Innovative Projects Realized

Measuring Social Progress on Urban Aboriginal People: Construction and Application of a Composite Index of Quality of Life – Year Two

As Aboriginal people increasingly migrate to urban areas, it has become imperative to promote their socioeconomic engagement in the destinations. While there has been increasing research focuses on Aboriginal peoples’ quality of life (QoL) few studies explicitly measure Aboriginal people’s QoL based on a shared understanding of what QoL really means to Indigenous peoples and the government. Consequently, a meaningful conversation between the parties has not occurred to make a substantial improvement to the current status quo. Therefore, there is a need for measures of QoL that are robust, inclusive, and comparable over time and space to bridge the knowledge gap. This research project proposes to examine urban Aboriginal population’s QoL by developing a multidimensional QoL index, which is primarily based on their traditional values and beliefs, to identify common trends across individual indicators while benchmarking the overall performance of Aboriginal people. TO BE CONT’D

Analyse de solutions logistiques innovantes pour l’approvisionnement en biomasse forestière d’une bioraffinerie implantée sur le territoire de la ville de La Tuque

BioÉnergie La Tuque, qui est une OBNL partenaire, cherche à mettre en place les conditions nécessaires à l’implantation d’une bioraffinerie sur le territoire de la ville de La Tuque permettant de convertir 1 200 000 TM de biomasse forestière résiduelle verte en 200 millions de litres de biodiesel, ou diesel renouvelable et ce, à un rythme annuel. Ce projet fait partie de cette initiative et vise à examiner des solutions logistiques innovantes pour l’approvisionnement de cette bioraffinerie en biomasse. Des scénarios de collaboration entre des membres potentiels du réseau de la chaine d’approvisionnement seront définis et évalués. Ces membres peuvent intervenir au niveau de la récolte ou la collecte, du transport, du stockage, du prétraitement et/ou de la conversion de la biomasse. Le projet apportera des éclairages sur les bonnes pratiques en matière de collaboration et évaluera les réductions de coûts possibles pour l’ensemble du réseau.

Measuring Social Progress on Urban Aboriginal People: Construction and Application of a Composite Index of Quality of Life

As Aboriginal people increasingly migrate to urban areas, it has become imperative to promote their socioeconomic engagement in the destinations. While there has been increasing research focuses on Aboriginal peoples’ quality of life (QoL) few studies explicitly measure Aboriginal people’s QoL based on a shared understanding of what QoL really means to Indigenous peoples and the government. Consequently, a meaningful conversation between the parties has not occurred to make a substantial improvement to the current status quo. Therefore, there is a need for measures of QoL that are robust, inclusive, and comparable over time and space to bridge the knowledge gap. This research project proposes to examine urban Aboriginal population’s QoL in Saskatoon by developing a composite QoL index, which is primarily based on their traditional values and beliefs, to identify common trends across individual indicators while benchmarking the overall performance of Aboriginal people. The application of the QoL index helps municipal governments develop strategies to address Aboriginal peoples’ needs but also brings new market opportunities for the industrial partner to expand its business while contributing to the improvement of the lives of urban Aboriginal peoples.

Élaboration d’approches et d’outils pédagogiques novateurs basés sur les apports des recherches empiriques récentes

Depuis quelques années, chercheurs et praticiens de l’enseignement musical ont démontré un intérêt grandissant pour ce que nous nommerons les «?approches pédagogiques innovantes?» en musique. Ces approches offrent une alternative à la pratique pédagogique traditionnelle en misant, notamment, sur le développement de la créativité musicale, le travail «?à l’oreille?», le développement d’une communauté de pratique, l’apprentissage par les pairs et la gamification de l’apprentissage. Parmi les bénéfices associés à ces approches, on compte l’amélioration de l’engagement, de la motivation et de la persévérance des apprenants, ainsi que le développement de compétences qui sont en meilleure adéquation avec la pratique réelle du musicien amateur ou professionnel.
TO BD CON’D

Self-powered microchips for rapid diagnosis and severity determination of urinary tract infections

Children presenting a fever without known sources are usually checked for bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI) which, in its more complicated forms, can result in permanent kidney damage. The gold standard conventional tests to diagnose complicated urinary tract infections are urine culture and kidney imaging with a radioactive tracer. However, these tests are lengthy (urine culture can take up to 48 hours to provide results) and expensive. Our aim is to develop self-powered, portable, and disposable microchips that directly detect bacterial pathogens in urine and measure blood protein biomarkers of kidney damage. Such microchips would allow rapid, sensitive, inexpensive, and minimally-invasive diagnosis of UTI as well as determination of infection severity. In addition, the developed microchips will provide immediate and high-quality diagnosis to guide clinical decisions and treatments thereby improving Canadian healthcare. TO BE CONt’D

Digital tools for Ottawa’s Cultural Heritage Conservation: Ottawa New Edinburgh Club Boat-House (ONEC)

Heritage information plays an essential role in the adequate planning and monitoring of conservation strategies. Digital tools have revolutionized the speed and the accuracy in recording heritage places. This pilot project addresses how to integrate information gathered through digital technology into coherent graphic record (floor plans, section, and elevations) and how to understand the relationship between recording and good conservation decision-making. It will test how to integrate strategies for emerging digital technologies in the rehabilitation of architectural heritage. This documentation activity will fill the gaps between digital innovations in the recording technology and traditional heritage documentation and will contribute as a new form of information on the current state of the building that can be manipulated to explore and demonstrate a range of enhancement and adaptive reuse actions. The research motif will be one of the few examples of aquatic architecture in Canada from early 20th century: the Ottawa New Edinburgh Club (ONEC).

