Innovative Projects Realized

Parenting an adult child with autism spectrum disorder: A qualitative examination of the lived experience

Parenting an adult child with autism spectrum disorder and an intellectual disability (ASD-ID) presents unique challenges, which often leads to parental distress, anxiety, depression, and uncertainty of their child’s future. To date however, there has not been an intimate, authentic account of this parental experience. Moreover, this strength-based approach will provide an important addition to what has traditionally been a deficit-based narrative. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to explore the lived experience of parenting an adult child diagnosed with ASD-ID, with the aim of creating a rich, authentic narrative that outlines positive outcomes, navigation of challenges, and overcoming parental concerns. Through a two-step interview approach, intimate details of this unique parental role will be explored. In doing so, Community Living Essex County will gain knowledge related to the experience of parenting an adult child with ASD-ID, which will inform future supports and services provided by this partner agency.

Low Cost Environmental Noise Acquisition and Source Classification System

The environmental noise pollution is continuously increasing and has multiple adverse effects on human health, quality of life and wildlife ecosystem. The noise levels are quite high as compared to the standard proposed by World Health Organization for residential neighborhoods. This kind of pollution is generally not taken care of and there exists the need to establish public awareness and create regulations to counter this issue. We, in collaboration with Horizon Computer Solutions, are developing a complete solution to acquire, store and analyze the noise pollution data and provide insights to decision makers to counter its hazardous effects. Horizon Computer Solutions being the IT solutions provider was founded in 1995 and is expanding its domain of operations ever since. They have the plans to offer smart cities solutions. They can provide consultation to Canadian municipalities to keep the noise level within the range of World Health Organization standard.

Characterizing dissolved methane in groundwater in the Peace Region, Northeast BC, using a regional, dedicated groundwater monitoring well network

The rapid increase in shale gas development in the Peace Region has been accompanied by concern about environmental impacts, and in particular, fugitive methane migration into shallow groundwater. The goal of the proposed research project is to establish a dedicated groundwater monitoring well network in order to collect data to inform the following questions:
1) Where and how much methane is in groundwater in the Peace Region?
2) What are its origins/where does it come from?
3) Is groundwater methane in the region related to oil and gas development activities?
Data from the proposed monitoring network will augment existing data from domestic wells and be used to build a comprehensive, scientifically-defensible understanding of fugitive methane in the Peace Region. The Mitacs interns will lead the project, working closely with Geoscience BC, who can share the insights gained with its associated industry partners to better understand the issue and more effectively monitor fugitive gas.

Big Data Analysis and Management for Food Testing Industries Using Machine learning Technique

The project concerns big data analysis and management for food testing industries by using Machine learning technique. Any food product before and during its distribution to the market must go through an extensive safety and quality tests at food testing laboratories. During this process, various microbiology and analytical chemistry tests will be performed on food products to make sure about the safety and quality of the food products before offering them in the market. During this project, our aim is to first collect and recognize various data generated at the food testing laboratory in order to make an organized data platform for the food testing results. We then utilize an appropriate machine learning technique to make meaningful data-driven decision analysis and suggest economical management strategies and services at various levels of food testing industries.

Lifelike simulation tool for surgical training purposes

The specific aim of this project is to design and manufacture affordable, high fidelity, and high quality synthetic surgical training models of diseased valves and arteries to simulate the possible surgical options such as prolapse mitral valve reconstruction surgeries, aortic valve repair for aortic insufficiencies (novel idea) and coronary and radial arteries [side to side and end to side] anastomosis surgeries. These synthetic models can be used frequently by training surgeons in order to achieve a higher level of skill, confidence and expertise to help improve patient care worldwide.

Development of compact enhanced nebulization systems for inductively coupled plasma spectrometry

The measurement of toxins, such as arsenic, mercury, cadmium, lead and chromium for example, in food, beverages, environmental samples, waters, etc. must be carried out to verify that there is no danger. This requires analyses of numerous samples each day using instruments that can measure the small amounts that may be present. This research involves the development of a simple and compact accessory that can be added to existing instruments to reduce waste, facilitate analyses by enabling the measurement of even smaller amounts of toxins, and increase the number of samples that can be analysed per hour. Because Burgener Research will manufacture and distribute this accessory, it will directly benefit from its sale. In fact, Burgener Research may have to expand and hire more employees in order to respond to the demand, as the instruments that will benefit from this accessory are used coast-to-coast in Canada and worldwide.

