Pests can do a large amount of damage to important food crops and one of the most damaging pests is insects. The current method for dealing with insect pests is to spray crops with chemical pesticides. Unfortunately, pesticides are environmentally damaging, expensive, and dangerous to both human and animal health. Thus, the study of using Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) as biological control agents can provide a safer, cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional pesticide use. Insect larvae are part of the life cycle of nematodes as juvenile nematodes will enter the pores of insect larvae and once inside the larvae, they will release bacteria. This bacteria kills the larvae allowing the nematodes to grow into their adult forms inside the larvae. Once the nematodes have reached full maturity, they will recollect the bacteria and exit the dead larvae. As the life cycle of nematodes is dependent on an insect host, scientists have begun to use this cycle as a biological control agent for food crops. However, research on nematodes is lacking and more must be completed before nematodes can be seen as efficient insect control agents.
For our experiment, we received four nematode species/populations from the Natural Insect Control (NIC) Company, which included Steinernema carpocapsae, Steinernema feltiae, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and an unknown species. We focused on identifying differences between the four nematode species/populations and determining their optimal storage/survival temperature. Since nematodes have very few visual differences between them, they have to be identified using their DNA structures. In order to complete this, DNA was extracted from each species/population and analysed to determine any differences between their DNA sequences. Overall, we were able to identify genetic differences between the DNA of the four species/populations and determine that the unknown population of nematodes is likely to be another Heterorhabditis (i.e we received two populations of Heterorhabditis) population due to its similar DNA structure.
Once each species/population had been identified, their optimal storage and survival condition was determined. All four species/populations were split into 3 smaller sample sizes and these were stored in water at three different temperature points, 4°C, 10°C and 19°C respectively. They were kept in these temperature for 4 weeks with their viability (amount of living nematodes compared to dead nematodes) percentage being calculated each week. After the four weeks were completed, we determined that the two Steinernema populations survived effectively in all three temperatures as their population numbers did not diminish significantly over the test period. In comparison, the two Heterorhabditis populations survived at the 10°C and 19°C temperatures but they rapidly lost viability each week at the 4°C temperature point until the fourth week where both populations had nearly no surviving nematodes.
Using our DNA identification of the species/populations and the data from our determined optimal storage and survival temperature, the NIC Company can promote and identify their products with greater accuracy. This allows for both the company and clients to use their nematode products more effectively as insect biological control agents.
Reaction All Years
When tasked with creating a website for the Vernon Village Community Association, we quickly realized that the website needed to be able to grow and change along with the community. Our goal was to implement a system that would allow the residents of Vernon Village to share and engage with their neighbors.
There was a variety of content that needed to be displayed: images, upcoming community events, and more. Furthermore, it was required that community members be able to submit content, and that the website administrators be able to update and modify existing content. Given our small team size, and relative lack of time, we chose to use SvelteKit as a development framework for its flexibility, ease of use, simple deployment, and component system which encourages code re-use.
In addition, it was clear to us that the actual form of the content was not set in stone, and might have to change in response to the needs of the community. To that end, we decided to leverage the flexibility of MongoDB.
The end result was a lightweight community website with a content management system that allows people to engage and interact with their community.
An automated coffee dispenser that serves ready to drink beverages customized to a user’s preference. Fully automated with a menu screen and control knob with pushbutton, it dispenses instant coffee, sugar, cream, and hot water based on user input. Dispenses measured amounts and includes low level sensors for every item and a cup sensor.
Shopping agents in grocery stores today are human beings and are very specialized in their tasks and working hours. Persons with reduced mobility do not directly benefit from human agents as stores indent to increase revenue than increase customer experience of a minor group with accessibility requirements. Persons with reduced mobility, hence, are forced to drive motorized shopping carts. Another trend in the retail industry is to use video feeds from static CCTV cameras to assist in retail analytics, especially in stock and product placement monitoring. A mobile service robot can collect additional video feeds for this. We are prototyping a service robot through Reinforcement Learning and Machine Vision, with simulations on Nvidia Isaac Sim.
In the modern era, there are many apps and services that companies might integrate into their business activities. However, it can be difficult to decide on which ones are right for your business.
