6 avril 2020 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Idled industrial plants seen as an untapped source of protective equipment for health workers

Families of health workers in Quebec driving grassroots campaign to get pandemic equipment to hospitals

Murray Brewster

Guillaume Tardif, a soon-to-be-retired army tank officer, quietly but frantically combed the internet in January as coronavirus reports coming out of Wuhan, China became more alarming.

Even then, he was convinced a viral storm was approaching and was determined to do everything possible to protect his wife, a Montreal emergency room physician — up to and including the purchase of reusable face masks.

Tardif, a captain who served in Afghanistan, has been at the forefront of an unusual grassroots campaign in Quebec — driven by the families of frightened health care workers — to mobilize the provincial and federal governments to requisition industrially-certified respirators from idled industries and suppliers.

He spent over $800 out of his own pocket to equip his wife with personal protective equipment (PPE) for the daily battle against coronavirus.

"She's the love of my life," Tardif said in an interview. "She's the mother of my children and I'm going to make sure that I do everything possible for her to come home every night and us to get through this."

(Staff at the hospital where his spouse works have been warned not to talk to the media and CBC News has agreed not to publish Tardif's wife name, or the name of the facility where she works.)

Tapping into industrial supplies

Other families in the medical community have followed Tardif's lead by buying up large stocks of industrial masks and respirators locally, and donating them.

Earlier this week, the federal government announced an ambitious $2 billion plan to swiftly increase the stock of personal protective equipment for frontline health-care workers caring for critically-ill and dying patients.

Quebec Premier François Legault said Tuesday the province has three to four days before it runs out of some personal protective equipment (PPE), but that the province has orders that are expected to arrive in the coming days. The province went through a year's worth of PPE in a matter of weeks because of the surge in COVID-19 cases.

The question of whether the federal stockpile of equipment is adequate has been on federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu's mind.

"No we likely do not have enough," she told the daily media briefing Wednesday. "I think federal governments for decades have been underfunding things like public health preparedness and I would say that obviously governments all across the world are in the same exact situation."

In all likelihood, it will be weeks before suppliers, old and new, can ramp up production of vital equipment such as medically-certified N95 masks, which many doctors and nurses throughout the country are being forced to ration and reuse.

Tardif argues there is a large alternative supply of identical industrial-grade masks and respirators that can be requisitioned by the federal government and the provinces in the meantime.

"We need to take every chance to avoid running out of PPE and in my opinion that involves requisitioning every device that's out there," he said.

It's a good idea, says doctor

Dr. Andrew Willmore, medical director of emergency management at the Ottawa Hospital, said having the provinces or the federal government coordinate the collection of industrial protective equipment is a very good idea.

"I think it's absolutely useful," Willmore said. "I think it's a very important role, both federal and provincial, to be able to enact the appropriate legislative measures by which they can really dig down into industry and create a pool of resources that can be distributed equitably in a way that supports the health care system as a whole."

Both 3M, the manufacturer of the N95, and Health Canada have said industrial masks — the kind used in construction, factories and paint shops, where fumes are a problem — are a suitable emergency substitute.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that major shipments of protective equipment, including millions of masks, have started to arrive — one shipment landed on Wednesday — and federal officials are in the process of conducting inventory and getting the equipment out to the provinces.

"We will be there to support the provinces and territories with whatever they need," he said during his daily media briefing. "This includes sending personal protective equipment and other supports for the health care system."

The shortage of protective equipment for hospital staff was to be the subject of a teleconference between Trudeau and the premiers Thursday night.

Willmore said the Ottawa Hospital has reached out to some local businesses in the hopes of laying its hands on an industrial supply.

In other parts of the country, major industrial concerns have stepped forward. Honda Canada donated 1,200 masks to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie, Ont., and a further 1,000 and 40,000 pairs of gloves to the Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston, Ont.

'A single point of failure'

Tardif said his research suggests that's a fraction of the industrial stock across the country and it's the federal government's responsibility to step in and coordinate a nationwide drive.

Shortages of protective equipment for health care staff in a pandemic create "a single point of failure" for the whole system because it either puts doctors, nurses and technicians in danger or leaves them unable to provide care, Willmore said, adding that "the highest levels of government" need to engage with the problem.

It has been suggested that giving health care staff reusable respirators, such as the 3M-manufactured 6000, would help cut down on the use of disposable masks.

Willmore said that depends on the environment and the patient being treated, noting that there's a danger involved in overusing some equipment. Cost and availability are other factors.

