Innovative Projects Realized

Seasonality and ecology of the northern house mosquito in Calgary

Climate change is changing the distribution of mosquitoes, allowing them to become established in new places, potentially resulting in increased risk of mosquito-borne disease. The recent arrival of the invasive northern house mosquito, Culex pipiens, to Alberta is one such example. This mosquito, a major pest species found natively in Europe, is considered among the most important mosquitoes for the transmission of West Nile virus in North America. This species is highly urban and thrives in human-altered environments where it utilizes artificial containers to breed and warm structures to survive cold temperatures. To understand the risk the introduction of this species poses in a new environment, it is important to investigate its ecology within an Albertan context. The objective of this project is to investigate the seasonality of this mosquito’s activity, what larval habitats it uses, and which traps are most effective for surveillance of this species. The results of this project will help guide future monitoring and control efforts by the City of Calgary, aiming to provide a better understanding of the biology of the northern house mosquito in Calgary, and ultimately building resilience against invasive species in the future by informing improved monitoring.

Digital Twin and Generative AI Applied to Rapid Interior Design

Digital twin is a virtual representation of an object or system designed to accurately reflect the physical object. In the interior design field, this physical object can be a room of a building, or the entire building itself. Creating a digital twin for interior design involves capturing a virtual representation of a physical space, then manipulating it according to criteria, allowing for visual exploration and experimenting with colors, textures, styles, and environmental characteristics that impact those who reside inside. The digital twin can be used to analyze various materials and finishes, to determine the optimal combination of components and their interaction with each other in support of efficiencies in energy, cost of maintenance, and long-term use. These recommendations can then be adopted and constructed into the final product.
The Digital Integration Centre of Excellence Technology Access Centre (DICE-TAC) at Saskatchewan Polytechnic (Sask Polytech) and Metric Design Inc. (Metric) will collaborate on the research and development of a prototype digital twin for interior design. This prototype system will define the parameters best suited for a digital twin for interior design by identifying the data that can then be used to help manipulate and experiment with the digital twin in the interior design platform. Metric offers Residential & Commercial Interior Design and Renovations services. The purpose of this project is to develop a prototype digital twin system to explore the process of utilizing various design tools, such as generative AI in interior design. Additionally, the twin will provide a platform for experimenting with various components and provide predictive results to be expected from the actual artifact, should those components be adopted. The digital twin approach to interior design will speed up design efforts, more easily communicate themes and concepts to the client, and reduce or eliminate possible errors in the final product, before any real development of the product is undertaken. This approach will provide Metric Design a competitive advantage in the design industry while providing high quality services at lower cost, to their clients.

L2M QC 2024 – «CO2 to e-fuel»

Carbon dioxide (CO2) atmospheric concentration has increased by 50% (from 280 ppm to 420 ppm) in the last century. Despite efforts to reduce emissions, industries vital to our economy, such as mining, marine transportation, and aviation, remain dependent on fossil fuels for their operations. These sectors are considered hard-to-decarbonize because they lack viable alternatives to fossil fuels. In turn, they release CO2 and are forced to capture it to avoid paying a carbon tax. Once CO2 is captured, it is typically sequestered underground, but this is not a viable solution as there is no guarantee the CO2 will remain there, and it provides no economic advantage. Instead, transforming CO2 into commodity products such as fuels, chemicals, and carbon nanofibers creates a new market opportunity to replace fossil fuel-derived products by recycling CO2. In terms of alternative fuels, this project aims to decarbonize hard-to-decarbonize operations by replacing their fossil fuel with an electro-fuel, or e-fuel (derived from renewable electricity). Our e-fuel is carbon-neutral, free of toxic chemicals and can be used in the engines that the hard-to-decarbonize sector already own. Market research will assess the demand for recycled carbon-neutral products such as fuel, carbon nanofibers, and carbon-based chemicals. This research will validate the type of process we will build, which depends on CO2 capture capability, renewable electricity availability, and end-product needs. Furthermore, it will aid in discovering partnerships with early adopters, potential clients, and investors. This comprehensive market validation is crucial for guiding the project’s next steps towards pilot testing.