Development & Benchtop Testing of Minimally Invasive Surgical Device

Xpan Inc. is developing a patent-pending expandable laparoscopic access port device. Xpan needs to develop its proof of concept prototype into a high-fidelity prototype through a series of iterative design, prototyping and benchtop testing.
Research must be performed to select appropriate biocompatible material that achieve user requirements. Research must also be performed to evaluate the performance and efficacy of several different designs that Xpan is contemplating to develop. Research must also be performed to investigate appropriate manufacturing methodologies for the device, as well as perform address the design for manufacturing requirements. This research will help Xpan create higher industry traction, raise private equity funding from investors and use this funding to hire talented engineers, business development professionals and ultimately establish manufacturing jobs.

Toronto’s City Diplomacy: Arts, Culture, and Heritage

Our project, Toronto’s City Diplomacy: Arts, Culture, and Heritage, brings together scholars and practitioners in the cultural disciplines to consider how the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) engages in cultural diplomacy and cultural networks locally and globally. With Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival (Hot Docs) as our non-profit partner, this project examines how the business of international cultural relations is conducted by non-state actors, such as artists, ensembles, arts and cultural practitioners and programmers, and cultural institutions, in tandem with the political and cultural work of the local government. Using Toronto’s creative and cultural sector and its members as a case study, Toronto’s City Diplomacy: Arts, Culture, and Heritage examines the external and potential models of cultural relations work to determine best practices and establish actionable strategies that organizations such as Hot Docs can implement. This project seeks to chart a new course in city diplomacy to recognize the importance of culture – and the work of artists, ensembles, arts and cultural practitioners, cultural institutions and municipal officials in cultural services – in a city’s global cultural relations.

Automatic Spondylolisthesis Grading

Approximately 5% of the population has a Spondylolisthesis (one of the lower vertebrae slips forward onto the bone directly beneath it). Non-invasive image-based assessment of this spinal structure is an increasing demand in healthcare service. However, the massive information embedded in the increasing large imaging scans has made manual inspection a lengthy and tedious task and observer dependent. The proposed research aims at a computer-aided spinal-scan assessment software toolkit facilitating the diagnosis of Spondylolisthesis. In particular, this proposal will develop and compare traditional (graph cut), machine learning, and recent deep learning methods in the diagnosis of spondylodesis, select in an efficient, reproducible and accurate method. This project is a pioneering attempt. In both industry and academia, there is limited prior work. Pros and cons of methods will provide a strategic base towards a full automatic spinal diagnosis system for the partner organization.

Weed Classification and Density Estimation for Variable Rate Herbicide Prescription

Precision agriculture is the technique to replace the traditional farming methods in order to sustainably improve the crop productivity without adversely impacting the environment. Precision agriculture is the solution to our growing food needs. CropPro consulting generates SWAT maps using soil, water, and topography information which divides the agriculture land into multiple zones. Each zone has its own requirement in terms of fertilizer, water, nutrients, etc. The objective of this project is to apply computer vision and machine learning techniques develop methods for weed detection and classification along with the weed density estimation. The weed information will be consolidated with the SWAT maps and variable rate site-specific herbicide maps will be generated. Variable rate herbicide usage will reduce the overall usage of chemicals which will result in better profitability for farmers and lower environmental impact.

Research and improvement in label production process: waste reduction through adhesive quality improvement

As for any industry, the companies are constantly trying to improve their products. This can be done directly on the raw materials or on the production lines. But profitability can also be improved by reducing wastes while increasing production rates. So this project will investigate the processing conditions and adhesion formulations in terms of mechanical, thermal, chemical and adhesion properties. This will be done by optimization of both processing condition and concentration of the components. For comparison, rheological and mechanical properties will be investigated to predict the processability and performances of new adhesives for label printing.

Determining position, speed and stride length using machine learning with sensor fusion based on ultrawideband local positioning system technology

Sensors that track human movement are becoming more and more popular in all kinds of applications including healthcare, sport and general human movement. However, traditional sensors generally have problems tracking individuals indoors and they are not very accurate when measuring subtle movements. Using innovative technology, new wearable sensors have been developed to track human movement that have solved the problems associated with previous sensors. Further development of these new sensors is still required and that is the overall aim of this project.

The goal of this project is to develop software that accurately calculates the speed and stride rate of athletes who wear a small sensor when they walk or run. To do this, we will compare the information we receive from the sensors with data that we collect in a laboratory using a video-based motion capture system, which is highly accurate. We will also use some advanced Artificial Intelligence techniques to process the information to help us develop the software. The newly developed software will allow the partner company to market and sell a new system that is very accurate and can be used indoors, giving them a major advantage in the marketplace