Innovative Projects Realized

Thermoplastic Polyurethane Electrolyte Development for eWindows

Miru Smart Technologies (Miru) is developing the next generation of low-cost, energy-efficient, high-quality eWindows for residential, commercial, and automotive industries. Using scalable and adaptable methodologies, electrochromic windows have the potential to yield significant gains in energy efficiency by offsetting user climate control requirements while simultaneously providing a high-quality consumer experience.
In Q1 2025, Miru recently announced its partnership with US-based firm Mativ, a global leader in thermoplastic polyurethane interlayer production. The Miru-Mativ partnership has so far focused on co-development of a polymeric electrolyte for Miru’s eWindow technology, satisfying unique constraints related to electrochemical durability, mechanical durability, and a range of standard glazing optical requirements. While substantial progress has been made in this area, fundamental electrochemistry and polymer chemistry must be further developed to enhance durability and product performance.
The proposed project herein aims to centralize new iterative chemical formulation development processes for polymer electrolytes in Miru’s Vancouver-based Technology Centre at 68 E 1 Avenue. In order to meet durability targets, and to provide needed feedback for external industry partners, a wide range of materials and method development will be required to inform strategic product development goals in Miru’s next generation product.

Implementing Mobility-as-a-Service in Canada by Learning from an Austrian Example

Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) is an emerging service that enables users to plan, reserve, and pay for different on-demand and shared mobility services through an integrated platform. MaaS is relatively more advanced and widespread in European countries than in North America. In parts of Europe, shared mobility services can also be found in mobility hubs (dedicated on-street spaces) although such hubs are not yet used in Canada. Given their novelty, the impacts of the implementation of MaaS and mobility hubs need to be further studied, particularly in a Canadian context. The primary objective of this project is to compare the use and barriers to the use of shared mobility services between Toronto and Vienna and identify avenues in which these regions can learn from one another in terms of promoting the adoption of MaaS. The results of this project this project can help in the development of policies that promote the adoption of shared mobility and MaaS that are more catered towards the needs of each region. Through an analysis of the usage and design of mobility hubs, this research project can also identify ways to better integrate shared services and create a more seamless and user-friendly transportation network.

Cartographie de l’écosystème culturel des MRC de Portneuf et de Jacques-Cartier

Ce projet de recherche en collaboration avec Culture Capitale-Nationale et Chaudière-Appalaches (CCNCA) a pour objectif de présenter une cartographie sociologique raisonnée des ressources culturelles (acteurs, organismes, leviers, infrastructures, etc.) des MRC de Portneuf et de La Jacques-Cartier. Cette cartographie permettra d’une part la création d’un répertoire à jour des ressources, et d’autre part de situer les ressources culturelles de ces deux territoires tant d’un point de vue géographique que sociologique. Cette cartographie sera un outil de travail évolutif pour CCNCA, qui pourra par la suite reproduire la collecte de données à l’ensemble de son territoire afin d’accroître sa connaissance quant aux milieux culturels qu’elle appuie. L’actualisation de ces connaissances permettra à CCNCA d’offrir des recommandations et de mettre en place une concertation qui soit la plus phase qui soit avec la réalité du milieu, qu’il soit culturel ou municipal.

Caractérisation d’incertitudes et prédiction de charges de travail d’une chaîne de production industrielle, en utilisant des méthodes d’apprentissage machine et de science des données et développement d’une solution logicielle prototype

Artelys Canada est une compagnie de consultation spécialisée dans la mise en oeuvre de solutions d’aide à la décision quantitative, faisant intervenir des modèles et algorithmes de mathématiques décisionnelles : statistiques, analyse de données, intelligence artificielle, optimisation numérique et recherche opérationnelle. Elle se distingue par son ADN industriel et intervient principalement dans les secteurs de l’Energie, l’industrie manufacturière et le transport.
Consciente de l’importance de ses activités dans l’effort pour la transition énergétique, Hitachi Energy cherche à optimiser ses processus de production pour améliorer leur efficacité. Via ce projet, Artelys Canada explore des outils d’intelligence artificielle pour mieux estimer la charge de travail et optimiser la planification de la production à l’usine de Varennes, qui produit environ 50 transformateurs électriques par an.
Pour Hitachi Energy, le projet s’inscrit dans un cadre de modernisation de l’usine afin de mieux répondre à la demande accrue du marché, accélérée par la transition énergétique et l’électrification. L’accomplissement de ce projet permettrait à Artelys Canada d’approfondir son expertise en optimisation des procédures de production industrielle. La participation d’un stagiaire apporterait un regard nouveau et pourrait aligner de nouvelles retombées de la recherche académique avec les besoins des industriels.

