Innovative Projects Realized

embrACEing ACEs

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic or stressful events occurring in the first 18 years of life.

Persons with =3ACEs are at high risk of developing significant physical and mental health problems (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, depression, alcohol/drug misuse) in adulthood. Research indicates that ACEs associated problems are consequential of the development of maladaptive coping behaviors (e.g., anxiousness, hopelessness, unforgiving, substance misuse). Such behaviours, while potentially beneficial during times of adversity, become detrimental if they persist after adversity passes.

We cannot unlive ACEs, but we can change how we think about our past and how we relate to our body, mind, and relationships. Research suggests that building resilience and mindfulness in adults, may mitigate persistent ACEs associated maladaptive behaviours. The embrACE program, a psychoeducational group-based intervention, focuses on building people’s protective factors (mindfulness and resilience) while concurrently providing skills for overcoming unhealthy lifestyles. By building protective factors, embrACE seeks to eliminate persistent maladaptive behaviours and improve the health span of persons affected by ACEs.

Objectives
To evaluate the effectiveness of embrACE in improving protective factors and diminishing maladaptive behaviors in adults who have experienced =3 ACEs.

Study Design: Pre-test, post-test impact evaluation study with structured equation modeling

Advancing Emergency Services Technology Through AI-Driven Research and Development

EffectiveAI is an Ontario-based company dedicated to revolutionizing the Emergency Services industry through advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Neural Network technology. Founded with a vision to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness in public safety. EffectiveAI has identified a significant inefficiency in how ambulance standby locations are managed. The current approach relies heavily on traditional methods and established procedures rather than data-driven insights. This outdated approach results in inefficiencies and inflated operational costs, impacting the effectiveness of emergency response services. The challenge lies in the absence of a data-informed system to guide ambulance standby placements, leading to sub-optimal decision-making and delayed emergency responses. This situation not only strains resources but also affects societal well-being by potentially delaying critical medical interventions during emergencies. To tackle this challenge, EffectiveAI is partnering with WIMTACH to get crucial expertise in conducting research, analyzing data, and developing and optimizing AI models. This partnership will involve designing and implementing the system, including data preprocessing, model development, and integration with the user interface. This innovative approach will not only enhance operational efficiency but also ensure timely and effective emergency interventions, thereby advancing public safety and setting a precedent for future technological advancements in the field.

Diverse Field Crop Innovation Economic Impact Assessment

Ag-West Bio, as the lead for the Diverse Field Crops Cluster, will partner with the University of Saskatchewan to work with a recent MSc graduate on a cost-benefit analysis of three DFCC research projects with demonstrated successes in the agri-food sector.

Arts Program Development Intern

This project will help us address the challenges directly by allowing our intern to take full control over a brand-new program, and they will also be tasked with brainstorming some of the major challenges in our sector and different ways that our organization can tackle these challenges through our programming. These problems require someone who is meticulous, organized, and self-motivated, as well as someone who has experience in the arts sector and many ideas for how to improve it.

Optimisation et déploiement d’un algorithme temps réel d’estimation du volume de bois sur abatteuse forestière

Ce projet vise à optimiser et déployer un algorithme innovant pour estimer en temps réel le volume de bois sur les abatteuses forestières. L’objectif est d’uniformiser et améliorer un algorithme existant afin qu’il fonctionne efficacement sur un ordinateur embarqué lors des opérations de coupe. Le travail se déroulera en trois grandes étapes : d’abord, l’uniformisation du code dans un langage adapté et sa jonction avec le système de l’abatteuse ; ensuite, l’amélioration des performances pour un fonctionnement en temps réel ; et enfin, des tests sur le terrain pour mesurer la précision obtenue en comparaison avec d’autres méthodes. Ce projet permettra d’obtenir des estimations précises et rapides du volume de bois récolté, ce qui représente un outil précieux pour optimiser les opérations forestières. L’utilisation de technologies avancées comme le LiDAR et le traitement d’images en temps réel ouvre la voie à une gestion plus efficace et durable des ressources forestières.

A proposed mobile application for automated, low cost kinematic analyses in sports for injury risk detection and movement optimization

This project is to hire an intern who will develop a volleyball coaching application that will use AI motion tracking and classification algorithms to optimize movement technique. The mobile application will be built to provide the expertise of volleyball and biomechanics to specifically address flaws with movement technique, offering analyses that will not only rate skill execution but they will also flag potentially injurious movements. With this application, athletes and coaches will have a personal technique coach at their fingertips whenever they need it.

