Innovative Projects Realized

Improving stream tracer gauging techniques

Stream discharge, a measurement of the volume of water passing a location along a stream, is an essential variable in many engineering and scientific projects. Discharge can be measured by injecting tracer material (such as common table salt or coloured dyes) into a stream and observing how the material mixes in the stream channel. For many streams, tracer gauging studies are the only reliable and safe method to determine discharge, yet many uncertainties exist in the experimental procedure. The objective of this internship is to improve current tracer gauging techniques to minimize measurement and analysis uncertainty and improve our understanding of mixing lengths. Northwest Hydraulic Consultants uses stream tracer gauging for many of their projects in British Columbia, such as their hydro-electric generation and stream restoration projects. An improvement in these field techniques will save time in the field and provide NHC with more reliable data to make confident, informed design and analysis decisions.

L2M – AI for Criminal Justice

We aim to help law enforcement agencies tackle today’s most sophisticated crimes by enhancing their productivity, improving crime clearance rates, improve the success rate in speedy trials, and driving crime prevention through the power of AI-driven crime prediction.

Expert consumer identities and co-branded products.

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Comprendre et atténuer les entraves au recrutement de la tortue mouchetée en Outaouais

Ce projet de stage visera à comprendre et atténuer les entraves au recrutement de la population de tortue mouchetée (en voie de disparition, inscrite à l’Annexe 1 de la Loi sur les Espèces en Péril) en Outaouais, au Québec. Quatre objectifs précis et mesurables ont été élaborés, soient 1) Mesurer le succès reproducteur; 2) Mesurer le taux de prédation; 3) Tester différentes mesures d’exclusion de prédateurs. Toutes les activités proposées viseront à quantifier et atténuer la menace de la prédation sur les nids de tortues par les prédateurs favorisés par les activités anthropiques. Elles permettront également d’améliorer nos connaissances sur la répartition et localisation de certains habitats critiques et d’évaluer et suivre la viabilité des populations dans le cadre du Plan de rétablissement de la tortue mouchetée au Québec, en raffinant les connaissances sur les habitats de pontes et les menaces pesant sur le taux de succès reproducteur.

Exploring the occurrence of critical metals in zinc deposits: Opportunities for enhanced resource utilization

Finding reliable sources of the metals needed for the energy transition is one of the biggest challenges in the minerals sector. This research project focuses on identifying critical metals such as indium, gallium, and germanium in zinc deposits in the Grenville Province (Ontario). These metals, often present as trace elements in sphalerite (zinc ore), are crucial for technologies like renewable energy and electronics. The project will examine how these metals substitute for zinc in sphalerite and map their distribution across the deposit. By analyzing metal concentrations with advanced techniques like laser ablation ICP-MS, the research will provide insights into the formation processes of the deposit and propose efficient methods for extracting these critical metals. The findings will help optimize mineral processing, improving resource extraction and contributing to a sustainable supply of critical materials for emerging technologies.

Novel Drug Disperser System

Rapid testing has emerged as a core pillar of public health and diagnostics, and relies heavily on lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) test kits. Lateral flow assay dispenser (LFAD) is the preferred method of manufacturing LFIA test kits. Significant improvements in LFAD can significantly improve through put, while simultaneous reduce costs. The increased adoption of Industry 4.0 has revolutionized many modern manufacturing across a variety of fields due to its emphasis on automation, precision, and data driven decision-making. Industry 4.0, also known as the fourth industrial revolution, refers to the integration of technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and data analytics into manufacturing processes. The LFADs have yet to take full advantage of the advancements that Industry 4.0 brings to manufacturing. This research project aims to address this lack of adoption by investigating potential solutions to the challenges in LFAD, for example employing computer vision (CV), robotics, and machine learning. The project will also enable rapid scaling of production as well as enable the industry partner to swap the sensing chemicals with greater agility in order to develop LFIA kits for different pathogens.

Scalability management for virtualized IMS

IP multimedia subsystem has been identified by mobile network operators as a promising framework for deploying VoLTE and rich communications services. Offering these services in efficient manner makes it even more attractive. Virtualization represents the suitable concept to achieve this. Moreover, deploying IMS in virtualized environment becomes a solution of great potential especially for multi-tenant application providers. This project aims at defining and validating elasticity management approaches of virtualized IMS based on SLA. These approaches will help Mobile network operators and multi-tenant application providers to offer better performance and overall service experience.

Physiological and perceptual responses to exercise “snacks” in apparently healthy adults and those with type 2 diabetes.

