Project Updates

Television Remote Project

The Mechanical Team is conducting waterproof testing and has introduced a new gasket component to improve sealing on the remote.

The Software Team has temporarily paused development on this project to plan the next steps for enhancing the user interface and conducting bug testing.

Walking Aid Project

The Mechanical Team is working on adapting their system to ensure compatibility with different walker models. Additionally, they have been designing attachment pieces to mount sensors to the walkers securely.

The Software Team is nearly finished developing the project’s website. They are especially proud of their dashboard. They have taken on various tasks such as:

• Data preprocessing with mock data
• Email functionality
• .csv file transfer from the sensor module to the website.

Once these tasks are complete, real data will be integrated and displayed live on the dashboard!

Hygienie Project Progress and Updates

The Hygienie project was created with a simple yet impactful goal: to encourage frequent hand sanitization through a fun and interactive experience. Using digital icons on the devices and a community display, the project aims to promote better hygiene habits. Each interaction is recorded to help the team track engagement and improve the system.

In January 2025, the project transitioned to the Mechanical and Software teams from Dr. Joseph Vayalumkal’s original development team. While the initial groundwork, such as sensor installation and server connectivity had been established, several challenges remained for these two teams to consider.

Early efforts focused on:

• Diagnosing and resolving power consumption issues
• Reducing false positive data
• Resigning the sensor housing to be more robust, maintainable, and appealing

The teams also developed a family-friendly community display to showcase data and help reinforce frequent sanitization in a visually engaging way.

Currently, integration between the display and backend system is in progress and on track for completion. Integration testing will take place to ensure all components are functional.

In 2025, the project entered its final development phase with major updates including a redesigned teddy bear-themed sensor casing and a React Native-powered community display to increase user engagement.

They are now finalizing the integration of the display system with the server ahead of an August installation at Alberta Children’s Hospital. Set to begin data collection in September, Hygienie has already shown promise in encouraging hand sanitizer use through real-time feedback. The open-source nature of the project enhances its scalability and global potential, aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 6 and the WHO’s Hand Hygiene for All Initiative.

BIOMOD: Inventures, Mindfuel Win, and Lab Progress

Amber and Muhammad recently represented the BIOMOD team at Inventures, where they pitched our project to a diverse audience of mentors and industry professionals. Their presentation sparked interest from several organizations, paving the way for potential collaborations that could support continued product development.

The BIOMOD 2025 team also participated in the MindFuel 2025 Tech Future Challenge Prototype Showcase, where they were awarded Biggest Pivot Since Pitch in the Collegiate Division.

Behind the scenes, the team has been transitioning from the old Foothills Hospital lab to a new space at CCIT. With the move nearly complete, wet lab experiments are set to begin shortly. The dry lab team has been actively modeling sensor components and refining the in-silico SELEX code to support upcoming experimental work.

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