Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

The isolation experienced by middle- and later-aged adults can pose a substantial threat to both their mentaland physical health. However, growing a larger and more diverse social network can help combat thedetrimental effects of isolation. Chumbuggy's social network aims to fully utilize each individual's skill andexperience to produce the social capital to help each other achieve their goals and meet their needs.Chumbuggy offers an innovative solution for providing older middle and later-aged adults with the means tocreate the new and meaningful connections necessary for fostering greater quality of life and well being.This project will help develop Chumbuggy in two critical ways: 1) implement and test Chumbuggy's algorithmand 2) design and test Chumbuggy's user interface to ensure maximum usability for its older adult users. Theapplied research undertaken during this project will assist Chumbuggy in making its product market-ready andit will engage students in challenging real-world problems which will increase their potential for participatingin future innovation.Sheridan College is the ideal partner for Chumbuggy, providing expertise in computer science through itsPrincipal Investigator, Dr. Pejman Salehi, who will lead the student team. Sheridan offers the additionalexpertise of Dr. Lia Tsotsos from Sheridan's NSERC-funded Centre for Elder Research, which has conductedmultiple research projects on older adults over the past decade. The combination of knowledge and capabilitiesfrom both parties will ensure an informed and balanced interdisciplinary project.