Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Recent advances in non-destructive imaging tools such as CT and MRI have resulted in the routine availability of high-resolution, quantitative 3-D images of a variety of objects such as humans, animals, biological specimens, manufactured devices, geological core samples, archeological artifacts and agricultural products. At the same time, significant advances have been made in computational modeling software that provides cost-effective 3D modeling of complex processes. These software packages are widely available to a number of Canadian researchers in a broad range of disciplines, and can be applied to investigations involving: mechanics, fluid dynamics, optical propagation, electron transport, radiation dosimetry, heat transfer, diffusion and other transport phenomena. Unfortunately, there are lost research opportunities due to limitations in the ability to routinely construct geometric models and extract physical parameters from 3-D image data. The lack of robust, widely available software solutions for these critical stages of the process is inhibiting research progress in a rapidly expanding research field and represents a significant unmet need. We propose a program to develop a robust, efficient, accurate, integrated suite of software tools that will provide a flexible capability to produce accurate 3-D geometric and computational models from non-destructive imaging data that retain their original intrinsic physical properties for use in numerical analysis. This project requires appropriate expertise in several areas of the natural sciences and engineering, including: imaging science, biomechanical engineering, computer science, optical physics and software engineering. The successful program will have an immediate impact for a number of Canadian research groups.