Innovative Projects Realized

Investigating apparent anomalies of light-matter interaction during laser-induced incandescence

Nanostructures are increasingly used for many purposes that include drug delivery, solar cell efficiency improvement, catalysts, and optical sensors. Accordingly, there has been a corresponding increase in demand for nanostructures, and a need for efficient manufacturing processes that can meet this demand. One such manufacturing process that has shown potential is gas-phase synthesis. Nanostructures can also be harmful to the respiratory system when undesirably aerosolized as a consequence of industrial processes such as welding or metal grinding. Therefore, it is important to characterize aerosolized nanostructures both to assess the properties of gas-phase engineered nanostructures and to ensure air quality and safety standards are met. Laser-induced incandescence (LII) is an in-situ and time-resolved optical diagnostic technique that can efficiently and timely characterize nanoaerosols for size, an important property for nanoparticles. The collaboration of the home and host institutions will allow for high-quality research leading to the improvement and better understanding of LII as a diagnostic technique. By so doing, this will position Canada and Germany favorably to easily integrate diagnostics and quality assurance measures into the growing market of nanomaterials. This technology also has the potential for being commercialized into a consumer product allowing for a quick assessment of aerosolized particulates.

Environmental Scan of Canadian Investments in Youth Mentoring

Mentoring programs, at their core, are focused on offering youth social supports through relationships with caring adults and are well positioned to meet the need for human connection. Mentoring is a popular prevention and intervention strategy often used to promote young people’s overall positive development as well as to address specific challenges. Mentorship can have a significant impact on a wide range of developmental, academic, and professional outcomes. Mentoring is well aligned with many Canadian policy priorities, including combating loneliness and isolation, fostering mental health and well-being, supporting critical life transitions for youth, and improving young people’s educational and employment outcomes. However, it is challenging to understand the full breadth of public investment in youth mentoring at the federal and provincial levels without a consolidated national effort. The proposed project aims to amalgamate the various youth mentoring projects funded across Canada.

Anomaly Detection on Serial Bus Systems

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Fidgeting for Insight: Exploring On-Body Touch as a Tool for Emotion Tracking and Personalized Support in Wearable Design

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Machine Learning developer intern working with the City of Calgary to develop and commercialize AI-powered solutions in the Public Services sector (1)

The project comprises internships in a variety of technical and business roles within our organization and within our GovLab program. Within the organization, roles include associate machine learning developer, business development associate, communications associate and finance associate. Within GovLab specifically, roles include associate machine learning developer, associate business solutions consultant, and project delivery associate. The difference is mainly that in GovLab, there is a focus on public sector problems, whereas in AltaML overall, we work across sectors.

Development of an Inline Testing Method for Resistance Spot Riveting

Dissimilar-material joining is becoming increasingly sought after in several industries – including automotive, aerospace, and rail – due to the potential to improve vehicle weight reduction and efficiency while maintaining safety and structural strength. Resistance Spot Riveting (RSRTM) is a novel joining technology designed to enable inexpensive, efficient, and effective dissimilar-material joining. As it stands, no proven methodology nor technology exists for RSR process monitoring or quality control. This current lack of sufficient joint evaluation inhibits the adoption of RSR. The purpose of this research project is to design, optimize, and implement a real-time inline automated ultrasonic inspection system for RSR. The main objectives of this research include (1) the optimization of the ultrasonic scanning methodology and electrode cap geometry, experimentation and derivation of proper ultrasonic configuration for noise-free and reliable data collection, (2) the creation of a large dataset of ultrasonic data and corresponding physical joints, (3) correlation studies between ultrasonic data and physical properties of the welds, (4) development of artificial intelligence (AI) model for automated characterization of RSR joints from ultrasonic scan data, (5) deployment of the new software to the ultrasonic monitoring system specific for RSR capable of automatic decision making about the joint quality.

Développement d’un algorithme d’analyse et de géotraitement des données géospatiales pour l’optimisation de l’épandage des sels de déglaçage

Clean Nature est une startup qui offre des solutions technologiques de pointe aux municipalités et aux entreprises privées afin d’accélérer la transition vers des pratiques opérationnelles plus intelligentes, durables et connectées. Une des solutions développées touche à l’entretien hivernal et consiste à proposer des taux et des types de déglaçant (sel, abrasif ou mixtes) par tronçon de route, en fonction des caractéristiques du territoire et des conditions météoroutières, qui est basée sur l’intelligence artificielle. Cette solution innovante d’aide à la décision, appelée GuiA, a été élaborée afin de réaliser des économies, de respecter l’environnement, mais aussi d’assurer la sécurité routière. En collaboration avec un partenaire, Clean Nature travaille sur la mise au point d’un système intelligent embarqué sur les camions permettant d’automatiser l’épandage, afin de réduire les erreurs liées aux interventions humaines. La technologie GuIA est au niveau de la démonstration et des projets pilotes sont prévus à l’hiver avec des municipalités. Chaque contrat avec une nouvelle municipalité nécessite une étape d’intégration de l’outil pour la ville. L’objectif du projet de stage est de poursuivre le développement d’un algorithme de géotraitement de données spatiales afin d’automatiser l’implantation d’un outil d’épandage de déglaçant.

