Innovations Realized

Probiotics to prevent the Progression of Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis to Cirrhosis

As a result of increasing obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the most common chronic liver disease. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the pathogenic form of NAFLD and can progress to cirrhosis and need for liver transplantation. There is currently no Health Canada-approved therapy for the treatment of NASH. The intestinal microbiome has been shown to contribute to the development of NASH. This project aims to understand the impact of alterations in the intestinal microbiome on the development and progression of NASH development, and how probiotics (Lacidofil, Lallemand health solutions Inc.) can inhibit progression to significant scarring of the liver. These results will help to expand the current knowledge on probiotics as a preventive and therapeutic option for NASH.

Development of tools to assess genetic and age structuring of the Atlantic Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa)

As fisheries for the Atlantic Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) develop in Atlantic Canada, effective management will require a thorough understanding of the underlying genetic relationships within and between different populations to assess “genetic health.” Detecting genetic structure, such as differences in allelic frequencies and heterozygosity, is challenging in marine invertebrate species like C. frondosa due to having a highly dispersive and long larval stage, which results in high levels of gene flow between populations. Through the use of a Next-Generation Sequencing technology known as Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing (RADseq), sufficient amounts of genetic data can be generated to detect significant levels of genetic structuring based on studies of other marine invertebrates. Applying this technique to C. frondosa will help better define subpopulations and allow more thorough assessments of population health and adaptability, both of which are necessary for effective fisheries management.

Development and Optimization of a Pile Integrated Geo-Exchange System

Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs) are a clean and sustainable alternative to conventional heating and cooling technologies. Currently, the high upfront costs and technical complexity of drilling and installing GSHPs is preventing their widespread adoption. Innovia GEO Corporation is developing a novel GSHP system that integrates directly into building structural piles. While these piles are used extensively in the construction industry as a building foundation component, their use as part of a GSHP is unexplored. Their dual-use has the potential to reduce costs and remove logistical barriers of implementation. This project will include experimental and computer simulation research to characterize the functionality of the proposed technology. Computer modelling will be used to gain further understanding of the system. The interns will work with the industry partner on two experiments; a laboratory scale experiment, and a demonstration site . These studies will be essential towards Innovia’s commercialization of structural pile GSHPs.

Synthesis of graphene and graphitic films

The overall problem to be addressed is the synthesis of graphene or graphitic coatings from the liquid phase. This work follows from a previous investigation, supported by a MITACS Accelerate grant, into the use of “poly(hydridocarbyne)” (PHC), a soluble carbon- hydrogen polymer, as a precursor for the formation of diamond- like carbon coatings. As a result of attempts to purify PHC by electrochemical cycling it was discovered that the surface of the polymer could be converted into a graphene or graphitic layer. This investigation will explore that breakthrough and proceed by the following steps: 1) chemical or electrochemical synthesis of PHC by several processes identified in previously; 2) coating PHC from solution onto electrically conductive substrate material, alternatively forming PHC into stand-alone films with limited electrical conductivity; 3) electrochemical conversion of PHC into graphene or graphitic films; 4) testing and characterization.

Graphene films have utility for their electrical and optical properties, and as a protective coating. The current method of fabrication is chemical vapour deposition (CVD). However, CVD is relatively expensive and also greatly limits the size and topography onto which the coating can be deposited.

Paving the way to concrete 3D printing for sustainable housing in cold regions

These two first units are sub-projects of a larger feasibility study that looks to solve the challenges that prevent the construction of housing in remote northern areas of Canada despite overwhelming need. Using 3D printing to accomplish quality housing projects in remote climates requires further research prior to being deployed. The larger context pf this project is to establish the technology, methodology and practices of building appropriate housing in Northern communities.

Development of experimental test facilities and rigorous testing protocols to characterize non-linear pitot probe measurements in the vicinity of a deformable bluff body to be used at AeroLab Technology

Prediction of fluid dynamic phenomena is an area of research all on its own. A complete solution to the non-linear Navier-Stokes equations that governed fluid flow has yet to be found using modern mathematics. It is for this reason in order to characterize and test new aerodynamic sensors a test facility must exists where various parameters can be control in order to understand their effect. AeroLab Technology requires an intern with a background in fluid mechanics and experimental design to design and contruct of a wind tunnel to perform preliminary tests on current and upcoming sensors designs. In order to ensure high quality data the intern will additionally develop testing procedures for the new facilities in order to minimize the systematic error in performing experiments.

