Innovative Projects Realized

L2M -Post-fabrication tuning of silicon photonic integrated circuits by laser irradiation

The current approach for addressing the fabrication error in SiPIC devices is expensive and insufficient, significantly limiting the potential of the SiPIC technology. The solution we have developed is to tune the SiPICs using femtosecond laser pulses. By irradiating the silicon waveguides with single or multiple laser pulses, we can correct errors in the circuit caused by fabrication imperfections and finetune the circuit’s performance. Physically, the femtosecond laser pulses cause a permanent change in the refractive index of the silicon waveguides, which results in a modification of the circuit output response. We can finetune the circuit and restore its operation to specification by controlling this change. The method is quick and low-cost, and there is no limit to the circuit size that can be tuned. The method can be applied to a single chip or at the wafer level, allowing for error correction to be performed on individual photonic circuits after fabrication or in situ during the wafer production process. Our laser tuning method provides a low-cost solution with unparalleled scalability, which can address this challenge and enable SiPIC technology to fulfill its potential when it is successfully commercialized. Furthermore, during the L2M program, we also aimed to use the scientific approach to entrepreneurship and gain a better understanding of the commercial risks associated, such as how to obtain data and knowledge for market needs, a better understanding of intellectual property (IP) issues and understanding Design Development issues.

Computational Modeling of Fluid-Structure-Chemical Interactions in Fish Swimming

Aquatic species, such as fish use effective methods for navigation and propulsion in marine environments. Understanding these functionalities of detecting predators, preys, food, and mates by sensing changes in water velocity and pressure offer valuable insights to design efficient underwater robots. Although underwater odor and chemical cues are crucial for fish navigation, the exact mechanisms remain unknown to the scientific community. This project aims to examine these natural swimming techniques and applying them to the design of fish-like underwater robots. By developing innovative computational solvers and tools based on fluid-structural-chemical interactions, the project aims to model and simulate odor-guided propulsion in fish-like bodies. The expected outcomes include critical insights for developing bio-inspired methods and equipment for sensing, detection, navigation, and propulsion in underwater robots. The project’s success could place the Canadian engineering research community and marine engineering industry at the forefront of eco-friendly underwater technology, benefiting areas, such as border security, subsea resource exploration, and rescue operations.

L2M-Developing detection kits for Deformed wing virus infection in honey bees

Honey bees are very crucial due to their pollination services and plays important role in Canadian economy. Unfortunately, a huge loss in honey bee colonies was seen in recent years due to many detrimental factors including climate change and infections. The viral infections have also played a very significant role in recent crop loses, the deformed wing virus (DWV) is one of such viruses, that causes the wing deformities, paralysis and rapid mortality in the colonies. Unfortunately, there is no cure for viruses infecting honey bees, so the only option is the early detection of viral infections and taking the preventative measures accordingly. The traditional detection methods are very time consuming, costly and inconvenient. So the rapid detection kit against these viruses could be life savior for bees. We are working on the creating a rapid detection kit that can be used buy beekeepers on the fields without any prior professional training for this. They can detect the viral infections on field and can take preventative measures to stop/decrease the spread of infection further in the other hives. In the Lab2Market project, we are contacting the beekeepers from Canada, to perform the field testing and validation of our assay. The main objective of this project is to do customer discovery for market analysis of our kit.

L2M – Fire-retardant elastic textiles

Fire-retardant fabrics are textiles engineered to self-extinguish when exposed to fire or extreme heat without ignition or burning. They serve as the main component of protective clothing for firefighters and industrial workers. The current garment design can provide excellent fire-resistant performance by using inherently fire-resistant fabrics with multi-layer designs; however, they suffer from bulkiness and discomfort due to fabric inflexibility and design constraints. This discomfort can significantly affect firefighters’ performance. Addressing this discomfort issue, imparting fire-retardancy on highly elastic fabrics is proposed. These elastane-containing fabrics, often used in combination with another synthetic textile, provide ultimate comfort level to users but pose a significant fire hazard due to their high flammability. These fabrics can melt and drip onto the skin when exposed to fire and cause severe injuries. Therefore, it is imperative to impart fire retardancy into these textiles to ensure they not only can provide comfort but also protection against heat and flame to enable safe use in various applications. The partner organization would be able to benefit student with the business aspects of product commercialization by providing various trainings and deliverables to achieve.

