Innovative Projects Realized

3D topographic acquisitions to avoid serial x-rays during scoliosis brace treatment

In this study, patients with idiopathic scoliosis followed at SickKids will undergo topographic analysis using the Momentum Health scanning application in addition to standard of care clinical evaluation and x-rays. The study period is 1 routine clinic visit followed by 3 months after. Patients will self-scan 1x/month at home for the following 3 months. The sample size will be approximately 15 patients treated with a brace and 15 without. The results of this study are expected to inform the direction of future related research. The accuracy of Momentum Health’s Cobb angle predictions will advise the team if it is pragmatic to consider a large-scale noninferiority randomized control trial that limits routine imaging at this point or if further training of the algorithm is needed. Results will also notify Momentum Health if a separate algorithm for braced patients should be considered.

Characterization of RF and Microwave Systems using a Low- Cost Distributed Measurement Solution

Tech companies must regularly use expensive bench-top instrumentation to test the devices and systems they bring to market by making accurate input-output measurements of the attenuation and time-delay of RF/MW energy when it propagates through, or across, their devices or systems of concern. When the system being measured becomes very large, such as when one wants to characterize how the RF/MW energy propagates between two points in a wireless communication or large sensing network, the measurement task becomes extremely difficult using existing bench-top instrumentation because measuring the time-delay between two points in the network requires the synchronization of the distantly located plurality of instruments needed to make the measurement. Our measurement solution utilizes a novel lowcost
power measurement device which is placed at each point within an RF/MW system, to accurately characterize the RF/MW energy propagation using only independent power measurements without the need to synchronize individual devices with a common source.

Antioxidant properties of Chaga extracts of different vintages

Over the years, edible mushrooms have gained increasing recognition for their nutritional value and the potent medicinal properties they offer. Bioactive compounds found in mushrooms, particularly phenolic compounds,
exhibit valuable qualities such as anti-proliferative and antioxidant properties. Surprisingly, until now, there has been no investigation into the potential antioxidant effectiveness of Chaga mushrooms of different ages. As a
result, this study aims to identify the phenolic compounds present in Chaga mushrooms from various vintages and to compare their antioxidant capabilities. This research serves as a foundational step in the development of
Chaga capsules as part of a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approach to managing chronic diseases.

Testing Occupational Exoskeleton Performance in Different Types of Construction Activities

Occupational exoskeletons (OEs), including arm-support exoskeletons (ASEs) and back-support exoskeletons (BSEs) are wearable devices designed to assist and enable human motion for workers in various industries ranging from manufacturing to construction. As with workers in other industries, the opportunity provided by ASEs and BSEs for construction workers is to reduce injury rates for the benefit of worker health and productivity. Potential risks also exist, including discomfort, compromised balance, snags, and increased stress in the unassisted regions of the body. The challenge comes in finding effective OEs for specific construction trades working on specific project types. To meet this challenge, this project aims to evaluate the performance of OEs in different types of construction activities under a variety of actual site conditions. The evaluation framework will include the assessment of the effects on health and productivity of both an ASE and a BSE. The testing will involve a large number of workers with a variety of attributes, including gender, age, and workers with prior injuries.

Multi-Use Transit Corridors

This project, in partnership with the City of Saskatoon, will develop the parameters for Active Transit corridors. While the long term goal is for multiple corridors, this initial exploration and research will focus on the College Corridor adjacent to the University of Saskatchewan Campus and one that has a great deal of daily traffic. This corridor is an important access route for traffic from East to West with destinations including U of S Campus, Downtown, and two of Saskatoon’s 3 hospitals.

Usages et appropriations des droits humains au Nicaragua et au Guatemala (1990-2022)

Partant du constat de l’écart entre le grand écart existant entre l’adoption de normes de droits humains et leur application réelle dans les pays centraméricains considérés, comment et pourquoi des acteurs continuent à s’appuyer sur ces normes pour entreprendre leurs luttes? La recherche comporte un triple objectif : (1) comprendre les raisons de l’adoption de ces normes de droits humains par les “défenseur·es” (2) comprendre comment ces acteur·ices interprètent et rediffusent ces normes (3) les liens de ces phénomènes avec leurs contextes nationaux et comment cela conditionnent ces stratégies. Je souhaite ainsi à contribuer à produire des données, aujourd’hui peu nombreuses, sur ces pays. J’aspire également à décloisonner les approches en sciences sociales sur les droits humains, en faisant dialoguer les études sur les mouvements sociaux, et celles sur la circulation, l’interprétation et la diffusion des normes. Enfin, en rendant visibles ces luttes, je souhaite réfléchir à la manière de combler l’écart entre reconnaissance formelle et protection réelle des droits humains.