Seismic performance of helical pile groups and their cost efficiency as alternative to driven piles

A new seismic hazard model of Canada will be incorporated in the NBCC2020, which will increase the seismic hazard by 50-100%. Meanwhile, helical piles are a reliable and cost-effective alternative to conventional driven piles because of their fast installation, lower cost and lower labour risk. They are suitable for retrofitting existing deficient foundations because they require smaller installation equipment that cause minimal vibration and noise during installation. Observations during recent strong earthquakes have demonstrated excellent performance of structures supported on helical piles with negligible damage. This research will aid in gaining better understanding of seismic performance of helical piles and pile groups under strong earthquakes and provide quantitative comparison between helical piles and driven piles in terms of performance and cost regarding seismic design. The research would produce performance-cost comparative charts of piles considering different ground conditions and levels of ground motion intensity.

Plotly + PyFR: Real-Time Visualization for Extreme-Scale Aerodynamics

Efficient and accurate visualization technologies can bring greater insight to the field of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), with implications for the design of aircraft with lighter environmental impacts. This project will utilize the open-source PyFR solver co-developed at Concordia University, and the open-source Dash analytic application framework developed by Plotly. The academic partner and their research group will explore the utility of Dash as a tool for 2D and 3D real-time visualization of complex data produced by simulations run with PyFR. Quantifying Dash’s utility across three areas — real-time visualization capability, reduction in data storage and transfer requirements, and reduction in time-to-solution — as compared to existing approaches will provide important product development insight for the partner organization, Plotly.

Innovating Corrosion Measurement for Your Vehicle

From 2014-2018, Krown Corporation, a pioneer in corrosion treatment, partnered with University of Windsor Faculty of Engineering researchers to conduct a comprehensive assessment on how to measure and assess the degree of corrosion on a vehicle, so that it may be communicated to the vehicle owner. This preliminary research demonstrated that a corrosion metric, and the method developed to measure corrosion, show excellent promise to assess and communicate the impacts of corrosion and further research is critical to refining the metric so that it can be applied intelligently on a broad scale yet be usable and understandable to both users of the metric and consumers of vehicles. Hence, the proposed research will include refining the results by expanding significantly the data set, and then developing an intelligent means of interpreting the corrosion present to produce high quality, consistent assessments of the state of vehicle corrosion.

Chronotype-based recommendations for shift workers to improve sleep and work performance

During night shifts, workers’ circadian rhythms (or “body clocks”) do not align with their work schedules. This misalignment results in poorer sleep and more workplace errors relative to working during the day. It is possible to align the body clock to night shift schedules by controlling one’s exposure to light. However, the effectiveness of this approach may vary depending on people’s work schedules (e.g., rotating or permanent night shifts) and chronotype (i.e., their biological preference for usual sleep and wake times). The goals of the proposed project are to (1) validate an intervention for rapidly rotating shift workers to help align their circadian rhythms with their work schedules, and (2) identify individual factors (e.g., chronotype, age, sex) that predict this alignment. Our results will enable workers to reduce the negative consequences associated with working rotating shifts. The proposed project will also benefit the partner organisation by helping them tailor their sleep improvement recommendations to different populations.

CCREST: Cold Cracking by Resonance Energy for Sustainable Technologies – Year two

The project is a demonstration of Advanced Energy Technologies (AET)’s patented refining process for upgrading heavy oil products without diluent or extreme heat treatments. This produces lighter, higher value oil that is easier to work with throughout the process stream, with greater efficiency and less cost. AET will be conducting demonstration runs of the Hydrogen Activator Technology (HAT) on Albertan feedstock, partnering with local oil companies to secure heavy oils, bitumen and refinery residues. The initial objective is to have a final, robust technology package, consisting of the HAT device and the resonance cold-cracking mechanism, that is validated, certified, demonstrated and ready for commercialization by the end of December 2018. The company also intends to improve its knowledge of the science behind the HAT technology by refining the testing process to achieve consistent, reproducible results under local conditions with local Alberta feedstock. Such results will help provide reliable, quantifiable benefits to support commercialization efforts. Successful demonstration of the HAT with a variety of feedstock and the subsequent deeper grasp of the basic science behind the process will lay the groundwork for further development efforts with a Sulfur Activator Technology (SAT) and a Carbon Activator Technology (CAT) , currently in development.

Sensor Development and System Intelligence for Smart Hive and Apiary Management

Honeybees play a significant role in the Canadian economy for pollinating crops and producing honey. One third of our food comes from the crops and vegetables benefiting by pollination from bees. Around the world, honeybees are facing significant challenges, and this has led to increased costs of production for food products. This research project will develop technologies for the monitoring and management of apiaries. Smart Frames are a main focus, and will enable the monitoring of hive conditions at specific locations within hive boxes, and will offer to control temperature locally on each frame. Local thermal control will be explored to supplement regulation of hive temperature, and as a method of varroa mite control. An intelligent software platform will be developed that will incorporate and analyze hive sensor data. These technologies represent a strategic technology effort for both of our industry partners Function Four and Durston Honey Farms, who will collaborate closely on the technology development and its application in a commercial apiary.