Innovative Projects Realized

Phase 2: Assessment of a patient turning device to assist in patient handling

Problem Statement: The healthcare sector faces a significant challenge with high rates of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, largely attributed to patient handling (PH) tasks. Existing studies have highlighted this issue, underscoring the need for technological interventions to effectively reduce injuries associated with patient handling.

Objectives and Activities: This proposal focuses on investigating the Vendlet technology, designed to facilitate in-bed patient handling. This technology has yet to enter the Canadian market, but its establishment is anticipated by early 2025. This project marks the second phase of a larger research endeavor. Phase-1 focused on quantifying the physical demands of PH tasks through neuromuscular and biomechanical modeling without the use of technology. Phase-2 expanded on this by evaluating the Vendlet technology and caregiver training protocols to reduce physical demands compared to manual handling tasks.

Anticipated Impact(s): The introduction of innovative technologies like the Vendlet is expected to reduce the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries among healthcare workers in both long-term and acute care settings, enhance healthcare worker safety, and potentially decrease healthcare costs associated with injuries and absenteeism in Canada. The adoption of advanced PH technologies, such as the Vendlet, will create safer work environments for both healthcare providers and patients.

Drone Assessment of Winter Feeding of Climate Resilient Cattle

In the Climate Resilience Cattle project, we are combining the Red Angus, Senepol, Galloway, and Scottish Higland Bos taurus breeds with the objective of producing a novel synthetic breed called the Climate Master Composite. Thermally equipped drones will be autonomously flown to each individual animal using the GPS coordinates supplied by Virtual Fencing collars placed around the animals neck. When in position above the cattle, the quadcopter will record video for a minimum of three minutes, providing stable footage for each animal for later behavioral assessment; and the drone will also capture radiometric JPEG photos to record the external surface temperatures with the goal of assessing the insulative value of each animal’s winter hair coat during morning, afternoon and evening collection periods. The overall objective is to produce a polled composite cattle breed that can withstand both hot and cold temperature extremes. We hypothesize that as the insulative value of an animal’s winter coat increases, the amount of radiated heat detected by the microbolometer on the radiometric camera will decrease and will help characterize the different winter coat phenotypes between our different cattle groups.

Digital Technology and Imposter Syndrome

As an epistemic phenomenon and mental health concern, Imposter syndrome (IS) can affect how individuals believe and see themselves as epistemic peers in an epistemic environment. The online environment, particularly social media, can be an epistemic environment that could provide useful insight into understanding and dealing with imposter syndrome. So far, what has been theorised in the literature on digital technology highlights how social media negatively affects the mental health of its users. However, there is very little theorisation on the potential usefulness of social media for mental health, particularly as it relates to imposter syndrome. Therefore, I propose a novel argument that digital technologies can help further understand and possibly ameliorate the effects of the imposter syndrome both an epistemic and mental health concern affecting black women philosophers.

Guide des matériaux récupérables pour le plex et la maison unifamiliale (Guide to reusable materials for plexes and single-family homes)

The intern will conduct an analysis of carbon and costs associated with different end of life scenarios for two common housing typologies, a single family house and a plex. This data for the different scenarios will be compiled into a diagram to help industry stakeholders easily understand the impact of different circular operations. The partner organization will include the diagram and use the analysis to propose different recommendations for contractors trying to implement circular operations when working in these two typologies. The results will be published in a guide the partner organization is creating to understand which materials have the potential to be recuperated and reused in single family houses and plexes, as well as their environmental and economic viability.

Implementing and Assessing the Pyramid Model for Promoting Socio-Emotional Competence in Early Childhood Educators: An Action Research Project in Prince Edward Island

This innovative project aims to implement and evaluate the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children framework (PM) for promoting social-emotional competence in the early learning and childcare sector (ELCC) in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada. The project engages 18 Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) and 10 coaches across PEI over a two-year period. The initial year of the study has already secured funding. The present application seeks financial support exclusively for the final year. The implementation of this project is anticipated to lay the groundwork for a subsequent province-wide adoption of the PM framework. The partner organization, the PEI Early Childhood Development Association (ECDA), stands to gain significant benefits from this initiative. Firstly, the project will help ECDA with the implementation of a comprehensive, evidence-based professional development program for ECEs, addressing a critical gap in current practices. Moreover, the project will generate valuable data on the implementation fidelity and effectiveness of the PM framework within the PEI context. This information will be instrumental for ECDA in refining ECEs professional training programs and informing future policy decisions. Further, the participatory nature of the research will also foster a culture of continuous improvement and evidence-based practice within the organization. Additionally, the project’s focus on stakeholder dynamics and governance issues will provide ECDA with insights into systemic factors affecting early childhood education in PEI. This knowledge can guide strategic planning and resource allocation, enhancing ECDA’s overall effectiveness in supporting the ELCC sector of PEI.

