Innovations Realized

Explore thousands of successful projects resulting from collaboration between organizations and post-secondary talent.

13270 Completed Projects

1072
AB
2795
BC
430
MB
106
NF
348
SK
4184
ON
2671
QC
43
PE
209
NB
474
NS

Projects by Category

10%
Computer science
9%
Engineering
1%
Engineering - biomedical
4%
Engineering - chemical / biological

Development of new approaches to identifying priority contaminants and evaluate their biological effects in the endangered St Lawrence Estuary Beluga population

The beluga population living in the St. Lawrence Estuary (Quebec) is endangered, and exposure to organic contaminants (i.e., polychlorinated biphenyls, short-chain chlorinated paraffins and polybrominated diphenyl ethers) may be one of the reasons that explain their steady decline. Recent studies using skin/blubber biopsies of St. Lawrence belugas showed that several of these organohalogens may perturb their regulation of thyroid and estrogen axes as well as lipid metabolism. However, biopsies in cetaceans may not be sufficient to show a general impact throughout the body, and results may be influenced by ecological factors such as diet. In order to contribute to the protection and recovery of the endangered St. Lawrence Estuary beluga population, this study presents a unique opportunity to validate whether the use of biopsies are suitable tissues for evaluating the impact of contaminants, develop new transcriptomic health assessment tools to evaluate the biological effects of contaminants, and prioritize (rank) the contaminants of concern in their diet and habitat.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Tanya Brown

Student:

Antoine Simond

Partner:

Ocean Wise

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

University:

Simon Fraser University

Program:

Catalytic oxidative desulfurization of tire pyrolysis oil, fuel oils and their distillates

Thermochemical conversion of waste tires to useful energy resources is attractive to obtain pyrolysis oils with potential economic value. However, the high sulfur and nitrogen contents prevents its direct application as a drop-in fuel in refineries. Though, catalytic hydrotreatment can reduce these heteroatoms, the prohibitive costs of high pressure equipments and harsh reaction conditions necessitates other options including oxidative desulfurization to be explored. This work package with AirScience Technologies proposes to: 1) develop a protocol to fractionate the virgin pyrolytic and fuel oils; 2) develop catalysts for the upgradation of the various cuts via oxidative desulfurization; 3) develop adsorbents for the removal of oxidized heteroatoms; 4) perform regeneration study of optimized catalyst and adsorbent; and 5) scale-up the process from 100 mL to 2 L batch using the optimized catalyst and adsorbent. The proposed project will be beneficial to our industrial partners and Canadian Waste Recycling Industries.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Ajay K Dalai

Student:

Jasmine Kaur;Phillip Boahene

Partner:

AirScience Technologies Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Saskatchewan

Program:

Accelerate

Development of Methods to Increase Funding for Scaling-up Climate Solutions

Alarming cost forecasts about climate change are spurring interest in investment in technologies for climate change mitigation. Investigations indicate there are already innovative technologies that could generate significant climate change mitigation; however, innovators are not receiving the funding they need for rapid and large-scale implementation. This research project is directed towards developing methods for attaining substantial amounts of funding from investors for the scale-up of clean technologies. The objectives are to develop a robust and transparent procedure for connecting clean technology innovators with investors. Portfolios of potential investors and clean technology climate solutions that are most suitable for scale-up will be developed. The applications of selected clean technologies will be studied, and the knowledge acquired about the investors and clean technology innovators will be used to facilitate and customize engagement between suitable investor-innovator matches. The research outcomes are important for helping to mitigate climate change and for enhancing economic growth.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Paul O'Brien;Philip Walsh

Student:

Matt Malinsky;Quinn Daigle

Partner:

Climate Solutions Advancement Network

Discipline:

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Program:

Accelerate

Synergistic Ionic Liquids – Chitin Nanowhiskers (CNWs) – Epoxy Nanocomposites for Improved Mechanical Properties

Chitin is an abundant resource in the form of shell waste from food industry in Canada and the world. BOCO Bio-Nanotechnologies has currently the infrastructure in place for scalable extraction of chitin nanowhiskers (CNWs) from crab shells. CNWs are the crystalline form of chitin molecules, possessing high strength, stiffness and aspect ratio, making them an ideal candidate for polymer reinforcement. A significant market opportunity for BOCO is to incorporate CNWs in epoxy to develop epoxy nanocomposites with tremendous mechanical properties. However, the incorporating of CNWs is limited by chitin’s intrinsic self agglomeration thus cannot achieve expected property enhancement and certain loadings. Therefore, the objective of this project is to develop a new nanofiller processing technique for optimal filler loadings and reinforcement in the composites. Parametric study will be performed for quantitative analysis to support the technological and commercial requirements of the company.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Hani Naguib

Student:

Jintian Wang

Partner:

BOCO Technology Inc

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate

Developing A Framework and Tools for Strategic Management of Invasive Species in Greater Toronto Area, Ontario

With limited funding available, managers must prioritize which invasive species and which areas need to be managed. This project will involve finding out which sites and species need to be prioritized for management within the Greater Toronto Area. Through formal discussions with different stakeholders in the area and by using existing data (e.g. species distribution and city attributes), high priority areas and invasive species can be mapped to help managers know where and which invasive species need to be controlled. The partner organization will benefit from this work by knowing which areas and species need to be prioritized for management to restore ecosystem functioning and service provision, while enhancing human well-being.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Marc W. Cadotte

Student:

Luke Potgieter

Partner:

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Other

University:

Program:

Accelerate

The Future of Ontario’s Manufacturing Workforce: A Roadmap to Assess Needs and Capabilities