L2M QC 2024 – «Surveillance respiratoire et cardiaque en temps réel avec technologie portable non invasive.»

Le projet proposé vise à développer un appareil portable, non invasif, sans fil et rentable pour la surveillance continue en temps réel de l’activité respiratoire et cardiaque. Cet appareil aidera à diagnostiquer et à surveiller les maladies en fournissant des mesures continues de la fréquence respiratoire avec une précision comparable aux normes médicales, ce qui est crucial pour des conditions telles que l’apnée du sommeil, les infections respiratoires et les maladies chroniques telles que l’asthme et la MPOC. En remédiant aux limites et au non-fiabilité des méthodes de surveillance respiratoire portables existantes, cette technologie en instance de brevet peut améliorer de manière significative les soins aux patients dans les hôpitaux, en particulier dans les unités de soins intensifs, et améliorer la qualité de vie des personnes souffrant de maladies chroniques. Le projet devrait bénéficier au système de santé en réduisant les coûts, en augmentant l’efficacité, en améliorant l’allocation des ressources de santé et en fournissant de meilleurs résultats pour les patients grâce aux capacités de surveillance à distance.

Parc de l’Exposition de Trois-Rivières. l’analyse de l’infrastructure et des caractéristiques architecturales de l’Exposition de 1938

Développer et perfectionner une méthode d’étude, d’analyse et d’interprétation du patrimoine architectural moderne. Il s’agit en premier lieu de documenter et de reconnaître les différentes approches conceptuelles, méthodologiques et techniques. Deuxièmement, la démarche vise à élaborer des prémisses, des méthodes et des stratégies opérationnelles pour un projet de conservation et de restauration contemporain. Enfin ces propositions sont conscientes des nouveaux défis économiques, sociaux et environnementaux pour explorer comment atteindre les objectifs de la politique nationale de l’aménagement du Québec énoncé en 2023.

L2M – A biosensor for the detection serum breast cancer markers

This Mitacs Business Strategy Internship (BSI) Grant Application is focused on developing an analytical assay for detecting several breast cancer (BC) markers in serum. As an upgrade to the existing methods for quantifying BC serum markers, we aim to integrate several electrodes on the same sensor platform that will be bio-engineered to target one type of BC marker specifically. These markers will be stage-dependent (HER2 biomarker), together with diagnostic (healthy vs. BC), prognostic (early vs. advanced), and predictive markers (providing information regarding the treatment). Therefore, with the confirmation of BC, identifying the above-listed subcategories of BC would also represent an upgrade in breast cancer diagnostics and, thus, subsequent care.

A Mitacs BSI Market Assessment for proposed technology will be conducted considering the patient population who are at the highest risk of breast cancer. The accuracy of mammography is highly dependent on the density of breast tissue. While conventional mammography can be as accurate as 98% in a fatty breast, sensitivity can drop to as low as 30% in women with extremely dense breasts.
This Mitacs BSI project will develop a novel diagnostic tool that will improve the accuracy of cancer detection in the patient population with dense breast tissue. Estimated market size for novel breast cancer screening tests considers women within the age category of 50-74 eligible for mammography screening in the United States as of the year 2022 (49,567,600), percentage of women screened (75.9%), and 1.6% of women who receive a biopsy (601,949).

Harnessing first row transition metal complexes for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reactions

My Ph.D. research with Prof. Hanan focuses on developing first-row (3d) transition metal complexes as photosensitizers for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (PHER). This is crucial due to the depletion of fossil fuel reserves. PHER is crucial in global material, physical, and chemical science research. We are designing organic ligands to fine-tune the coordination sphere of 3d metal complexes, enhancing lifetime of their photo-excited states. While second and third-row transition metal photosensitizers, such as tris(2,2′-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) hexafluorophosphate, have been extensively studied over the past 50 years, interest in abundant 3d metal counterparts is recent as these are less toxic and economic. Understanding their luminescent properties is critical for optimizing PHER processes. This internship aims to explore the photophysical pathways of luminescent Cobalt(III) complexes synthesized in Prof. Hanan’s lab using transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS), luminescence studies, and lifetime measurements. TAS is an efficient and powerful technique not available in University of Montreal. It will help us understand the role of photo-excited states in PHER. Additionally, Prof. Campagna’s lab at the University of Messina, working on analogous iron(III) complexes, will benefit from our collaboration enhancing our understanding of fundamental photophysics of these novel complexes for advancements in PHER and related photoredox chemistry.