Real-time Optimization Strategies for Swarms of Heterogeneous Drones

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Enhancement of eCB-MSC Cryorecovery

Our research project aims to preserve the post-thaw viability and functionality of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from equine cord blood (eCB-MSCs). The project addresses the challenge posed by asynchronous culture paired with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-based cryopreservation, which may lead to cryoinjury, batch variability, and reduced therapeutic effectiveness. By investigating a novel DMSO-free cryoprotective agent in combination with cell-cycle synchronization via serum starvation, the research seeks to establish a more reliable cryopreservation protocol that better preserves the cells’ regenerative potential.

eQcell Inc. focuses on veterinary regenerative solutions while generating pre-clinical data to establish scientifically and economically efficient pathways for translating these advancements to human applications, utilizing a One Health approach. Through this research, eQcell aims to overcome the limitations of existing cryopreservation methods by improving the consistency, viability, and functionality of eCB-MSCs post-thaw. The successful development of a DMSO-free cryopreservation protocol could significantly enhance the therapeutic outcomes of MSC treatments, positioning eQcell at the forefront of equine regenerative medicine and potentially opening up new economic opportunities in the biotechnology sector.

HyMarine kit development, from parts to assembly

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Automatic Musical Classification for Intelligent Audio Tools

MixGenius works on automated musical production by real-time musical genre detection. High accuracy of genre detection for a variety of sub-genres is required for quality production and has yet to be achieved. The project involves researching available real-time high-accuracy musical genre detection methods and improving upon them, extracting each genre’s audio features, calibrating the algorithm with a database of songs of different genres, testing them with other songs of the same genres and repeating the process as needed to improve detection accuracy.
The partner organization will benefit from insight into academia and access to state of the art genre detection research, new software modeled and created, superior results from music engine product gained by knowledge of genre, and implementation that is reusable and expandable for future development.

Multi-criteria traffic danger assessment

Traffic danger is a serious consideration not only because it causes death and severe injury, but also as a barrier to independent travel by children. A key local destination that nearly all children attend are schools, which results in a concentration of children going to these places often when adults are heading out for work or other reasons. Cities have limited budgets to improve conditions and so they must prioritize where and what they will do. As well, not every department sees the problem in the same way. This collaboration will help the City of Westmount build a tool that takes into account the different considerations when making such decisions. The research will apply a multi-criteria decision aiding approach that allows for many considerations, requires concensus between the diverse participating members, allows for non-linear relationships, and allows for different criteria to more or less weight in the outcome.

3D Printing of Beta-Tricalcium Phosphate constructs for Post Cancer Maxillectomy Patients

The maxillectomy is a surgical procedure, involving the removal of parts of the maxillary bone due to either congenital defects, traumatic conditions, or osteogenic and non-osteogenic tumors. The current gold standard of treatment involves the auto-grafting of bone from a second surgical site such as the fibula, into the maxilla; a practice that increases the risk of site morbidity, graft failure, and infection. The goal of this study, is to investigate the potential and utility of beta-tricalcium phosphate (B-TCP), a novel biocompatible and bioresorbable ceramic, as a suitable bio-material for 3D printed prosthetics, set to replace bone grafting as the gold standard procedure in maxillofacial reconstructive surgeries. While closely resembling human bone, B-TCP provides a scaffold that promotes bone regeneration and can also resorb to create space for new bone tissue to take its place. While utilizing the innate properties of B-TCP, there will be additional doping of novel bone anabolic conjugate (MES 1007), to amplify the regeneration process. The application of 3D printing allows for grafts customized to the patient’s defect aiding in reconstruction and reducing surgical time. Increased biocompatibility limits the risk of graft failure and leads to shorter recovery times.

Enhancing Wastewater Management: Optimizing Water Quality Measurement in Treatment Processes

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