Innovative Projects Realized

Optimal Flows for the Energy Transfer

In this project, we aim to numerically analyze the following conjecture “optimal flows for energy transfer correspond to reconnection of anti-parallel vortex tubes”. We will be tackling this optimization problem using a novel method employed by Professor Protas’ research group over the past few years. This project comes as a way to maintain a strong academic relationship between the two researchers and their research groups. The anticipated results will address an open question and potentially smooth the path for further research on this and related problems.

McMaster MPP in Digital Society: Blueprint for a national caregiving strategy

Springboard Policy is a is a public policy consulting firm that helps our clients lead policy conversations and influence government decision making. We believe that when more organizations have the power to share their thinking, experience, and expertise, we all get better public policy. Our clients come from the non-profit, private and broader public sectors, and include local community non-profits, national industry associations, and global firms. Some of the ways we help clients influence public policy include researching and drafting public policy reports, preparing consultation and budget submissions, developing policy strategies and tactics and building clients’ internal capacity. We are not lobbyists: we think our clients are their own best advocates. Through this project, the intern will be working alongside Springboard to develop a plan for a national caregiving strategy. This work will be completed with, and on behalf of, a client with a focus on the caregiving landscape across Canada. The project aims to develop a detailed list of policy recommendations for the federal government to implement through a strategy that aims to support family caregivers, care recipients, and the care provider workforce across Canada. This project aims to improve the lives of caregivers, care providers, and care recipients. This project will benefit Springboard’s client’s efforts to support caregivers and care providers across Canada and further their relationships with key stakeholders in the field as well as decision makers. This project will also support Springboard Policy, the partner organization, to build a strong reputation, contribute meaningfully to the policy community, and generate revenue to continue supporting clients to be their own best advocates.

Reprogrammable photonic platform for quantum simulations

Photonic technologies offer promising prospects for quantum information processing and simulations. Quantum states are usually encoded in photonic degrees of freedom like polarization and spatial modes, enabling the mimicking of target evolutions via a number of devices linearly growing with their temporal extension. This constraint intrinsically makes them lossy and inadequate for extreme quantum dynamics, especially with multi-photon inputs.
Recently, a compact liquid-crystal-based platform was realized, demonstrating the observation of asymptotic regimes of discrete-time quantum walks using only three metasurfaces. These metasurfaces utilize spin-orbit effects to diffractively mimic target evolution, operating on spatial modes with quantized transverse momentum. Despite being effective, this method remains static, implementing specific dynamics at fixed times.

We propose a dynamic solution employing three spatial light modulators (SLMs) as a universal platform for quantum simulations in structured light’s momentum space. SLMs offer programmability, enabling the engineering of a multitude of unitary operators within a compact, scalable setup.
This approach allows for the design of arbitrary quantum evolutions, limited only by individual device resolution.
Both participating institutions will contribute their expertise to the platform: on the one hand in design and testing and on the other hand in experimental realization and implementation in the quantum regime.

Aston Dynamics R&D 2024

Combining engineers from Australia and engineer interns from Canada to co-design and test new projects for development in the Electric vehicle and trailer braking industries.

Releasing new product features to the existing branded Wealthstack Dynamic Dashboards.

Releasing new product features to the existing branded Wealthstack Dynamic Dashboards.

Promoting brain health for older adults with developmental disabilities and their families

The current project aims to engage with adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families/caregivers and service providers to gain an understanding of best strategies and practices around engagement of brain and mental health. The expected benefit of this program is to support CAMH and the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre in their goal of improving the knowledge and delivery of brain and mental health services, specifically for individuals with IDD and their families/caregivers.

