Innovative Projects Realized

Stakeholder review of the LEAP (Learning through Everyday Activities with Parents, for infants at high chance of neurodevelopmental disabilities) First Nations Program

This project focuses on improving early support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants in Australia who are at risk of neurodevelopmental disorders like cerebral palsy. The LEAP-CP program was co-designed with First Nations communities to offer culturally safe, family-centered care through early screening and peer-led interventions. The intern will help gather insights from trained First Nations Community Health Workers to understand how the program works in different communities. This research will benefit both institutions by sharing knowledge across countries: the intern will learn about innovative tools and culturally adapted practices not yet used in Canada, which could later be applied in Canadian Indigenous communities. The collaboration also opens doors for future joint research between the University of Sherbrooke and the University of Queensland.

Integration of Inverse Haptic Device with Elephant Robotics for Digital Twin Control

This project will explore how people can control a dual-arm robot using Haply’s Inverse haptic device and a digital twin created in Unreal Engine. The goal is to let a person move their hands naturally, while the robot copies those movements smoothly in real life. At the same time, the operator will feel touch-based feedback, making it possible to perform everyday tasks such as opening a bottle or folding clothes. By combining realistic simulation with real-world control, the project will demonstrate how haptic technology can make robots safer, easier to use, and better suited for real applications. The results will support Haply’s mission to showcase next-generation human-robot interaction at events such as CES, strengthening its role as a leader in physical AI.

 TRLUP – Créméco Inc. – Validation de la faisabilité technique et commerciale de la fabrication de cercueils de crémation à base de pelures de pomme de terre

Le projet Créméco vise à concevoir un cercueil de crémation écoresponsable fabriqué à partir de pelures de pommes de terre recyclées. Cette initiative s’inscrit dans une démarche d’économie circulaire en donnant une seconde vie à des déchets alimentaires tout en réduisant l’impact environnemental du secteur funéraire. Le stagiaire travaillera sur la mise au point du matériau, le développement du procédé de fabrication automatisé et la validation des performances mécaniques et thermiques du produit. Pour l’organisme partenaire, ce projet permettra de développer une solution innovante et durable, d’améliorer son positionnement écologique et d’ouvrir la voie à une nouvelle filière de production locale à faible empreinte carbone.

TRLUP–Drone-Based AI System for Automated Cattle Weight Monitoring

This project will support the development of an automated system that uses drones and artificial intelligence (AI) to estimate the body weight of free-range beef cattle. The goal is to help farmers monitor animal growth and health without stressful or time-consuming manual weighing. During the project, the technology will be refined while incorporating feedback from producers to improve usability and adoption. The collaboration with V1 Studio will help transform this innovation into a market-ready product by strengthening its technical design, business model, and commercial potential.

TRLUP-Territoire Intelligence

Le projet Territoire Intelligence vise à créer un outil numérique novateur qui aide les municipalités et organismes de développement économique à mieux comprendre leur territoire et à soutenir la vitalité commerciale locale. Grâce à un tableau de bord interactif, la plateforme permettra d’analyser le rayonnement des commerces, la concurrence, ainsi que la provenance des clients, en s’appuyant sur des données publiques ouvertes et sur des techniques d’intelligence artificielle.

L’idée est née d’un constat partagé par plusieurs acteurs du développement économique : bien que les données géospatiales et économiques soient de plus en plus accessibles, elles restent difficiles à interpréter et à exploiter efficacement pour la prise de décision. Le projet veut donc rendre ces données utiles et compréhensibles, afin d’aider les décideurs à planifier plus intelligemment leurs actions de développement, à identifier les zones à fort potentiel économique et à favoriser une implantation harmonieuse des commerces sur le territoire.

Au cours du stage Mitacs, le stagiaire Alex Camon développera un premier prototype fonctionnel (MVP) du tableau de bord et mènera une validation terrain avec plusieurs organismes partenaires (SDE et MRC). Ce travail permettra de préciser les besoins des utilisateurs, de tester les fonctionnalités les plus utiles et de définir un modèle d’affaires viable pour le déploiement du produit.

Pour l’organisme partenaire Territoire Intelligence inc., ce projet représente une étape clé vers la commercialisation de sa solution. Il permettra d’accélérer le passage de l’idée à un produit concret, d’attirer de nouveaux partenaires technologiques (CCTT, municipalités) et de contribuer à une meilleure utilisation des données au service du développement économique durable au Québec.

TRLUP– Autonomous Long-Endurance Drone System

This project focuses on developing a long-endurance autonomous multirotor drone capable of performing continuous aerial operations for emergency response, environmental monitoring, and remote delivery. It addresses the critical gap between costly manned helicopters—which can cost over $50,000 per hour and operate for only a few hours—and short-range electric drones that can fly for less than 40 minutes.

The system under development is a generator-powered vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft designed to fly for more than 12 hours and hover for over 18 hours. This unique combination of endurance, autonomy, and portability makes it ideal for missions that require persistent observation and rapid deployment in remote or hazardous environments.

The project’s objectives include completing prototype integration, establishing a detailed testing and certification roadmap, and validating market needs across multiple sectors such as wildfire management, border security, and critical infrastructure monitoring. Its modular architecture enables quick assembly, maintenance, and transport, providing a practical and scalable alternative to conventional aircraft for extended aerial operations.

By developing a Canadian-made, fuel-efficient, and low-maintenance aerial system, the project will enhance Canada’s domestic capacity in advanced aerospace and robotics technologies. The development process will foster collaboration with local industry partners and research institutions, driving job creation, supply-chain growth, and national self-reliance in aerial surveillance and disaster-response systems.

Once operational, the drone will enable government and industry users to reduce operational costs, emissions, and safety risks associated with long-duration missions, while strengthening Canada’s ability to monitor and protect its environment, borders, and remote communities.