The purpose of this research project is to better understand the human resource needs and capabilities of the advanced manufacturing sector in Ontario so as to support industry competitiveness and technological change. This research also contributes to labour market development for Ontario’s workforce through an analysis of training and educational providers and recruitment and retention approaches. This project is closely related to the Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing’s objective of raising awareness of Ontario’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem. More specifically, it contributes to Trillium’s core programs of work that focus on 1) new production technologies and the modernization of Ontario manufacturing and 2) skills, talent, and the future of Ontario’s manufacturing workforce.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Johanna Weststar

Student:

Trevor Coppins;Eva Kwan

Partner:

Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing

Discipline:

Other

Sector:

Other

University:

Western University

Program:

Accelerate

Characterization of a Biolubricant Based on Sulfated Polysaccharide Derived from Brown Algae

Lubricant is the substance used to decrease the friction generated between the two surfaces undergo relative motion. There are many applications for naturally occurring lubricants in medical field to improve a patient’s quality of life. Fucoidan is one of the naturally occurring lubricants that has the potential of reducing adhesion after an abdominal surgery. ARC Medical devices have developed an advanced manufacturing process to produce ultra-pure fucoidan that’s more suitable for clinical application. Additional understanding on how fucoidan provide its excellent adhesion reduction properties for hydrophilic surface is still required. Therefore, the current project is not only to study the optimal application range of ARC Medical’s fucoidan but also to determine the underlying cause for the excellent lubricating properties fucoidan provided under an aqueous environment.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dana Grecov

Student:

Han Hung (Nick) Yeh

Partner:

ARC Medical Devices Inc

Discipline:

Sector:

University:

Program:

Accelerate

A Virtual reality (VR)-based yoga exercise program targeting upper and lower extremities function in stroke survivors who are discharged home

A virtual-reality-based yoga training and assessment platform will be developed as a comprehensive approach for training/improving balance, frailty, and cognitive performance and prevent falls in stroke survivors. The project would have 1) a great therapeutic benefit in terms of increasing rehabilitation outcomes post-discharge and 2) would increase the prevention of further disability. The platform can be applied and scaled as a disruptive post discharge stroke recovery model in the rural and remote communities involving less outpatient visits and more in-home self-administered training.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Amine Choukou

Student:

Balasankar Ganesan

Partner:

March of Dimes Canada

Discipline:

Other

Sector:

Health care and social assistance

University:

University of Manitoba

Program:

Accelerate

Healthcare Utilization in Chronic Pain Patients: A Prospective Examination of Using Cannabis for Therapeutic Purposes

The proposed project will evaluate the healthcare utilization of chronic pain patients using cannabis for their pain treatment while on a waitlist for a specialized pain clinic. Two hundred patients will be followed for 6-months to identify differences in the number of medical appointments or prescription medication depending if one uses cannabis for pain relief or not. Flowr will benefit by developing a better understanding of the health effects of cannabis in order to better inform their recreational and medicinal customers.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Zachary Walsh

Student:

Michelle St. Pierre

Partner:

Flowr

Discipline:

Psychology

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

University of British Columbia Okanagan

Program:

Accelerate

Wind Field Estimation, Exploitation and Guidance for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become increasingly used in the fields of data collection, surveillance, and search and rescue missions. For many UAVs, knowledge of the instantaneous wind speed and direction and overall wind field are of interest, as this knowledge can help better control the position and orientation of the UAV in heavy wind. In addition, knowledge of the wind field can be used to prolong flight times and improve the efficiency of flight of the UAV, by planning paths for the UAV to follow that exploit the wind and harvest energy from it. The proposed research deals with the estimation of the instantaneous wind speed and direction and overall wind field, and the use of these estimates to design guidance laws for the UAV that mitigate the effects of wind. In addition, the proposed research deals with improving energy-efficient path planning algorithms to lead to improved flight performance.

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Faculty Supervisor:

James Richard Forbes

Student:

Mitchell Cohen

Partner:

ARA Robotique

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

University:

McGill University

Program:

Accelerate

Radar Signal Processing and Machine Learning Methods for Human Activityand Fall Event Detection

Monitoring human activity and fall events is the cornerstone of medical applications. The rising costs of healthcare
and the aging of the population are factors that influence researches in the medical industry, mainly for the
development of assisted living and smart home. Several technologies have been proposed in the literature for
monitoring people and health care. Recently, radar technology for human activity monitoring, fall event and
presence detection is essential need of a patient, and this technology has attracted a lot of attention. With the
radar signal processing, it is also possible to send a rapid emergency alarm in the case of falls of people, and
medical emergency situations. The advancements in field of signal processing, machine learning and deep
learning have led to an evolution of new era for radar in field of medical applications, and the development of new
technological concepts which can alleviate these important health problems. In this context, our future work will
focus on the identification of gaps in existing systems, the analysis and optimization of reliable assistive devices,
for optimal detection of activity monitoring, movements, and falls of people.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Wei-Ping Zhu

Student:

Kalpeshkumar Ranipa;Keyu Pan

Partner:

Moonshot Health

Discipline:

Other

Sector:

Information and cultural industries

University:

Concordia University

Program:

Accelerate

Applying design thinking to urban planning: A case study of the Red Deer environmental master planning process

Cities are facing amplified change and uncertainty. As a result, the contemporary urban planner is confronted with increasingly complex problems, which shape the need for planning approaches that are adaptable, participatory and responsive. This project will explore the opportunities for improving and expediting planning processes through a design thinking approach. Design thinking is a solution-oriented and human-centred approach used by designers to address complex problems. This mindset holds great potential to expedite the planning process and assist policymakers to create strategies and services that help solve complex problems and enhance public value. This research would help Intelligent Futures refine and update its processes, based on rigorous research and prototyped experiences, which would in turn allow us to further innovate to enhance its impact in communities.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Jordi Honey-Roses

Student:

Jean Roe

Partner:

Intelligent Futures

Discipline:

Other

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Accelerate

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