Innovative Projects Realized

Understanding the structure of a shake to guide product development

Enviroshake Inc. markets a very successful product: composite roof shakes. These shakes have the appearance of cedar but outperform cedar roof shakes in lifetime. The current composite roof shake is primarily composed of a mixture of commercial plastics blended with wood fillers. Enviroshake Inc. would like to redefine the binding agent to a lower priced material whilst maintaining or improving upon the performance of the shakes. Research funded by this Mitacs Accelerate Grant will be directed towards determining how the binder is structured within the final shake and what materials would serve as suitable alternatives. This information will be used by Enviroshake Inc. to support the development of new products for the roofing industry.

Extended product lifecycle management through social computing technologies

This study will present a method for improving informal information flow during product development process in aerospace industries using social computing tools. In actual engineering information exchange, the knowledge is transmitted informally around the coffee machine or through a formal document in the process. In contrast, the author presents a method for proactive participation of users during design activities. The framework, a perspective for integrating community of practices in product development enhances knowledge sharing and retention. The complexity of aerospace processes, geographically dispersed engineers, available communication tools, time constraint and multidisciplinary teams have an impact on users’ engagement in knowledge transfer. The candidate will explore current flow and propose a model based on community of practices. The outcomes target the SCT integration process supporting Communities of Practices at Pratt & Whitney Canada and a remote site.

UI/UX Design and implementation for PlaceSpeak

Organizations can benefit from consulting with citizens to build better and sustainable neighborhoods in local areas. It is usually challenging to get citizens engaged. Traditionally, techniques used for engagement involve people participating in public meetings personally. This can be intimidating and inconvenient for some. PlaceSpeak provides an online environment to advance citizen participation. It also provides an easier way to inform the citizens about the ongoing projects in their area and to discuss the project. PlaceSpeak’s goal is to encourage more citizens to get involved in their communities. For this purpose the user interface (UI) needs to be easy to use to bring a joyful user experience. The intern aims to analyze and improve the current UI based on UI design principles. At each state of improvement the UI will be tested to advance further development.

Antiviral activity of the proprietary samples

Blue-O Technology Inc has identified five proprietary samples that may have antiviral activity, either in prevention or treatment of viral infections. The intern will determine the activity range and toxicity of each proprietary samples in mammalian cells and a mouse model. Once this has been determined, each proprietary sample will be tested for its ability to prevent or treat human immunodeficiency virus, herpes simplex virus, coxsackievirus, influenza and dengue virus. Upon completion of this project the partner organization will be able to further develop and test any of the efficacious proprietary samples for clinical use.

Investigate machine learning algorithms to develop anomaly detection methods

The industry partner, Metafor is developing a new class of IT system management solution. As part of this project, Metafor is building a product feature that monitors computer and network activities and looks for signs of anomalies. This is an important problem as anomalies are usually associated with abnormal user or system behaviors that can potentially result in problems such as system breakdown. As the properties of anomalies and normal behaviours are stochastic and dynamic by nature, efficient and intelligent signal processing and machine learning algorithms are required to detect these anomalies. In this project, the intern will do a comprehensive survey on the state-of-the art of real-time anomaly detection; investigate a set of system indicators or features as well as machine learning algorithms that can potentially be useful in detecting anomalies. Finally, the intern will implement suitable algorithms to predict the presence of anomalies in the system in real time.

Hybridity Media’s Circles Software Development and Research

Hybridity Media’s Circles, is a user-friendly software application. With motion senor technology and light projections, it causes the audience to become the art by painting a visual portrait on a screen using their dynamic body movements.

Hybridity’s design of the Aga Khan Museum opening, using our signature interactive art installation techniques, is an opportunity to fuse a thousand years of early history with the future of electronic artistry.

Push and Pull is Hybridity’s epitome of play and experimentation. The user controls the music and the projections by dancing and moving about. Bringing it to the Vancouver International Children’s Festival is a chance for us to model our prototype for our choicest audience yet.

Through the development of these projects, Hybridity Media will research and develop projection mapping and interactivity through sensor-based technologies like Microsoft Kinect, in an installation setting, allowing for new artistic visions enabled through innovative forms of programming architecture.

We will use the three projects as case studies for further development and innovation in the art and technology field, propelling Hybridity to fulfill its mandate of making and sharing cutting-edge digital art.