Our client, Ottawa Rec Sports (ORS), is facing an issue just like this. They are a local recreational sports organization with many active sports leagues that operate dozens of games every week. They prioritize creating a safe, fun, and inclusive environment for players of all skill levels to develop their abilities and meet new people. ORS strikes a balance between competitive and social recreational sports, fostering an inclusive environment.
Ottawa Rec Sports faces a unique challenge: Their existing data management system is no longer receiving the same level of online support and no longer meets the needs of the client. ORS currently has over a decade of player data, billing information, and thousands of pictures taken by the community they have built over the years, and they have no plans of slowing down. They need a service that they can rely on and that can support unique needs.
Our team is building a responsive, mobile-friendly web application that can serve as a more effective system for our client’s business. We designed each screen to provide a high quality user experience and to prioritize showing players what they want and need. Our goal is to provide an accessible and intuitive design that makes it easy for users of all technical levels to use, so they can spend less time on an app and more time doing what they love – playing sports!
Our team conducted user research with our client’s player base to better understand their mobile activities. We learned that the vast majority are comfortable using a variety of mobile applications, but want a simplified experience that doesn’t require a large time investment.
We began our design phase and created prototypes that made relevant stats as accessible as possible to players. Our app can also be used by the staff and management of Ottawa Rec Sports to add and update statistical information for their ongoing sports leagues.
The next step is the development phase. We utilize modern cutting-edge technologies like NextJS for our front-end and Amazon Web Services for our back-end to ensure that our application is optimized for best performance and user experience while being fully accessible to people of all demographics.
This project has been a great learning curve for us, teaching us about the different aspects of working in the industry. We learned about the process of how real world applications are built, the importance of communication in a team environment , and how everyone can collaborate effectively and build on each other’s strengths to increase productivity. This exposure will undoubtedly be a great foundation for us to learn and grow in this ever-changing industry.
This modular and motorized camera slider was made to solve the following issues in the video recording industry; firstly, many modular camera sliders are expensive and bulky, which puts them out of the hands of most small film makers. Secondly, modular camera sliders are scarce even in the age of the internet and online shopping, the ones that do exist are limited in their customizability, which reduces their ability to capture intermediate to advanced camera shots, and thus are not up to the standards of many small film makers.
Given these issues affect almost all small film makers but are not sufficiently addressed, a prototype camera slider was developed to combat these issues, bringing both affordability and customizability to the current market of camera sliders. This prototype camera slider is modular, with each tracking being able to connect to one another, and is fully motorized which allows the operator to place the camera at set positions along the track, pan the camera and its movement along the track directly, and speed up or slow down the rate of motion on the camera moving along the tracks.
The assembly is made of two major components, the modular camera slider tracks (sometimes referred to as slider tracks) and the motorized camera slider plate upon which any camera with an industry standard ¼-20 UNC thread can be mounted on.
The camera slider tracks are made from a lightweight yet incredibly durable 6061-T651 aluminum alloy. This allows the tracks to be extremely portable, which gives the operator a large degree of flexibility when it comes to selecting what kind of shot they want to capture by allowing them to carry multiple track variations, without much additional equipment or reserved space for the camera slider assembly. Each track can be mounted on tripods that support industry standard ¼-20 UNC threads or with the included leveling feet which raise the track up to 40 mm off the ground. Each track can connect to one another using the 304 stainless steel connecting plates and Allen key fasteners, this provides the tracks with a great deal of rigidity between one another, ensuring video motion stays smooth and consistent along all parts of the camera slider assembly.
The next major component of the camera slider assembly is the camera slider plate, which is sometimes referred to just as a “slider plate”. The camera slider plate is a custom designed part which is 3D printed using the cutting-edge carbon fiber PLA 3D printing filament. This plate was specially designed for the motorized camera slider’s tracks and compliments the lightweight tracks by providing an exceptional amount of rigidity and low weight for its size, further increasing the portability of the assembly. There are two layers of which the plate is made of an upper layer where a camera fitting a ¼-20 UNC thread can rest upon and pan using an included controller, as well as a lower layer that houses two belted-stepper motors for ultra-smooth movement of the slider plate along the tracks, which can be controlled by the operator using an included controller that also controls the pan functions of the camera slider plate.
