Sask. Polytechnic student projects recognized at Applied Research Showcase

The talents of 80 Sask. Polytechnic students were on display Friday at the annual Applied Research Showcase.

Students were tasked with creating projects, aimed at solving real world problems.

Susan Blum, vice president of the Applied Research and Innovation Team at Sask. Polytechnic, explained the importance of the work.

“That application to this is that thinking. That thinking of innovation, that thinking of taking information and utilizing that, so information that is created at the university sector then our students and our researchers take that, and find solutions to everyday problems,” she said.

Some mechanical engineering technology students tested whether a rocket can land vertically, using CO2 cartridges.

“We’ve been tasked by Skills Canada Saskatchewan to design a sort of handheld rocket feasibility study to see if they can go around to high schools with a little rocket. They’d like to throw it in the air in gymnasiums or something,” Nathan Kemp, a Mechanical Engineering Technology student at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, said.

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This year’s showcase featured projects in technology, sustainability and environment, as well as social and health.

Similar to Artificial Intelligence, some students created a model that can support kids with autism using facial images.

“Children with autism have different facial symptoms, like wider eyes, wider philtrum and big forehead. So using those features, our model will detect if the child is autistic or not,” Sonuyesh Upreti, a student in the Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics program, said.

The students were judged on their work, with three winners taking home prizes and even earning a chance to showcase their work elsewhere, such as at conferences on a federal level.