Oil Dispersant System for Fixed Wing Aerial Platform

The proposed project is related to analysis and optimization of a system of potential interest to oil and gas industry in terms of oil-spill remediation. A fixed wing aircraft can be retrofitted with an oil dispersant system suitable for fast response in case of large oil-spills. This oil dispersant system is to satisfy certain requirements from the safety and efficiency perspectives. In other words, the forces developed on the dispersant system while deployed in flight are required to have minimal effect on the airframe of the aircraft. These developed forces are created by the airflow and inertia of the oil dispersant chemical inside the system. The study of the interaction between these forces and the elastic properties of the dispersant system is known as aeroelasticity. Utilizing the knowledge provided by aeroelasticity the airflow forces developed on the dispersant system can be decreased. Also the elastic properties of the system can be enhanced using composite materials. Therefore to eliminate possible damage of the aircraft, aeroelasticity and composite materials are to be used. This research provides the framework and methods of both aeroelastic analysis and composite materials considerations.

Développement et mise en œuvre de la stratégie de croissance de LBB Stratégies

LBB Stratégies est une firme d’experts conseils en stratégie et performance organisationnelles, études stratégiques, événements sportifs, infrastructures et droit du sport œuvrant et intervenant auprès de clients locaux à internationaux principalement en sport, loisir et vie active. LBB a connu une croissance soutenue de son chiffre d’affaires et est maintenant reconnue comme un chef de file au Québec et Canada en sport et vie active. Œuvrant auprès de clients du sport amateur et olympique, sport professionnel, gouvernements, municipalités, entreprises privées, événement sportifs, LBB désire consolider et rehausser sa présence dans l’industrie du sport, du loisir et de la vie active. Parallèlement, LBB cherche à développer de nouveaux marchés dans des industries qui expriment des besoins et services conseils similaires.

A Benchmark for Assessing Fine-grained Decision-Making Capabilities of LLM Agents

THIS IS A GENERIC TEXT PUT IN PLACE AS THERE WAS NO PROJECT OVERVIEW.

Failure Analysis of Structural Steels in Hydrogen-Rich Environments for Pipeline Applications

C-FER Technologies, specializing in advanced engineering solutions, primarily focuses on addressing industry challenges through rigorous testing and research in harsh operational environments. This project specifically engages C-FER’s expertise in high-pressure hydrogen testing and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) to tackle the pressing issue of hydrogen embrittlement in pipeline steels. By simulating extreme conditions, the partnership aims to develop more robust materials and methodologies that ensure safety and reliability in hydrogen transport infrastructures. The collaborative research is expected to yield substantial socio-economic benefits for C-FER. Enhancing their capabilities in hydrogen testing will not only solidify their status as a leader in the field but also expand their service offerings to include the latest innovations in hydrogen technology. Economically, this project will enable C-FER to attract new clients, particularly in emerging markets around hydrogen infrastructure, thereby generating new revenue streams. Socially, by contributing to safer and more efficient hydrogen transport solutions, C-FER will play a crucial role in supporting Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy, aligning with national goals for sustainable energy development and reinforcing their commitment to environmental responsibility.

Customization extendability for elev8.dance

elev8.dance is a cloud based web application to run and organize dance competitions. Developed over 5 years in conjunction with a series of dance competitions in Saskatchewan the software is now used in dance competitions throughout North America. One of the main challenges elev8.dance faces as it scales is the wide variation and differences in how dance competitions are ran, particularly regarding registration & rules, pricing and adjudication criteria. elev8.dance aims to expand its framework to allow for custom developed modules to run within its framework to accommodate this wide variety of competition parameters.

Enhance nutrient management in spring wheat using enhanced efficiency fertilizers and biochar

This research project is investigating the management practices to improve nutrient management in spring wheat production using enhanced efficiency fertilizers and biochar in Nova Scotia. Extreme weather and high precipitation rates have caused leaching and nitrogen losses in soils that have severely impacted yields across the region. Nutrients from conventional fertilizers can be rapidly leached from soil systems; however, recent fertilizer technologies such as Enhanced Efficiency Nitrogen Fertilizers (EENF) and liquid dairy manure enriched biochar may prevent this leaching. These fertilizers will be used on various spring wheat varieties in comparison to conventional fertilizer in field, greenhouse, and germination experiments. Plant metrics such as crop growth, seed yield, and seed quality will be investigated in addition to soil health characteristics and residual soil fertility post-harvest. This research will shed light on how these fertilizers interact with the regions climactic and soil conditions, providing valuable data to producers who are looking to fertilize their crops in a more sustainable and accurate way.