Innovative Projects Realized

Modular sun-tracking floating solar power generation platform

Our solution provides modular floating solar array units that aggregate into a scalable platform with energy generation capacities between 50kWh/day (0.35MWh/week) and 0.5MWh/day(3.5MWh/week), similar and compatible with the current energy needs of small and medium-size indigenous coastal communities.

Remotely Operated Bio-inspired AM Underwater Robot

Canada’s international marine trade, accounting for 80% of its commerce with countries beyond North America, surged to an impressive $205 billion in 2015. In this dynamic industry, the maintenance and repair sector assume
a pivotal role in managing the life cycle costs of marine vessels, with approximately 72% of the budget allocated to its operation. The challenges faced are formidable, as unforeseen equipment failures, surface damage including
corrosion, biofouling, abrasion, and fatigue cracks due to seawater exposure, are all too common. Typically, the conventional approach entails transporting the damaged marine to a dry dock for repair, incurring substantial
expenses and logistical challenges.
To address these challenges, the possible deployment of a Metal Additive Manufacturing (MAM) equipment emerges as a transformative solution, significantly reducing the reliance on off-route docking for supply replenishment, maintenance, and overhaul. To harness this technology for underwater repair purposes, we introduce the “Remora MAM Bot”, a remotely controlled bio-inspired MAM robot. Drawing inspiration from the Remora fish, this innovative robot boasts a vacuum cap mechanism, allowing it to attach securely to various marine surfaces. By adhering to the marine vessel’s body, the Remora MAM Bot provides effortless access to damaged areas, rendering it invaluable for underwater repairs.

Development of super-macroporous chitin-based bioinks

The main aim of this project is to utilize chitin and its derivatives to fabricate super-macroporous bioinks using our mist-based printhead technology. The proposed project fosters a circular economy by expanding the bioink and bioprinting market and contributing to sustainable economic growth, while simultaneously addressing environmental challenges associated with crustacean shell waste. Additionally, it opens up new opportunities in healthcare by developing advanced and sustainable bioinks for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications.

Une approche collaborative de design de jeux au service de la santé, étude des effets de différents styles de jeux vidéo sur l’engagement et l’adhérence à la thérapie PEP.

La Fibrose Kystique (FK) est une maladie génétique mortelle qui touche environ 1 canadien sur
3600. L’accumulation constante de mucus dans leurs poumons bloque les voies respiratoires et doit
être expulsé de façon quotidienne, lors d’une série d’exercices thérapeutiques, afin de prévenir les
infections pulmonaires. Cependant, la coopération demandée aux enfants peut mener à des moments de confrontation et de tension avec la famille, ce qui peut avoir un impact important sur leur santé individuelle. En utilisant des jeux vidéo spécialement conçus pour ce contexte, il est possible de
motiver et engager les patients à leur thérapie, tout en maintenant sa valeur thérapeutique. Les jeux
en question seront développés en collaboration avec des étudiants de l’Université de Montréal, des spécialistes du CHU Ste-Justine et les développeurs logiciels de Affordance Studio. À terme, ce projet
devrait améliorer la qualité de vie des patients atteints de la Fibrose Kystique et réduire le fardeau de
leur famille.

Enhancing Energy Solutions: A Comprehensive Approach to Efficiency and Sustainability

The purpose of this project is to improve process of operational activities by creating more efficient, customer-focused, and agile technical sales team. This project aims to streamline sales processes, optimize resource allocation, and improve collaboration within the team. Moreover, this project will systematically identify, address, and optimize sales and operations process and improve overall performance of the sales department. Additionally, this project will develop a support extension strategy that will be well planned, executed effectively, and capable of delivering enhanced services to customers and meet the growing demands of its customer base. The ultimate goal is to increase sales revenue, reduce operational costs, and create a more agile and customer-centric sales operation. This project methodology will be based on both qualitative and quantitative methods.

Desjardins-Rotman : Misrepresentation in ratemaking variables

When building predictive ratemaking models in Property & Casualty insurance, the quality of the models and the adequacy of the premiums we charge to clients are dependent on the quality of the data used when building those models. In certain cases, we know that some variables have the potential of being misrepresented in our data, be it because of omissions from the clients, late reporting of new information on some variables, etc. We would like to use our partnership with the Rotman MMA program to explore ways to identify and quantify this misrepresentation and thus improve the results of our ratemaking models.

Développement d’un nouveau stabilisateur de sol écoresponsable formulé à partir de déchets de biomasse pour utilisation en conditions nordiques.

