision to operate with less than 2% false negatives (rejection of a good part) and zero false positives (acceptance of a bad part). If the test is successful, Van Rob will have a production proven machine vision inspection system that can be applied to other areas of production. A working machine vision inspection system will reduce the number of false negatives and consequently reduce scrap rates. Furthermore, by eliminating the number of false positives, Van Rob will avoid economic penalties associated with containment action by their customers.

Effectiveness monitoring of native vegetation trials in mine soils and analysis of soil stockpiles at Huckleberry Mines, Houston, B.C

Upon request by Huckleberry Mines Ltd. for further on‐site reclamation research towards preparation for the anticipated mine closure in 2010, a vegetation and soil effectiveness monitoring project was initiated in the summer of 2008. The objective of this project is to evaluate the performance of native vegetation within soil stockpile originated substrates and describe the biogeochemistry of soil stockpiles at the minesite. In collaboration with Manning, Cooper and Associates Ltd, Phase 1 of the project conducted baseline sampling of soil stockpiles and initiated native seed test plots at various locations on the minesite. Further phases of the project will monitor the vegetative success of these test plots during the summer/fall of 2009 and 2010 and continue characterization of soil substrates within soil stockpiles. The goal of vegetation monitoring will be to provide recommendations towards refining the approaches to re‐establishing native vegetation on disturbed and degraded soils within the minesite footprint.

Ecological determinants of sustainable aquaculture in British Columbia

Aquaculture (the farming of marine and aquatic organisms) is the fastest growing agri‐food sector in the world and is regularly cited as a primary solution to addressing growing global food deficiency. In British Columbia the aquaculture industry is dominated by two species, Atlantic salmon and Pacific oyster. While the potential economic benefits of this industry are well understood, the direct and indirect ecological consequences are less so. A consistent feature of all industrial scale aquaculture systems is the extremely high density of production animals. Rearing animals at densities that can exceed 1000x ambient can generate adverse effects both within and beyond the farm. Many such effects are well documented, if not well understood. Others, such as those addressed in this suite of projects are not yet documented: How the very presence of farms changes epidemiological dynamics in wild populations?; How farm-derived nutrient subsidies may drive increased exposure and susceptibility to parasites in wild flatfish?; How non-target species such as prawn is affected by chemical parasite treatments used on farms?; How large can an oyster farm be before it starts undermining fundamental ecological functions of its surrounding environment?; Once impacted, how is a marine site most effectively restored?. Answering such questions is only half the challenge, synthesizing data so that it can be used to advance well informed policy is also a priority. This project will develop empirically derived performance metrics which will allow direct comparison of sustainability performance BC aquaculture facilities.