Hollow-core Extruder Auger Metallurgy

The proposed project aims to develop a reproducible recipe for producing concrete augers that meet current expectations for wear performance and longevity. The project involves structural characterization of the hard matrix, particularly, the distribution and morphology of martensite, and the hardening particles, including various carbides embedded in such matrix. The hardness of different regions will be tested and correlated to the microstructure. An intern from the University of Manitoba will carry out the chemical and physical characterization of the current materials. This intern will benefit from metallurgy training, delving into various fields as steels, structural design, mechanical test, and the utilization of cast irons in industry. This intern will have an opportunity to address industrial needs from the fundamental knowledge and will contribute to define their future career aspirations. The partner organization, Ultra-Span, who seeks to understand and standardize their current materials, will obtain the necessary knowledge to secure their supply chains from general suppliers to produce the Augers.

L2M QC 2024 – «Dispositif d’assistance ventriculaire transcathéter intracardiaque.»

Heart failure significantly diminishes quality of life and has a high mortality rate within five years of diagnosis. While heart transplants are effective, they are limited due to donor shortages, and this gap is expected to grow with an aging population. Ventricular assist devices (VADs) offer alternatives, but VADs still underperform and remain underused due to high costs, limited accessibility, and invasive surgery requirements. This project aims to develop an innovative, pulsatile VAD designed for minimally invasive implantation, reducing costs, improving accessibility, and shortening recovery times. By enabling interventional cardiologists to perform the implantations, the number of physicians capable of providing this therapy could double, benefiting patients in public healthcare systems. VADs are classified as high-risk medical devices, requiring extensive clinical trials and significant investment for development and commercialization. Partnering with V1 Studio, we will conduct an in-depth market study to determine potential applications, market segments, and necessary innovations for this VAD. The intern will engage with industry stakeholders and clinical experts, gather insights, and present a business model and market analysis to guide the project’s commercial development. Supported by the Lab2Market program, the intern will use proven market validation techniques and strategies, participating in workshops and fieldwork to assess the VAD’s commercial viability. V1 Studio will benefit by increasing its visibility as a leader in scientific entrepreneurship, aligning with its mission of advancing research and innovation. Ultimately, we anticipate that our VAD technology will significantly improve the quality of life for heart failure patients in Canada.

Exploring Quantum Materials with Atomic Resolution within the 2D MATURE International Program

Our group develops advanced tools that allow us to observe and understand materials operating within the realm of quantum physics, particularly those that emit light at the smallest scales.

Quantum materials, often regarded as the superheroes of the science world, possess unique properties that can revolutionize technology—from ultra-fast computers to highly secure communication systems. To fully harness these remarkable properties, a deeper understanding of these materials is essential.

We utilize techniques such as Cathodoluminescence (CL) to study optical properties, Ultrafast Electron Diffraction (UED) to examine atomic structures, defect analysis to understand material imperfections, and Low-Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) to investigate surface structures. These methods enable us to study materials at an atomic level.

Our mission is to advance fundamental knowledge in quantum research, train the next generation of scientists, and pave the way for future technological innovations. Through a proposed exchange program, students will gain complementary skills and knowledge, enhancing their research capabilities and preparing them for breakthroughs in quantum technology.

L2M QC 2024 – «Nouveau cadre pour la conception, simulation et optimisation de robots biomécaniques mous»

The budding field of soft robotics, robots made of elastic materials such as rubbers or silicone, currently represents a 1.48 billion market size with a compound annual growth of 34.45%. The problem is that there is no specialized tool for the design and simulation of soft robots. Our research has already demonstrated a promising simulation framework which cuts down on computaion time by an order of magnitude, and is intuitive to use. The goal of this project is to perform a market analysis of the sector to determine the current simulation solutions, tools available to engineers, the biggest bottlenecks and how a tailored approach would help address the current limitations. The outcome would be a wishlist of features, an approximate price point and buiseness model, knowledge of the key competitors, and a strategy to make adoption of the new technology as seemless as possible. The domain of soft robotics can be applied to many sectors and is still in its infancy. This is the perfect opportunity to get in on the ground floor and develop new technologies to acomodated the novel challenges.

L2M QC 2024 – « Real-time optical processor for next-generation telecom interconnect.»

Over the past decade, the telecommunication sector progressed and evolved quickly due to the installation of cloud-based artificial intelligence, which now needs at least data rates of 1.6 Tb/s and beyond to meet global demand. These changes are pushing the industry towards deploying scalable, highly performing, and low-energy-consuming computing units in telecom interconnect infrastructure. This aspect is currently of significant importance throughout the world, but also in Canada, where the government is massively investing in artificial intelligence (AI) and the development of AI infrastructure starting in 2024.
This project aims to establish a commercialization strategy for a novel technology that bridges the upcoming telecom data rate and the widely available electronics system through a novel photonic processor. The real-time optical processor unit used for this market analysis was previously developed and studied by the intern during his academic research, providing him with the background knowledge necessary to transition its technology toward industrial application. To achieve the product’s commercialization, the industrial partner will provide professional resources and support, enabling the student to perform an in-depth market study of the telecom industry, more specifically, researching the requirements for the next generation of telecom equipment in interconnect centers.