TRLUP Aromatase Nutritional Sciences

Small packs of vitamin and mineral dense gummy candies which are formulated to cater for those on gender affirming hormone treatment (GAHT). The product formulation is to be designed around a biochemistry-focused literary review model which maps hormonal pathway connections to vitamin and mineral needs. Additional research will be done on gummy composition to maximize vitamin and mineral release and absorption in the body. Furthermore, the learnings can be applied to many other areas of nutrition. The gummy composition can be used as a delivery system for any type of nutrients. Understanding the connection between the hormone system and vitamins and minerals will allow further expansion into assistance for other treatments. For example, perimenopause hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or cancer-focused endocrine therapy which supports surgery and chemotherapy. The project can open routes into similar areas of research for the partner organization.

L2M –Anchored Wellbeing: A Maritime Health & Safety Solution

Newfoundland and Labrador welcomes over 28,000 seafarers each year who support key sectors such as offshore energy, fisheries, and international trade. Despite the province’s deep maritime heritage, St. John’s remains the only major Canadian port without a dedicated Seafarers’ Centre. This gap limits access to essential welfare services, rest facilities, and communication support for visiting crews, many of whom spend extended periods at sea.

The project Anchored Wellbeing: A Maritime Health & Safety Solution seeks tohttps://apply.mitacs.ca/project/bsi/14097/internships address this need by developing a coordinated welfare model for the Port of St. John’s, combining a physical Seafarers’ Centre with a digital wellbeing platform. This innovative approach will enhance seafarers’ access to support while strengthening community partnerships.

Led by Morgane Sheppard, Station Manager of the Mission to Seafarers NL and researcher at Memorial University, in partnership with Dr. Desai Shan, Assistant Professor and expert in maritime occupational health and safety, the project brings together academic insight and frontline experience. The outcomes will provide an evidence-based framework for sustainable welfare delivery that can be replicated across Canadian ports.

L2M-A Novel Portable Ozone Generator Using Tunable Piezoelectric Transformer for Ocean Water Purification

Aquaculture and coastal water treatment facilities across Atlantic Canada and beyond are facing increasing challenges in maintaining reliable water quality. Marine environments are burdened by nutrient runoff, pathogens, and pollution that directly impact fish health, leading to frequent contamination events and yield losses of 10–30%. These losses translate into millions of dollars in damages annually and jeopardize the growth of Canada’s aquaculture sector, which already represents a $2 billion industry in Atlantic provinces alone.
Conventional disinfection methods are inadequate for this context. Chlorine-based systems leave harmful byproducts that threaten marine ecosystems, making them unsuitable for aquaculture. While ozone is recognized as a powerful and residue-free disinfectant, current ozone generation technologies are large, stationary, and energy-intensive, requiring stable grid electricity and costly infrastructure. This limits their accessibility for smaller operators, remote coastal communities, and mobile facilities. The gap is structural: there is no compact, renewable-powered ozone generation system designed for direct ocean water treatment.
The partner organization, Lab2Market Validate, focuses on bridging the gap between research excellence and commercialization outcomes. It provides training and entrepreneurial support to transform academic research into innovative, market-ready solutions. The innovation challenge in this project is to validate and commercialize a novel portable ozone generator based on tunable piezoelectric transformers (TPT) and wide bandgap (GaN) power electronics. Unlike conventional systems, this solution can deliver stable, efficient ozone generation directly from renewable energy sources such as PV, batteries, or fuel cells, enabling operation in off-grid and variable conditions.
The expertise required to solve this problem spans advanced power electronics, renewable energy integration, and applied ozone generation technology. My lab has extensive experience in designing compact, high-efficiency power converters, which are critical for driving dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) chambers. This technical expertise, combined with Lab2Market’s commercialization support, uniquely positions this project to overcome current market barriers and create a eco-friendly solution.

L2M – Silver Vantage Software – Fall Detection

This project will validate the market and technical feasibility of Silver Vantage Software’s privacy-preserving thermal fall-detection system for senior care. The system uses small thermal sensors to detect falls automatically without recording identifiable images, protecting resident privacy while improving response times. Through this project, we will engage healthcare partners and facility operators to confirm product requirements, pricing expectations, and installation workflows while testing the performance of our current pilot devices in real-world environments. The outcomes will help refine the product specifications, identify key adoption barriers, and create a clear path from pilot validation to commercial rollout. This will directly benefit the partner organization by reducing risk, guiding manufacturing and partnership decisions, and ensuring strong product-market fit before large-scale production.

L2M – MeasleScan Field Effect Transistor

MeasleScan FET is a portable biosensor that uses field-effect transistor (FET) technology to detect measles virus rapidly at the point of care. Unlike current tests such as PCR and ELISA, which are accurate but slow, costly, and lab-dependent, this device delivers real-time, label-free detection directly from clinical samples. The goal is to provide a low-cost, easy-to-use tool that can be deployed in clinics, hospitals, public health units, and especially in remote or resource-limited settings.

L2M-Conversion of Seafood waste to nanoparticles for applications in Agriculture, Medicine, Waste Water Treatment and Renewable Energy

This project aims to convert seafood waste such as shells, bones, and seaweed trimmings into valuable nanoparticles using nanotechnology. Instead of discarding these materials, they will be transformed into eco-friendly products for use in agriculture, medicine, wastewater treatment, and renewable energy. The nanoparticles will help improve soil health, enhance crop nutrition, clean polluted water, and support the development of green energy technologies. This approach not only reduces environmental pollution but also creates new economic opportunities by turning waste into useful, high-value materials. The partner organization will benefit through access to innovative, sustainable technologies that can be commercialized across multiple sectors, promoting both environmental and economic growth.