Un stabilisateur de sol écoresponsable destiné à l’industrie de la construction pour le renforcement de sols meubles sera développé avec cette proposition de recherche. Une personne stagiaire de premier cycle universitaire en chimie participera à la formulation de plusieurs prototypes en utilisant différentes fibres végétales, biopolymères ainsi que différentes huiles de base. Cette personne stagiaire effectuera des analyses de viscosités sur ces formulations. Cette personne travaillera aussi à l’évaluation de la consistance de deux types de sols soumis à l’ajout de ces formulations. Également, une personne stagiaire en génie participera à la réalisation de deux tests critiques de compressibilité mécanique des sols (ASTM D2166 et ISO 17892-9) afin d’identifier les meilleurs prototypes stabilisateurs de sol développés. Cette personne stagiaire en génie agira également comme aide-opérateur en usine pour les premiers essais de mise à l’échelle du prototype stabilisateur de sols optimal qui aura été développé.

Effects of Uncertainty in Engineering Data on Design and Performance of Automotive Thermal Systems

This project will study how underbody components (tailpipe, muffler, rear fascia brackets and spare
wheel compartment) withstand thermal loads over time through the use of a heat-transfer model
(using RadTherm simulation package) of the vehicle under investigation as well as the first-order
Taylor Series expansion. The Taylor Series will be used to calculate the sensitivity of the output
(amount of radiation absorbed by each component) to the input (clearances and emissivity).
Specifically, the design objective for this research is to minimize thermal degradation of the
components over the lifetime of the vehicle. This project has the potential to improve the quality of
thermal systems on all Chrysler and Fiat vehicles by thermally protecting essential underbody
components.

Piezoelectric Energy Harvester Microsystems

The increasing occurrence of unprecedented natural disasters attributed to climate change serves as a constant reminder of the necessity to decrease reliance on fossil fuels. In order to harvest renewable energy sources as a
solution, our research proposes an innovative method of extracting maximum energy from ocean waves via piezoceramic material. In this work, the dynamics of the waves are modelled by a comprehensive data-driven
model, which characterizes small-scale mechanical motions. The approach involves using machine learning to model ocean wave characteristics such as wave amplitude, wavelength and wave period. This model can also
handle multi-dimensional and multi-variety data obtained by uncertain ocean environments. Our proposed microdevice is validated using advanced techniques, including artificial neural networks and deep learning, to
optimize its design in terms of structure and geometry sizes for efficient energy harvesting. The fabricated MEMSscale chip from the services of CMC (Canadian Microelectronics Corporation) is being measured and
characterized in our laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art analyzing instruments to confirm the supervior performance. In addition, a hybrid conditioning circuit, which can convert the generated AC voltage to a desirable
DC constant voltage output supporting the load of different environmental sensors, is actively being developed in the simulation and testing stage.

Freshwater mussels as biosensors for environmental pathogens

In an era where emerging zoonotic diseases pose a constant threat to biodiversity and public health, there is an urgent need for innovative and robust pathogen surveillance systems. Freshwater mussels, often overlooked in the realm of disease surveillance, may hold the key to revolutionizing our understanding of pathogen dynamics and providing early warning signs of potential outbreaks. By filtering water to acquire nutrients, freshwater mussels uptake pathogens present in the environment that may threaten public health if undetected. We propose to test cutting edge genomics technologies to detect such pathogens present in freshwater mussels. In this way, we aim to use the natural filtration ability of freshwater mussels as a more efficient and effective way to detect pathogens in the environment than currently available time-consuming and expensive methods such as mass screening of wild animals across the environment or manual filtration of copious volumes of water.

Developing an AI Social Media Marketing for Online Learning Platform

An innovative learning platform is currently under development for Canadian market, but localization is necessary. Mathematics and Science subjects for Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) is chosen to initialize this localization process. In recent months, AI technologies, particularly ChatGPT, demonstrated an astonishing potential to the world. Creating contents for social media is one of well recognized features and they are expected to grow and accelerate. In this EdTech project, the objective is to integrate Python programming and existing AI tools to generate contents and design social media pages or advertisements for marketing and future business development.

Methology (Tentative work plan)
A) Problem (8-10 weeks)
– define scope of works such as topics and summaize content requirements
– program to generate a spreadsheet of contents utilized AI tools
– validate the content generations, revisit the problem if needed
B) Execution (8-10 weeks)
– generate proposed social media graphics
– if applicable, short videos with English vocal
– publish social media posts automatically (e.g. Instagram or facebook)
C) Refinement (4-6 weeks)
– analyze the outputs and optimize the system (~1/4 of time, 6 weeks)

The outcome of this project is an automatic system to generate social media contents and publish posts (or advertisement). Upon the success of this phase, the next phase of this project is to optimize the posts to attract audiences and promote the learning platform.

ACL Prevention Program for Athletes

This project will focus on the prevention of ACL injuries with a proper 8 week program based on scientific research to date. The goal is to target basketball and soccer athletes to reduce the number of injuries that are occurring in this population with proper flexibility, strength, agility and rest combined.