Innovative Projects Realized

Explore thousands of successful projects resulting from collaboration between organizations and post-secondary talent.

30508 Completed Projects

2882
AB
5105
BC
825
MB
681
NL
860
SK
9051
ON
9491
QC
97
PE
586
NB
1141
NS

Projects by Category

Evaluation of Terrestrial Environmental Effects Monitoring Forest Health Vegetation Monitoring in Jack Pine Forests

The Wood Buffalo Environmental Association (WBEA) monitors the impact of industrial activities on jack pine forests within the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR), in Alberta, Canada. WBEA’s Forest Health Monitoring Program tracks the effects of deposition of nutrients and other elements emitted by industrial activities at the AOSR on the surrounding forests. The proposed project aims to examine how industrial emissions and their deposition affect the nutrient/element distribution, tree growth, and understory plant communities in these forests. Data from four monitoring periods spanning twenty years (2004, 2012, 2018, and 2024) will be analyzed. We expect to find more nutrients and faster growth in trees closer to sources of emission, and changes in plant species towards those that thrive on nitrogen in areas of higher nitrogen deposition. This partnership will enhance WBEA’s understanding of their long-term monitoring vegetation data and vegetation monitoring procedures by providing new insights into the effects of atmospheric deposition on the jack pine forests while simultaneously offering valuable research experience and professional development to the applicant.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Anne McIntosh

Student:

Partner:

Wood Buffalo Environmental Association

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Elevate

L2M-Automated Home Oxygen Therapy through Closed-Loop Control of Inhaled Oxygen Concentration

This project focuses on developing an innovative, automated wearable oxygen delivery system specifically designed to improve the quality of life for individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other respiratory ailments. By incorporating advanced sensor technology, the system will dynamically adjust oxygen flow based on the user’s real-time respiratory needs, allowing for greater mobility and comfort. This not only aims to enhance patient independence but also significantly reduces healthcare costs associated with hospital readmissions. For the partner organization, this project offers the potential to lead in the advancement of respiratory care technology, opening up new market opportunities and reinforcing its role as a pioneer in healthcare innovation. The collaboration will also help the organization stay at the forefront of medical technology, providing competitive advantages in both the healthcare and technology sectors.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Andrew Martin

Student:

Partner:

Edmonton Unlimited

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services; Public administration

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Business Strategy Internship

Development of a Computational Model for Characterizing Viscoelastic Polymer Solutions

Understanding the stretchy qualities of complex fluids is crucial for industries such as inkjet printing, food manufacturing, fiber spinning, and pharmaceuticals. Special devices called filament and capillary breakup rheometers are often used to study these properties. Despite this, one of the biggest challenges in these industries is accurately measuring the “relaxation times” — a key factor that influences how these fluids behave under stress. This measurement is challenging to standardize and usually needs manual tweaks, which can be inefficient and inconsistent. To tackle this problem, our project is creating an automated toolbox designed to use data from simulations and experiments to figure out these relaxation times more precisely when the fluid is stretched. This toolbox isn’t just about automation; it’s about increasing accuracy by combining simple and advanced models of how the fluid flows and reacts with actual experimental observations. One exciting feature of our toolbox is the use advanced numerical simulations and super-resolution AI techniques. These powerful tools will help us process images from the experiments to observe extremely fine details of how the fluid thins out, down to subpixel levels. This means we can see tiny changes that were previously invisible, improving our understanding and measurement accuracy.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Moussa Tembely

Student:

Partner:

3M Canada (London, ON)

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

Concordia University

Program:

Accelerate

DSSK Retrieval

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

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Faculty Supervisor:

Pascal Germain;Cem Subakan

Student:

Partner:

ServiceNow Canada

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Université Laval

Program:

Accelerate

Applying novel biomonitoring techniques to assess reclamation progress in Canada’s largest open-pit copper mine

The proposed project is designed to improve the efficiency and accuracy of habitat restoration after it has been used for resource extraction (e.g., mining, forestry). This recovery process is known as ‘reclamation’. We will work with the partner organisation, Teck Resources, to assess reclamation progress in a large copper mine in western Canada. We will use exciting new DNA sequencing technology to identify which species are present at the mine and which are present at undisturbed sites outside of the mine. Because we have multiple years of data, this dataset will allow us to determine whether the mine sites are recovering. As a part of the project, I will develop new interactive portals that the industry partner can use to explore and understand the data. More broadly, we will advance knowledge of Canada’s biodiversity by ensuring all data are publicly available and identify new species that taxonomists can describe.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Paul Hebert

Student:

Partner:

Teck Resources Ltd

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Manufacturing; Mining

University:

University of Guelph

Program:

Elevate

Implementation and evaluation of a workplace mental health intervention for skilled trades apprentices and contractors in Ontario, Canada

Within the skilled trades industry, there is a pressing need to attract new workers and retain old workers. This need is especially apparent today due to the aging workforce and difficulties finding apprentices who are qualified for the role. Unfortunately, the mental and physical health of apprentices often are overlooked. To address these issues, we plan to conduct a study in Ontario that aims to understand the challenges of skilled trades employers and apprentices and shed light on factors that impact job retention and employee wellbeing. Ultimately, our goal is to use the identified knowledge to improve apprenticeship programs, support workers’ mental health and meet the ever-growing demands on the skilled labour workforce in Canada.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia

Student:

Partner:

The Ontario Electrical League

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate

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.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Ying Tsui

Student:

Partner:

Edmonton Unlimited

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services; Public administration

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Business Strategy Internship

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.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Muhammad Saif Ullah Khalid

Student:

Partner:

Case Western Reserve University

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Ocean Tech; Biotechnology; Technology

University:

Lakehead University

Program:

Globalink Research Award

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.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Trushar Patel

Student:

Partner:

Edmonton Unlimited

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services; Public administration

University:

University of Lethbridge

Program:

Business Strategy Internship

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.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Hyun-Joong Chung

Student:

Partner:

Edmonton Unlimited

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services; Public administration

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Business Strategy Internship

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.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Philippe Constant

Student:

Partner:

Bioxy AFD inc

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Manufacturing; Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Université du Québec : Institut national de la recherche scientifique

Program:

Accelerate

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.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Lucyna Lach;Cécile Bardon;Tara Flanagan

Student:

Partner:

Pleins Rayons

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

McGill University; Université du Québec à Montréal

Program:

Accelerate

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Mitacs — Return on Innovation

Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.