Évaluation du potentiel virucide du Bioxy contre le virus du fruit rugueux brun de la tomate

Le virus du fruit rugueux brun de la tomate est un virus émergent se propageant à travers le monde depuis sa détection en 2014. Celui-ci cause un brunissement ainsi qu’une déformation des fruits, menant à un déclassement de ceux-ci. Ce virus cause des pertes économiques significatives pour les producteurs de tomates en raison de sa transmission rapide et de sa longue stabilité sur les surfaces et matériaux. À ce jour, en cas d’infection d’un ou de plusieurs plants, les maraîchers sont dans l’obligation de procéder à un vide sanitaire pour contenir l’infection. Il est donc primordial de trouver des moyens de limiter sa propagation d’un plant à l’autre. Le projet de recherche a donc pour objectif de tester l’efficacité d’un nouveau désinfectant, le Bioxy, contre le ce virus. Les résultats obtenus permettrons de trouver de nouvelles avenues de contrôle contre ce virus.

Evaluating the Pleins Rayons model for inclusive employment of individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism: A potential pathway for the development of inclusive employment in Québec?

In Québec, few local organizations focus on inclusive employment and training for individuals with autism or intellectual disabilities (ID). Pleins Rayons is one such organization, with promising programs. However, existing research lacks comprehensive evaluation of its impact.
Our proposed research aims to fill this gap by assessing Pleins Rayons’ activities and their effects on individuals and the community. This evaluation could inform policymakers about resource needs for province-wide implementation and improve policies for enhancing social and economic participation of individuals with ID or autism in Québec.
The overall objective is to conduct a developmental program evaluation at Pleins Rayons, with sub-objectives including logic model development, impact evaluation, training description, and policy recommendations.

L2M – Autonomous Wildfire Aerial Control Solution

We address the limitations and hazards of current wildfire detection and suppression methods, focusing initially on Alberta’s boreal zone. Alberta Wildfire uses aircraft, helicopters, specialized equipment, and trained personnel, but these methods have critical drawbacks. Crewed aerial systems cannot operate 24/7, leaving gaps when fires can go undetected. Additionally, deploying personnel is expensive and not scalable for vast high-risk areas. Refueling aircraft and replenishing fire suppressants are also time-consuming, hindering rapid response.

The core issue is the inefficiency of current systems in timely, cost-effective, and comprehensive wildfire detection and suppression. This problem is exacerbated by the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires due to climate change, which disrupt ecosystems, endanger lives, and incur significant economic costs.

Our solution transforms lightweight crewed helicopters into autonomous firefighting UAVs. By integrating commercial autopilot systems and a custom hardware-software interface with water supply equipment, we enable efficient and cost-effective autonomous firefighting operations.

Eliminating the need for human pilots enhances safety and allows continuous coverage, even at night and in poor visibility. Our system enables swift early fire control by autonomously responding to wildfires, initiating firefighting measures before other resources arrive. Stationing these autonomous helicopters near potential wildfire areas ensures prompt response, reducing the risk of wildfire spread and enhancing overall wildfire management.

L2M – WAAM Sensor-fusion based deposition system

We have developed our sensing suite, which we use to acquire, record, retrieve, and process the in-situ process data during the wire-arc additive manufacturing process or welding process. The objective of this project is to contact the industry and do customer discovery and surveys from the industry to tailor and tweak the sensing suite to match their exact needs while aiming for commercialization. The project will, therefore, involve getting to the customers to acquire specific feedback regarding the needs of the industry concerning quality monitoring of welding/WAAM systems with our sensing suite. The software and hardware changes will be done using agile methodology, where continuous feedback throughout the project will be used to update the code and improve the product.