Multi-level modeling methodologies for aircraft thermal architecture optimization – Year two

The proposed project will contribute to Bombardier’s research initiative “Virtual Aircraft” with the overall objective to improve modelling and simulation throughout the development process to enable innovation and reduce development risk to extensive design space exploration.
The objective of the project is to develop models of thermal aspects, traditionally investigated later in the design, when the aircraft architecture is already defined, to enable the development of an aircraft thermal architecture analysis and optimization. This can be used to assess the thermal capacity of a specific equipment zone as well as the passenger comfort in the cabin.
This is especially important for new technology integration such as more electrical systems within a condensed space and the use of composite materials for structures. Furthermore, a methodology will be developed to analyze thermal aspects for aircraft systems consistently throughout the development process (conceptual, preliminary, detailed design) by using a multi-level approach.

Multi-level modeling methodologies for aircraft thermal architecture optimization

The proposed project will contribute to Bombardier’s research initiative “Virtual Aircraft” with the overall objective to improve modeling and simulation throughout the development process to enable innovation and reduce development risk through extensive design space exploration.
The objective is to develop models of thermal aspects, traditionally investigated later in the design, when the aircraft architecture is already defined, to enable the development of an aircraft thermal architecture analysis and optimization. In particular, derived a temperature stratification strategy for aircraft zonal analysis based on the thermal system modeling. This can be used to assess the thermal capacity of a specific equipment zone as well as the passenger comfort in the cabin.
A novel multi-fidelity and parametric thermal analysis capability will be developed: simplified, so-called one-dimensional correlations for temperature stratification prediction will be established from detailed three-dimensional simulations, currently performed late in the design using time-consuming computational fluid dynamics. TO BE CONT’D

Développement de formulations pharmaceutiques à base de silice pour le secteur de l’oncologie

La silice est un minéral très répandu dans la nature qui entre dans la fabrication d’objets tels que le verre, les pneus et la fibre optique. Elle est également utilisée dans des procédés industriels tels que le moulage de métaux ou encore la purification de molécules à haute valeur ajoutée. La silice peut être modifiée chimiquement pour séquestrer des agents anticancéreux sous forme de microsphères. Celles-ci ont l’avantage d’être calibrées et fonctionnalisées pour permettre le ciblage des cellules cancéreuses. Le présent projet vise donc à: i) synthétiser les microsphères contenant des agents anticancéreux (paclitaxel, docetaxel et 5-FU) fréquemment utilisés en oncologie; ii) formuler les microsphères pour une administration intraveineuse, orale ou topique; et iii) évaluer leur efficacité in vitro sur des cellules cancéreuses et in vivo sur des souris porteuse de tumeurs. Cette nouvelle technologie permettra d’améliorer la chimiothérapie anticancéreuse (toxicité et efficacité) et pourrait s’appliquer à d’autres indications thérapeutiques.

Exploring document navigation and interaction on mobile devices

Title of the project: Exploring document navigation and interaction on mobile devices

Sponsor organization: PDFTron Systems Inc.

Intern: (AMY) Xiao-Ming LI

Supervisor: Hao (Richard) Zhang

School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University

Description:

PDFTron Systems Inc. specializes in PDF, SVG, XPS and other graphics technologies. Based on the success of its product – PDFNet SDK on desktops, PDFTron is motivated to expand their technology to a fast-growing market — hand-held touch screen devices. But with limited CPU and display surfaces of tablets, new challenges emerge to minimize lag, flicker, and other viewing artifacts. PDFTron has developed a tiling-algorithm to address some of these issues. In this project we wish to improve a number of shortcomings of the current algorithm so that it can produce better document navigation and interaction experience on mobile devices. The research on the current algorithm will help PDFTron better to transform their technology to all kinds of mobile touch screen devices.

Effects of Introduced Honeybees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) on Native Stem Nesting Bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in Temperate, Mixed-wood Forests

The present study investigates the impact of Eurasian honeybees on the functional diversity and reproductive ability of native stem-nesting bees. Honeybees have the potential to compete with native stem-nesting bees, however, currently no studies have examined this interaction in North American temperate forests. The main goal of this project is to develop a more mechanistic understanding of bee community composition and distribution, in particular, under the threat of exotic introduction. It is anticipated that this information will provide a greater ability to predict important community interactions in forest environments following the introduction of such non-native species.

Management of group-housed sows: Impact of grouping practices on sow reproductive performance and piglet development – Year Two

The practice of mixing sows shortly after breeding (MPI) is a practical approach for loose housing that is gaining popularity in commercial herds. However, the effects of dynamic grouping (in which newly bred sows are moved into an already established gestation group) in conjunction with MPI may result in stress during the implantation period, and heightened stress for sows throughout gestation. There is increasing evidence that stressors experienced by the mother during pregnancy can have lasting consequences for the biology of her offspring. Findings from previous studies indicate that, depending on the timing and severity of the stressor, pre-natal stress can impair piglet growth, physiological adaptability, immune function and behaviour. As the Canadian swine industry undergoes a period of transition from stalls to group gestation housing, understanding how management of the gestating sow can influence the welfare, health and productivity of piglets is an important question. TO BE CONT’D