Realistic Degradation Studies of Platinum-Rare Earth Alloy Fuel Cell Catalysts using Near-Ambient Pressure X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

This proposed project will investigate the failure modes of platinum-rare earth element alloy catalysts for hydrogen fuel cells. These alloys are the current state-of-the-art catalysts in terms of durability for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), yet due to their recent discovery are lacking important studies to understand their degradation under working conditions. These types of studies are required to understand their failure modes, which will inspire intelligent catalyst design in the future and push forward the field of PEMFCs. The proposed failure analysis studies will be done in collaboration with Dr. Michael Günthel at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy (ISE) in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. The Fraunhofer ISE has state-of-the-art materials characterization instrumentation, including a near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron Spectrometer (NAP-XPS) which will be key to conducting the proposed failure analysis studies. NAP-XPS will allow us to investigate the platinum-rare earth alloy catalysts under near working conditions, as the unique XPS system allows for the study of catalyst surfaces under gases such as hydrogen and oxygen. The usage of these gases allows us to create simulated operational conditions, during which we can observe and characterize the surface species forming while the catalyst degrades.

Advanced Control and Data Analysis in Support of Unmanned Vehicle Operators

Mobile robots equipped with chemical, radiological and explosive detectors are deployed during events where CBRNE materials have been dispersed; sending robots provides key reconnaissance data while reducing personnel exposure. Operators rely on camera views and on-board detectors to drive the robots using joysticks, and they have to control every aspect of the robot operation. Live detector data collected by the robot can be overlaid on maps. However, insufficient situational awareness, sparse and inaccurate data put a significant demand on the operators for navigating the robot, mapping the contamination levels and locating the hazard in time efficient fashion. This proposed research project will develop proof-of-concept advanced robot controls and comprehensive analytical tools that can assist mobile robot operators to make faster and more correct decisions, increase robots’ safety and mobility during a real-time situation in complex environments. Some of these concepts may be adopted in prototypes and products in the future.

Regulation and adaption of adenylyl cyclases and cAMP signaling networks in brown adipose tissue

Driver Behavioural Change Interventions to Improve Fleet Safety

The City of Toronto operates one of the largest and most diverse fleets in North America. Despite City’s commitment to road safety, incidents involving municipal fleet vehicles remain a challenge. This project ultimately aims to reduce incidents and improve fleet safety among light-duty vehicle fleet drivers within the City’s Transportation Services Division by targeting risky driver behaviors. The specific objectives are: (1) to identify the root causes and risk factors contributing to preventable collisions, (2) to pinpoint driver behavior intervention opportunities that align with these causes, and (3) to pilot test a context-specific intervention. The proposed methodology encompasses a mixed-methods approach, beginning with a review of archival data (e.g. incident reports) and policy documents, followed by data collection through qualitative and/or quantitative methods with City personnel. These activities will inform a gap analysis and the development of tailored interventions, which will be evaluated for feasibility and impact. The findings will contribute to the scientific literature on fleet crash causation and behavioral interventions for fleet drivers.

Ara – Optimisation acoustique

The project involves research and development regarding some of the components of the product. The Ara, an educational musical instrument, features a mechanism that creates music based on the positioning of pieces on the tangible user interface of the product. This mechanism comprises various systems that will be mechanically and acoustically optimized by the intern to enhance the quality of the sound produced by the instrument.

Indigenous Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health in the Amazon Rainforest

The proposed project addresses the pressing challenges indigenous communities face in the department of Vaupés, Colombia. These challenges include cultural loss, pollution, mental health issues, and ongoing food insecurity despite the region’s extensive biodiversity. Through a participatory approach, the project seeks to engage indigenous communities in understanding the impact of environmental changes, from climate change and human exploitation, on their food systems, culture, and development. The expected benefits for participating institutions, including local indigenous organizations, government agencies, and non-profit groups, include strengthened partnerships, increased cultural competence through community engagement, and increased understanding of the community’s needs and wants. The project promotes social justice and preserving cultural heritage by empowering indigenous groups to actively participate in decision-making processes concerning their own well-being and environment. Ultimately, the project aims to serve as a catalyst for positive change, driving sustainable development and fostering resilience within the indigenous communities of the Vaupés region.