Governance of Smart Cities at the Nexus of Quantum and Intelligent Transportation Systems: A Comparative Analysis of Regulatory Frameworks among G7 States

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

AI-Driven Approach to Score ESG-Related Text Data from Company Reports

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

L2M QC 2024 – «Nettoyage et certification sanitaire des plants de cannabis pour les cultivateurs Québecois »

Le projet de recherche proposé vise à développer un service de diagnostic de l’état sanitaire, de nettoyage et de certification des plants-mères utilisés pour la multiplication par bouturage dans les cultures de cannabis thérapeutique et récréatif. Les méthodes de culture et de multiplication des plants de cannabis couramment utilisées entrainent une accumulation de microorganismes et de virus dans les plantes cultivées. Cette accumulation peut drastiquement dégrader les rendements et la qualité du produit fini jusqu’à le rendre impropre à la consommation dans certains cas. La totalité des cultivateurs font actuellement face à ces problématiques, parfois même sans en avoir connaissance. L’objectif de la participation au programme L2M est d’explorer l’écosystème des cultivateurs Québécois pour préciser leur besoin quant à l’état sanitaire de leurs plants. Le programme permettra également d’identifier les entreprises concurrentes et de déterminer leur aire d’influence en précisant si elle s’étend aux entreprises Québécoises. Il est attendu, à la suite de ce programme, d’adapter l’offre de l’entreprise aux besoins réels de l’écosystème et de tenir compte des avancées durant la phase de développement du service. Le développement pourra se faire en interaction avec des partenaires identifiés dans le cadre du programme dans le but de bâtir des relations pérennes à la base des innovations de demain dans la culture du cannabis.

L2M QC 2024 – «SysNergie – Fabrication de modules et de blocs batteries lithium-ion modulaires pour application stationnaire.»

Le projet de stage en stratégie d’entreprise du stagiaire se concentre sur la validation de marché pour les batteries innovantes développées par l’entreprise, spécifiquement destinées aux applications de stockage d’énergie stationnaire. L’objectif principal de ce projet est d’évaluer la demande et le potentiel commercial de ces batteries sur différents segments de marché. Cela implique une analyse approfondie des besoins des clients, des tendances du marché, ainsi que des opportunités et des défis spécifiques à ce secteur. En outre, le projet vise à identifier les partenaires potentiels, les canaux de distribution optimaux, et à élaborer une stratégie de mise en marché efficace pour positionner SysNergie comme un leader dans le domaine du stockage d’énergie stationnaire.

Soil remediation using tannin’s hydrogel: a potential solution to forestry and mining industries

Within the Canadian context, this project is expected to solve an environmental problem related to the contamination of soils by heavy metals from the mining industry and deal with a great amount of forest waste generated from the forest industry. This project aims to develop tannin hydrogel from wood residues from Canada, evaluate its performance to adsorb metal pollutants, and compare it with commercial hydrogel based on fossil fuels, sodium polyacrylate. For that, the tannin, extracted from the Canadian forestall waste, will be used to produce a hydrogel and applied to the soil to evaluate its potential adsorption. The latter will be characterized as pH, elemental composition, morphology, surface chemistry, specific surface area, and pore volume. Then, a laboratory dispositive in the form of a column will be developed with three layers, the hydrogel under the contaminated soil and above the standard soil. A controlled water flow will be added to the system, to leach the contaminants and allow the hydrogel to swallow and adsorb it. The soils will be characterized for metal content and these results will be compared to the sodium polyacrylate hydrogel to evaluate which polymer is the most efficient for metal adsorption.