AI-powered portable ultrasound system makes scans and diagnoses accessible from anywhere
Imagine if family doctors, nurses, technicians – even ski patrollers – could use handheld ultrasound devices to screen for everything from hip dysplasia to wrist fractures to heart disease from anywhere. A new approach to scans developed at the University of Alberta pairs the accessibility of portable ultrasound with an artificial intelligence app that can…
The TESER ACT unit uses UV light to kill viruses and other common pathogens
A new made-in-Alberta sanitization product to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2 will soon be in use at the Edmonton International Airport and government offices in Calgary and Edmonton, thanks to a partnership with scientists at the University of Alberta’s Biosafety Level 3 Lab. The TESER ACT unit uses ultraviolet-C light from hundreds of LED light…
Groundbreaking work could help industry understand how to store carbon safely over the long term
A University of Alberta researcher is working to improve how carbon dioxide is stored and absorbed when it’s pumped underground for safe, long-term storage. By taking an up-close look at the processes of carbon capture and storage (CCS), Amy Tsai, a professor in the Faculty of Engineering, is getting a better idea of how CO2 is transported…
Machine learning model has potential to be developed into an accessible and cost-effective tool
University of Alberta researchers have trained a machine learning model to identify people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with 80 per cent accuracy by analyzing the text those people wrote. The model could one day serve as an accessible and inexpensive screening tool to support health professionals in detecting and diagnosing PTSD or other mental health…
Analysis tool could help companies decide which innovations are worth the investment
Environmental reclamation is necessary, but sometimes it’s expensive for industry. What materials work best? Which ones are worth the investment? University of Alberta researchers are inching closer to answering those pressing questions through a project that looks at two reclamation materials with commercial potential: chicken feathers and biochar, a blackened byproduct created from waste like cow…
Evidence suggests laser-based fusion energy could actually be a viable
A beam of protons painlessly penetrates human tissue until it terminates inside a cancer tumour, where each particle deposits a micro-explosion of radiation energy. The beam is precisely calibrated, targeting only the tumour and leaving surrounding tissue unharmed. Called “proton therapy,” this revolutionary medical treatment is just one application of a relatively new technology using…
Algorithm scans pathology, radiology reports for information to aid researchers in improving outcomes
Every time you enter a phrase or a sentence into Google search, algorithms kick in using a technique called natural language processing to understand what you really want to know and then find you an answer. Now University of Alberta researchers will use a similar approach to develop a computer program that can “read” doctors’…
Understanding how the brain forms real-world memories has been elusive
When you think of a vivid personal memory, you don’t merely recall the bare facts of what happened – you remember additional details like the emotions you felt, perhaps where you were standing when things unfolded, scents and sounds in the air. “Memories play such a key component in shaping who we are,” said Peggy St.…
Any gains in competition are more than outweighed by higher spectrum costs
Last December, the federal government launched a consultation for the auction of the 3800 MHz spectrum to help foster the effective deployment of 5G wireless telecommunications. As in previous auctions, the plan is to set aside a significant part of the available spectrum for smaller players, which the main wireless telecom providers are prohibited from…
Innovation will depend as much on social factors as technological ones
Increasingly, urban dwellers are looking for new and more sustainable ways to move around their cities. Technologies like autonomous vehicles and electric scooters may be top of mind for urban planners, but social and cultural factors may be just as important in helping Canadian cities prepare for the future, according to a co-author of a…
Imagine if family doctors, nurses, technicians – even ski patrollers – could use handheld ultrasound devices to screen for everything from hip dysplasia to wrist fractures to heart disease from anywhere. A new approach to scans developed at the University of Alberta pairs the accessibility of portable ultrasound with an artificial intelligence app that can…