Bénéfices économiques, socioculturels et environnementaux découlant du mode de vie en « Cohabitat » sur les personnes qui y résident et les territoires où il s’implante.

Promoteur au Québec du Cohabitat, qui réunit des ménages souhaitant mettre en commun leurs ressources et espaces de vie pour concevoir, financer et administrer collectivement leur logement, Village Urbain souhaite prendre la juste mesure des bienfaits tirés par les personnes qui y vivent et les territoires où s’implante ce type d’habitat mutualisé abordable, diversifié et écoresponsable au moyen d’une revue de littérature sur des initiatives apparentées, des observations participantes et des entretiens menés à titre exploratoire avec des cohabitants qui occuperont les premières unités érigées à Lachine et à Laval en 2024, permettant d’attester de l’atteinte des objectifs ambitieux qui fondent cette formule susceptible de contribuer à répondre tant à la crise climatique qu’à celle du logement.

Drug development for anticancer therapy: Discovery of New Inhibitors for Lin28

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent malignancy among Canadian men. While treatments exist, many tumors are resistant, highlighting the urgent need to develop more effective therapies. This project aims to develop new drugs for prostate cancer by inhibiting the Lin28 protein, which increases cancer cells’ growth and resistance to treatments. This will be achieved by combining virtual chemical analysis with laboratory research. This project intends to forge new international bonds and exchange of ideas between the Peruvian and Canadian institutions. The search for new Lin28 inhibitors is fundamental, as it offers opportunities to overcome the limitations of efficacy, specificity, and safety of the current few explored inhibitors. The successful development and clinical application of these inhibitors could improve treatment outcomes for prostate cancer patients, promising more tailored and specific treatment strategies, addressing drug resistance, and improving the safety profile of cancer therapies by reducing adverse effects on healthy cells.

Exploring Thalamo-Prefrontal Cortex Connectivity: A multimodal analysis using cutting-edge neuroimaging and a high-resolution histology-based atlas

The prefrontal cortex (PFC), the front part of the brain, plays a crucial role in high-level cognitive functions such as self-awareness, working memory, problem-solving, and emotional regulation. Damage to this region can lead to significant personality changes, as famously illustrated by the case of Phineas Gage, an American railworker in the 19th century who survived a severe brain injury but experienced profound alterations in his personality. These complex functions are supported by diverse microanatomical properties and dense connectivity to other brain regions. One of the PFC’s key connections is with the thalamus, a deep located brain structure known as the “gateway” for multiple functions. The thalamus acts as a central hub that receives and relays motor, visual, auditory, somatosensory, and other types of information to and from various regions, including the PFC.
Our project aims to explore the structural connectivity and underlying cortical properties of the thalamo-PFC circuitry using advanced MRI techniques, high-resolution histological data, and detailed brain maps. This research will enhance our understanding of how these connections support complex cognitive processes.

How can Co-Management Tools, such as Adaptive Co-Management Aid in the Transition of Small-Scale Fisheries From a State of Vulnerability to a State of Viability, within Indonesia.

Small-scale fisheries have historically been excluded from collaborating within the fishing industry when it comes to policy creation, drafting legislation, and enforcing regulations, negatively influencing small-scale fisher livelihoods. Adaptive co-management is an emerging co-management tool that is being employed in common property resources, utilizing a learn-by-doing approach, while placing heavy emphasis on generating knowledge from previous experiences within the common property resources. Indonesia is an important geographical area to study the implementation impacts adaptive co-management tools could have on fisheries as Indonesia accounts for eight percent of the total global fish catch and has increased their annual fish harvest to over six million tonnes (FAO, 2020). This research study will be conducting Interviews, coupled with firsthand observations, with small-scale fishing households in remote small-scale fishing communities within the Java province of Indonesia. This research study aims to determine how Co-management tools such as adaptive co-management can help transition small-scale fishing communities to a state of viability within the Java Province of Indonesia.