Investigate parametric machine learning algorithms to develop anomaly detection methods on real-time data

The industry partner, Metafor is developing a new class of IT system management solution. As part of this project, Metafor is building a product feature that monitors computer and network activities and looks for signs of anomalies. This is an important problem as anomalies are usually associated with abnormal user or system behaviors that can potentially result in problems such as system breakdown. As the properties of anomalies and normal behaviours are stochastic and dynamic by nature, efficient and intelligent signal processing and machine learning algorithms are required to detect these anomalies. In this project, the intern will do a comprehensive survey on the state-of-the art of real-time anomaly detection; investigate a set of system indicators or features as well as machine learning algorithms that can potentially be useful in detecting anomalies. Finally, the intern will implement suitable algorithms to predict the presence of anomalies in the system in real time.

Patterns of course-taking and transition for Applied to Academic subjects in Ontario Schools

Across the province, students are channeled into academic and applied programs at the start of high school. Students in applied courses are less likely to enjoy school or pass the provincial standards for achievement in both elementary and secondary school (EQAO, 2012). We know little about “who” takes applied courses in Ontario and what opportunities exist for them to transfer into academic streams. This matters because streaming or tracking practices in secondary school can limit future access to postsecondary education opportunities and create new lines of stratification between ethnic and social groups. The proposed mixed methods research seeks to combine new data from the People from Education annual survey of schools to investigate patterns of enrollment in applied courses and the number of schools across the province that offer transfer courses. The study will ask principals about the proportion of students that transfer from applied to academic courses in their school and examine whether transfer rates are significantly correlated with socioeconomic variables.

Assessment of bioremediation of petroleum contaminated soils under cold climate

The main objective of this research is the feasibility assessment of bioremediation of petroleum contaminated soils for cold climate conditions. LLSRI as the industrial partner is interested to evaluate feasibility of conducting bioremediation through the cold season to extend its operation and generate more revenue. This will be investigated by construction, operation and maintenance of 16 different full-scale biopiles at the LLSRI site under cold climate conditions over a period of 5-6 months, subjected to different amounts of bacterial augmentation (bacterial load) and compost as biostimulation agent. The performance and efficiency of the process will be determined by the extent of the reduction of contaminant concentrations. The biopiles will be maintained until the provincial criteria are met.

During the course of the experiments composite soil samples will be collected according to standard sampling techniques and analyzed for TPH, PAH, pH, nutrients (N,P), heterotrophic aerobic bacteria count (log CFU/g) and total hydrocarbon degrader bacteria. For each pile, composite samples over time will be used as indicator of the biopiles.

Hybridity media’s circles software design and interface research

Hybridity Media’s Circles, is a user-friendly software application. With motion senor technology and light projections, it causes the audience to become the art by painting a visual portrait on a screen using their dynamic body movements.

Hybridity’s design of the Aga Khan Museum opening, using our signature interactive art installation techniques, is an opportunity to fuse a thousand years of early history with the future of electronic artistry.

Push and Pull is Hybridity’s epitome of play and experimentation. The user controls the music and the projections by dancing and moving about. Bringing it to the Vancouver International Children’s Festival is a chance for us to model our prototype for our choicest audience yet.

Through the development of these projects, Hybridity Media will research and develop projection mapping and interactivity through sensor-based technologies like Microsoft Kinect, in an installation setting, allowing for new artistic visions enabled through innovative forms of audience engagement.

We will use the three projects as case studies for further development and innovation in the art and technology field, propelling Hybridity to fulfill its mandate of making and sharing cutting-edge digital art.

A camera stabilization gimbal system for a small unmanned aerial vehicle

Remote industrial installations and other areas requiring surveillance can be monitored effectively by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). UAVs are remotely operated, with on-board camera systems. Fixed camera systems are of limited use, because the field of view is limited to the direction in which the aircraft is flying, which continually changes as the aircraft moves while flying. A gimbal system can reduce this effect by compensating for changes in aircraft orientation, which fixes the direction of the camera. Most stabilizing gimbal systems are designed for payloads on human-piloted aircraft, and for fairly large cameras The objective of this project is to design and develop a compensating pan-tilt gimbal system for a small UAV. The unit will carry a camera that can be pointed with an electromechanically actuated articulation system, allowing the camera to track a designated azimuth and elevation during flight manoeuvres.

Developing forward curve models for power risk management

When a company has excess power generation at its disposal, a natural course of action will be to seek to market that power. However, power markets are notoriously volatile, and this makes the cash flows that result from selling the power unpredictable and hard to plan for. The aim of this project is to help develop models for power forward prices that can be used to help manage this risk.