The Project aimed to raise 1000 CAD by hosting a charity event at Tailgators Ottawa. All the funds collected through that event will be transferred to Make-A-Wish Foundation, Canada, to support children with illnesses. The event involved an entry ticket of $10 which provided attendees with an unlimited game of pool table and table tennis, and a silent auction. For the silent auction, the items were collected from businesses that wanted to participate in that noble cause. To promote the event, a detailed marketing strategy plan was created. The marketing plan was executed step by step to gain visibility and attract the audience to the event. Once Marketing was completed successfully, the event was hosted at Tailgators, and the funds collected will be transferred to the Make-A-Wish Foundation Canada Coordinator. After the event’s completion, a closing report will be submitted to Make-A-Wish Foundation. A lessons-learned document will be prepared for Academic purposes.
Snowprint is a website that lets you create unique snowflake designs. By entering a significant date, like a birthday, into Snowprint, you can generate a personalized design related to that specific date. Additionally, you can manually create a design using the design-it-yourself panel. The resulting design can be downloaded as an STL model for 3D printing and as a PNG image for laser cutting (or any other purpose for which an image is suitable).
Snowprint was created to replace a website that was used by our clients at MakerSpace at Algonquin College. Unlike the previous website, Snowprint can generate a snowflake design directly. In contrast, the previous website generated design parameters that had to be manually entered into a separate program to generate an STL model. This method was slow and susceptible to errors, which motivated the development of Snowprint. The snowflakes showcased in the gallery below were designed using Snowprint and manufactured in MakerSpace.
During development we learned more about 3D printing, laser cutting, the HTML, CSS, SVG, and JavaScript languages, the three.js library, graphics, geometry, random number generation, accessibility, and technical writing.
We organized an event for the “Legacy of Hope Foundation” which is a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada for more than 19 years. Their goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and existing intergenerational impacts of the Residential School System (RSS) and subsequent Sixties Scoop (SS) on Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) Survivors, their descendants, and their communities to promote healing and Reconciliation. Our project was a music gala charity event to raise funds for the “Legacy of Hope Foundation” which featured music, a dance floor, karaoke, and a silent auction. We believed, that music gala charity events are a powerful way to bring people together, raise awareness, and generate significant funds for important causes. They are a fun and engaging way to make a difference and support important causes. The event was organized on March 27, 2023 from 7 PM to 10 PM at Amigos Sport Bar at Merivale, Ottawa. During the event, we also tried to raise awareness about the work of the “Legacy of Hope” and the cause it supports. This was helpful for the attendees about the cause and encourage them to get involved in a friendly manner. The event brought the people together for an evening of fun and entertainment, promoting community building and a sense of togetherness. We believe, our project made a difference by supporting important causes and making a positive impact in the community. Moreover, the extent to which the event raised awareness about the cause and the work of the “Legacy of Hope” was also a key factor in determining the success of the project and by monitoring these metrics, we had a clear understanding that the project was successful in achieving its objectives and making a positive impact in the community.
The project was led by the project team, consisting of team members with skills covering different areas of project management, such as procurement, communications, risk management, quality management, and stakeholder management. Each team member had a specific role and accompanying responsibilities, to ensure that the project is delivered within its defined scope, timeline, and budget constraints. This clear division of tasks was really helpful to ensure the smooth and successful execution of the project.
The night before the event, we found out that the venue had no speakers anymore so we had to rent it within a very short period of time. All the proceeds from ticket sales and other activities are going directly to the designated charity. The event was organized as a part of the course work and we learned that we can bring people together for an evening of fun and entertainment while raising awareness and funds for the cause. The project’s ultimate objective is to make a difference and support important causes in a fun and engaging way.
The Cone of Silence is designed to emit ultrasonic frequencies, which are frequencies that are parsed as audible frequencies by microphones (24kHz to 26kHz). The device acts as an effective white noise generator to counteract microphones on digital devices. The device is designed to function with a power supply, which is charged via a USB-C connection. It also has a potentiometer which will interact with the amplifier circuit to control the effective radius of the device.