Implementation of Canada Digital Adoption Program technology/process recommendations

We are an independent financial advisory family-owned firm based in Edmonton. We have two financial advisors, a CFP, certified financial planner, and a CHS, certified health insurance specialist. We also have three support admin staff; two at our West Edmonton office and one remote. Are focus is providing advice to certain health professionals with income protection plans, life insurance and tax efficient savings strategies. We are licensed in BC, AB SK and ON. We recently completed a CDAP and have attached it for reference, as it includes many of our challenges and opportunities that we plan to focus on.

NAIT BSI for Zero Point Cryogenics 2024

This Mitacs BSI internship will help Zero Point Cryogenics achieve its goals of serving the market of quantum technologies, by improving our advanced assembly and manufacturing capabilities.

UW Fall Internship

Penrose Partners is a blockchain startup firm that provides transactional, educational, and corporate consulting/material production services to businesses, institutional investors, and disruptive tech companies in the blockchain space. We are the trusted advisor that bridges the gap between businesses with great ideas and blockchain adoption. In April 2023, Penrose Partners hosted the 4th annual International Tech Summit in sunny Bermuda. The summit featured sponsors and speakers from industry-leading firms and government officials. The associate cohort for Fall 2023 will work together to plan the sponsorship outreach, speakers panels, and logistics for the 5th summit in April 2024. Additionally, the interns will work alongside the Partners to assist in client work for various web3 companies. The tasks for these clients will include industry research, organizational duties, sales efforts, and pitch deck building.

Accounting Associate Intern

Tutor Teach, a nationwide educational organization, supports students in academics, extracurriculars, self-confidence, and life skills.

As our current intern’s term concludes, we recognize their significant strides in streamlining our accounting processes, but there’s more work to enhance automation and efficiency. In the 2022-23 fiscal year, financial losses underscored the need for improved tracking and monitoring.

Integration between our internal and external accounting systems is pending. We partner with an independent corporate accounting team to reconcile books, review taxes, and scrutinize expenses. The incoming intern will dive into QuickBooks, taxation procedures, book balancing, and reporting, aiming to reduce expenses and improve accuracy.

This internship offers a chance to automate internal accounting, integrate it with external practices, and gain practical accounting skills, making it a valuable opportunity for the chosen candidate.

The Launch of TradesLink Application

The Edmonton Construction Association is preparing to launch a new trades application. TradesLink is a professional social network for the construction industry. The network operates via an app that tradespeople download to their smartphone, where they build a detailed profile that showcases their education, accomplishments, and skills. TradesLink monetizes by charging employers a subscription fee to search and contact the database of tradespeople. An innovative and dynamic startup dedicated to revolutionizing the trades industry. The trades industry is experiencing an unprecedented lack of young people entering the trades professions. An app such as TradesLink is attempting to modernize the industry. Additionally, the ability to build community within the trades is very fragmented. An app such as TradesLink brings tradespeople together socially so they can build community amongst themselves. Finally, professional development for trades is also very fragmented. TradesLink brings these learning areas together so there is a single resource to find the right place to go to improve their skills.

Insect Pests Detection in Stored Grains

The proposed project is to develop a market viable insect pests detection in stored grains system based on the interns novel active microwave sensing technique. This proposal seeks to build upon optimizing the sensing capabilities of the prototype and to coherently develop a functional array of sensors. Building upon these fundamentals the project will extend to large scale testing in grain silos for real-world scenarios. Throughout the project, live-demonstrations will be put in place to focus the development towards end-user functionality designed through feedback and to later compare with any competitors. The benefits to the partner organization would be helping to foster a Canadian-based startup company through their guidance and the future possibility of the work to significantly impact the grain-managing sector in Canada.