Augmented Reality in Surgery

Augmented Reality (AR) is the combination of virtual images with real objects in order to improve perception. It is a rapidly growing field and has many applications in medicine. For this research project we would like to apply AR to the surgical site during a simulated operation in order to provide additional information and improve […]

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Identifying students’ thinking skills based on the pattern analysis of their interaction behaviours observed in virtual worlds

Virtual worlds, like Second Life, have been adopted by researchers to assess students’ understandings of the knowledge they have learned. Students’ performances of solving the challenges and quests in the virtual worlds can be treated as their overall mastery of the taught concepts and skills. However, the answers of the questions like “do they have […]

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Methodology Research on Business Process Reengineering with a Neutral Information Model of ERPs

McCoy recognizes U of A’s capability in engineering informatics and has approached U of A to conduct a joint research program to investigate a methodology applicable to McCoy’s unique business practice nature for implementing a new enterprise resources planning system. The most challenging research aspect of novelty is the requirement of a neutral information model that is to be […]

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Broadband energy harvesting from tree-like mechanical structures

Harvesting energy from renewable resources, such as wind and ocean waves, is an important issue facing our world today. With the increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, there is a need to move away from nonrenewable resources and to find new methods for capturing energy. Wind turbines operate most efficiently within a narrow […]

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The Search for Earliest Triassic Refugia

Four billion species are estimated to have evolved on Earth over the last 3.5 billion years, of which 99% are extinct. The end-Permian extinction is the largest extinction event that resulted in the elimination of 97% of oceanic species. The conditions that led to this devastating event are similar to the environmental changes we are […]

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Enhanced Mechanical Properties and Lower Gas Permeability for Liner Polyethylene in Fiber Reinforced Pipes (FRPs) – Year two

Permeation of CO2 gas through the inner layer in multi-layer fiber reinforced pipes (FRPs) destructively reduces pipe durability. FRPs generally consist of three or more layers of polymer and reinforcing fibers. Gas permeation thorough the polymer layer and its accumulation in reinforcing layer leads to pipe failure during depressurizing cycles. Using clay nano-platelet can lead […]

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A New Method of Measuring Soot Compositions in Aerosols

Particulate matter emitted from combustion engines is a problem due to negative health effects, effect on climate, and reduction of visibility. Soot is a type of particulate matter that is of particular concern to climate scientists and automobile manufacturers. Previously, it was difficult to measure the amount of material that is not black carbon on […]

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Functional and topological insights into plant triacylglycerol synthesis enzymes

Laure Aymé is a PhD student focusing her research on a plant protein family involved in lipid biosynthesis and important for oil accumulation and biotechnological purposes. Laure recently published an article describing the function and localization of a protein inserted in two distinct cellular compartment membranes, a rather unique situation with few available data. During […]

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Exploring the Utility of Physical Visualization Construction

Physical visualizations are representations in which data is mapped to physical form, rather than the pixels or ink of traditional visualizations [6]. Creating such representations using tangible tiles (i.e. constructive physical visualization) is an accessible paradigm for visualization novices to construct representations [5]. Is this approach worth the greater time investment it requires over more automated […]

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Response of leaf vein pattern to environmental change

We will investigate how plants change leaf vein structure to adapt to environmental changes triggered by climate change. Leaf venation is important for plant nutrient transport and efficient water use. Since making veins requires considerable energy, plants regulate vein density to suit the environment, increasing vein number and connectivity with decreasing water. Different leaf forms […]

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Investigation of Pore-scale Mechanisms of Applying CO2 Huff-and-Puff to Enhance Shale Gas Recovery with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Considering the unique properties of CO2 under supercritical condition, CO2 is proposed to be used in huff-and-puff treatments to enhance shale gas recovery from shale gas formations. This research project will look at the fundamental pore-scale mechanisms when CO2 huff-and-puff is used for enhancing methane recovery from shale formations. In order to obtain pore-scale mechanisms […]

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