Evaluation of frass, a waste stream from industrial insect production, as a soil amendment.

Industrial-scale production of insect-derived protein has emerged as a sustainable alternative to wild harvesting or large animal farming. The principal waste product is called frass, which is composed of excrement, larval exoskeletons and microbes. Frass from black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) has plant-growth promoting (PGP) properties and is therefore well positioned as a replacement for carbon intensive and environmentally damaging synthetic fertilizers. However, the mechanism by which frass enhances plant growth and whether it increases plant nutrient content are unknown. We have shown in previous work that soil amended with BSFL frass enhanced lettuce growth and water retention, but importantly, also modified the community of root-associated bacteria. Many bacteria in that frass-modified community have documented PGP properties. So, we have strong preliminary evidence that at least some of the effects of frass are attributable to the microbial fraction of frass. If this result holds true for other crop plants, it would position frass as a sustainable and widely applicable method to enhance crop plant growth, thus improving the marketability of this industrial waste stream. We propose to test the generality of the effects of BSFL frass on plant growth rates, root-associated bacterial community and nutrient content of kale plants.

Étude de la croissance des moules

La température de surface des océans a augmenté d’environ 1 °C depuis l’époque préindustrielle, une tendance qui ira en s’accélérant. L’effet probable de ce changement environnemental sur la croissance des mollusques marins sera étudié par le biais de simulations sur ordinateur. Ce travail met en jeu la moule. Nous nous servirons de données sur l’alimentation des moules acquises il y a plusieurs années. Le premier a été obtenu en nature à Pointe Mitis en 1981, et servira de témoin. Le temps d’exondation dû à la marée sera pris en compte. Le second a été obtenu en laboratoire à l’Institut Maurice-Lamontagne (1995-96 ; MPO) ; il permettra de nous assurer que les simulations sont conformes aux observations de 1981, et ultimement de faire des prévisions réalistes de l’effet des changements climatiques sur un mollusque d’importance écologique et aquicole dans plusieurs pays, y compris au Canada.

Startup Atlantic growth & partnership intern

Venn Innovation is focused on fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in the Atlantic Canada region by building a strong network of startups, investors, and industry partners. The organization aims to enhance collaboration, provide resources, and create growth opportunities for emerging businesses. A key challenge is establishing a sustainable and scalable partnership model to support long-term growth and engagement within the startup ecosystem. This project will help Venn Innovation address these challenges by developing a structured approach to partnership outreach, marketing, sponsorship acquisition, and community engagement—activities that go beyond routine operations by strategically expanding the association’s reach and funding opportunities. Solving this problem requires expertise in business development, marketing, stakeholder engagement, sponsorship acquisition, and event planning. The Growth & Partnerships Intern will play a vital role in executing key initiatives, such as securing partnerships, designing marketing campaigns, supporting sponsorship efforts, assisting in event execution, and enhancing operational processes to improve member engagement and tracking.

Research Data Monetization Strategy

The Bloorview Research Institute (BRI) is exploring innovative ways to leverage its vast research data holdings to generate value and advance its missions. While this data holds significant potential value for external stakeholders across healthcare, academia, and industry, the organization currently lacks a strategy for ethical and sustainable monetization. The innovative challenge at hand is identifying viable, sustainable, and ethical models for research data monetization. This includes understanding how similar organizations approach this issue, what best practices and pitfalls exist, and how BRI can position itself to extract value from data without compromising trust, compliance, or its research integrity. The main objective of this project is to assess the feasibility, risks, and opportunities of monetizing research data at the partner organization and to develop a strategic roadmap for data commercialization.