Regular physical activity confers robust health benefits, but many people are insufficiently active. Common cited barriers include a perceived lack of time and access to equipment and facilities. “Exercise snacks” are a style of physical activity characterized by isolated bouts of vigorous exercise lasting =1-min and performed sporadically throughout the day. They can include simple and practical bodyweight-style exercises that require no specialized equipment. The purpose of the proposed project is to investigate the acute physiological and perceptual responses to various bodyweight-style ES in adults with and without type 2 diabetes. During this study, participants will perform six, 1-min ES in a random order separated with periods of recovery. The ES will be characterized using objective (e.g. oxygen uptake, heart rate) and subjective (perceived exertion, enjoyment) measurements. The proposed project will enhance the collaborative potential between Dr. Gibala’s laboratory at McMaster University and Dr. Coombes’ laboratory at The University of Queensland in Australia. This collaborative and diverse research opportunity will enable the lead Canadian student investigator to gain insight into the operation of a different institution at an internationally renowned laboratory. Such experiences are highly regarded and are considered extremely beneficial for trainee development.

Continuous Ammonia Monitor for Marine Environments

Experimental development of novel sensor hardware for measuring ammonia in marine environments. This includes prototype development, preliminary testing and validation.

Development of a Strategy for the Improvement of the Wireless UnderGround-to-AboveGround Connectivity Probability Using the Non-Licensed UHF-Band Localization and Telemetry Systems in Harsh Environments

Two IoUT localization and telemetry sensors with RF antennas and power amplifiers at 915 MHz are achieved. The two sensors were measured in the research laboratory showing a reasonable agreement with the simulation results. However, the two sensors were not measured onsite yet. Therefore, the performance of the two IoUT localization and telemetry sensors is going to be measured onsite on this proposed project. Hence, a lot of important data about the soil properties and conditions, the soil impacts on the RF system performance, the UG2AG pathlosses, and the UG2AG channel performance under different environment and system conditions are going to be collected and analyzed. As a result, many development RF solutions and wireless network and system optimizations will be required to be implemented during this proposed project such that the UG2AG channel performance at 915 and 433 MHz is improved and the wireless connectivity probability under different environment and system conditions is acceptable. The proposed project includes the simulation phase for the RF antennas, matching network, RF power amplifiers, and network and system optimizations to enhance the UG2AG channel performance. On the other hand, the onsite measurements phase includes the UG2AG channel performance assessment to achieve the required improvement.

Identifying and Characterizing Strong Gravitational Lensing Systems Using Probabilistic Machine Learning

Gravitational lensing occurs when a massive object, such as a galaxy cluster, bends the fabric of spacetime, turning it into a magnifying glass that focuses the light from a distant object behind it. This phenomenon allows astronomers to observe faint astronomical objects and some of the earliest faraway galaxies or black holes that would otherwise be invisible and probe the distribution of matter in the “lenses” themselves. During this interdisciplinary research project, the intern will combine technical skills (computer science) to (1) compare machine learning models, (2) optimize them to help detect these “lenses”, and (3) incorporate scientific (astronomy) knowledge to analyze practical usages of the identified images and calculate some of the lenses’ physical properties (e.g., the distribution of dark matter). This project is especially relevant today, with huge amounts of high-quality images of the large-scale structure of the Universe being taken by the recent Euclid mission that will be impossible for us to search through without the use of automated algorithms. These strong lensing systems should also allow us to derive new measurements of the expansion rate of the Universe (the Hubble constant), a quantity whose value is the subject of intense debate among astronomers today.

5N2 Business Launchpad

5N2 is a Scarborough-based non-profit tackling food insecurity and food waste in marginalized communities. Since starting as a small soup kitchen in 2013, it now distributes over 4,200 free meals and groceries weekly, repurposing surplus food from local businesses. This reduces waste and provides essential support to those in need. In 2023, 5N2 launched 5N2 Farms, using hydroponic technology to grow fresh, pesticide-free greens year-round. These greens, marketed as “12 Hour Fresh,” are sold to fund their meal programs and reduce reliance on donations. However, challenges like inconsistent crop yields, limited distribution, weak branding, low customer awareness and staffing issues threaten the farm’s sustainability.

To address these challenges, 5N2 has initiated a project involving three Business Strategy Interns (BSIs) to provide the following benefits to its 5N2 Farms:

Create a Unique Selling Point: Highlight 5N2’s produce as a socially impactful purchase of healthy sustainable produce.
Secure Major Buyers: Partner with a large client to ensure steady revenue, reduce marketing costs, and establish a consistent production cycle and harvest.
Boost Marketing: Develop a strategic social media and branding plan to grow awareness and support of 5N2’s efforts to tackle food insecurity.

With guidance from an academic supervisor and 5N2 leaders, the interns aim to strengthen 5N2’s operations, ensuring its farms thrive and its mission continues to support the community.