Orbital Angular Momentum Modulated Free-space Optical Communication systems

The use of orbital angular momentum (OAM) for free-space optical (FSO) communications is almost unexplored. The proposed research will investigate the bit-error rate (BER) performance of FSO systems using OAM. The analysis will begin by considering the ideal case of separable OAM-modulated FSO system performance, to be followed by the individual and combined effects of shot noise, thermal noise, dark current and turbulence. In the presence of turbulence, the separability of OAM signals is no longer maintained, as the inhomogeneities in the refractive index of the air alter the phase structure of the optical vortex. The BER performance of the OAM-based FSO system will be evaluated by considering the effects of realistic OAM crosstalk for various turbulence strength conditions. The research results from this project will be used to help engineers design practical OWC links with higher transmission speed.

Auberges de jeunesse SaintLo

Les Auberges Saintlo souhaitent amorcer une dynamique de transition écologique concrète au sein de l’organisation. Cela passe par l’élaboration et la formalisation d’un plan d’action solide pour un tourisme durable, la mise en place de processus internes standardisés et réplicables entre les deux auberges, et la recherche de solutions innovantes, efficaces et rentables. Ce projet MITACS permettra d’ajouter à l’équipe actuelle une ressource humaine dédiée à la coordination et à la mise en œuvre des initiatives de développement durable. Cette personne aura pour mission de coordonner les actions en cours, d’en assurer le suivi et de s’assurer que les objectifs de réduction de l’empreinte écologique, de promotion de pratiques éthiques et d’engagement social et environnemental soient atteints. Elle sera un véritable catalyseur pour intégrer la durabilité dans toutes les facettes de notre activité.

MFL Mitacs Project Electric School Buses

The transition to electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, particularly school buses, presents a significant opportunity for sustainable transportation. School buses are ideal candidates for electrification due to their predictable daily routes and manageable travel distances. However, establishing the necessary charging infrastructure and charging schedule at bus depots is a major barrier to this transition. Installing such infrastructure often requires costly grid upgrades, as existing power levels may need to be improved to support high-capacity chargers.

This project aims to design a depot-charging infrastructure that minimizes operational costs while accommodating the unique demands of school bus fleets. The primary objective is to develop a cost-effective solution that addresses energy costs influenced by utility demand charges and time-of-use (TOU) pricing. By optimizing the charging process, the project seeks to use the lowest power chargers available, schedule charging during off-peak hours, and implement staggered charging schedules to reduce simultaneous demand, despite the variability in bus routes.
The approach involves developing an optimization model that balances the costs of grid upgrades, charger installations, and energy consumption. Key parameters such as the number of chargers, their power levels, and charging schedules will be determined to ensure both cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency. An interactive tool will also be developed to visualize and manage the charging solutions through a user-friendly interface, enabling stakeholders to interact with and adjust the infrastructure plan as needed.
Expertise in optimization algorithms, electric vehicle infrastructure, and web development is essential for the success of this project. The project aims to deliver a scalable and economically viable charging infrastructure model by leveraging advanced optimization techniques and comprehensive knowledge of sustainable transportation. The successful implementation of this model will facilitate the widespread electrification of school bus fleets, significantly reducing operational costs and environmental impact. Furthermore, it will establish a benchmark for future sustainable transportation initiatives, promoting greener

Enhancing Privacy Against Surveillance and Censorship in Future Internet Architectures

The dramatic growth of the Internet has enhanced access to information, fostering seamless communication and promoting effective collaboration. Unfortunately, advanced network traffic control and monitoring systems have empowered state-level actors to deploy large-scale surveillance and censorship mechanisms that track people’s Internet activities or limit their ability to freely access and publish information. Recently, multiple initiatives have pushed towards an overhaul of the Internet by applying the lessons learned throughout 30 years of practical network engineering experience. These initiatives, known as Future Internet Architectures (FIAs), seek to remove legacy design constraints and improve performance, scalability, and mobility while adding much-needed security features.
However, the deployment of effective privacy-enhancing tools within FIAs and the broader Internet remains a significant challenge. For instance, the traffic of popular anonymity networks such as Tor can be easily detected (and blocked) if not properly hidden. This project aims to enhance our understanding of FIAs and worldwide censorship efforts by investigating the efficacy of popular mechanisms that can be used by state-level actors and design a novel countermeasure.