"These are expensive pieces of equipment and they're difficult to source, especially since there's been a pull to purchase such equipment," he said. "It's certainly effective but there are practical limitations."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/covid-coronavirus-pandemic-masks-respirators-1.5518401

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Current dish-like antennas need to point directly at their target, and are too large and heavy for use on small satellite launch vehicles, This project will study the potential for a new, low-cost antenna and transceiver that electronically steers radio signals without having to move the antenna. The lightweight, simplified design concept will improve communications from launch pad to LEO, provide higher data rates, and require less power to operate. This innovative project will position Canadian industry as leaders in space launch systems, offering low cost, mass production of small satellite launch vehicles and communication systems for the emerging commercial market. Maya HTT Ltd. – Montreal, Quebec $98,920 Correlation of Spacecraft In-Flight and Simulated Temperatures through Machine Learning One challenge of the growing space industry is to make high-quality, low production, complex parts quickly that meet customer needs at a low cost. Automated manufacturing processes can help to meet this demand, but humans are still required to design the best method to get the work done. This project will study ways to train Artificial Intelligence (AI) to do some of the tasks normally done by engineers, like programming computer-controlled machines involved in the process, and finding out the best workflow to produce parts. The results of this project will improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce the high cost associated with one-off parts. This work will showcase Canada's AI expertise and improve Canada's standing globally in the area of automated manufacturing. Space Research and Development: Low Technology Readiness Level The CSA describes this segment as: “The companies were awarded non-repayable contributions of up to $500,000 for space R&D projects that have a low initial TRL, between TRL 1 and TRL 3. These R&D projects are expected to last up to three years and produce economic benefits in the next five to 10 years.” The companies getting contracts are; ARTsensing Inc. – Mississauga, Ontario $489,000 Nanotechnology-Based Radiation Shields Radiation protection is one of the most important considerations in space missions because of its harmful effects on astronauts and electronics. Both shielding and structural materials provide protection from radiation's effects on equipment and human DNA. However, when radiation interacts with some types of materials, secondary radiation that can cause even more damage may be produced. This project will develop a lightweight, multilayered nanocomposite material that blocks primary radiation and limits the amount of secondary radiation created. The material will also be tested for other important features like its ability to recover from severe radiation and maintain its shielding ability, manage extreme space temperatures, and function during long missions. This material will lead to better protection for astronauts and equipment during space exploration missions, as well as for medical, nuclear, and aerospace workers on Earth. Honeywell Aerospace – Cambridge, Ontario (COM DEV Ltd.) $500,000 Photonics for Space-Based Communications Networks LEO satellites use optical links to communicate data. Current optical pointing and tracking systems have large, slow steering mechanisms to direct lasers at their intended targets. This project will develop and test a low-cost, electronic pointing system to replace existing steering mechanisms. The new, lightweight system will use a high-efficiency optical phased array to transmit signals more reliably and be small enough to fit on a single chip. This project will also test the system's ability to work with other optical components, which will lower costs and position Canada as a leader in satellite optical communication systems. The technology may also be useful in expanding high-speed internet access in Canada's remote communities. Teledyne Optect Inc. – Vaughan, Ontario $498,659 3D Imaging Lidar LIDAR systems use lasers to measure range and are useful for everything from guiding cars on city streets to surveying asteroids in space. This project will study how to combine smaller, lighter components in a new way to develop a more powerful, compact 3D imaging system for use in future space exploration missions. The smaller, more efficient design will help spacecraft dock with each other, guide autonomous rovers on other planets, help drones create 3D maps, and prevent collisions in marine locks. This project will allow Canadian industry to pursue market opportunities in mobile mapping, security, and automotive markets. This innovation will also provide more accurate environmental data and benefit the mining and forestry industries. ABB Inc. – Quebec City, Ontario $499,480 Multiplexed Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) Monitoring global greenhouse gas emissions from space is an important part of efforts to control them. Improving the instruments that satellites use to detect these emissions will provide decision makers with better data. One such improvement is increasing the ability to gather data from one point on the ground to thousands of points at the same time. This project will adapt existing commercial technology with the ability to provide this higher-resolution picture so that it can handle the short imaging times available from space. It will also test the system's ability to handle common problems like magnetic fields and fast orbital speeds to ensure it is reliable and accurate. This work will improve international efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and will eventually lead to the ability to detect other gases, like ammonia. Reaction Dynamics Lab Inc. – St-Laurent, Quebec $473,936 Development of Guidance, Navigation, and Control Technologies for a Hybrid Engine Small Satellite Launch Vehicle The growing small satellite market calls for reliable, affordable launch services to get spacecraft to orbit quickly and safely, but the current availability of these services is limited. This project will develop and test a new approach to launching small satellites using a new type of rocket engine designed to make it easier and less expensive to get a small vehicle into orbit. The new system will include state-of-the-art guidance, navigation, and control that can stabilize the vehicle, direct the thrust of the engine, and guide its own course to a specific orbit. The project will develop a reliable, low-cost flight computer and software to autonomously control a vehicle during flight, and test the system on the ground. It will also lead to spin off technology applications for the automotive and aerospace industries, creating new business opportunities and jobs. MDA Systems Ltd. – Richmond, British Columbia $101,911 On-Board Processing with Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Accelerators Artificial intelligence (AI) running on high-performance computers can be trained to help scientists get the most out of space exploration missions. The technology is used to make decisions about where to go, what information to collect, and what data to share with scientists. This project will design a low-cost hardware platform that provides the processing power needed for AI, is less susceptible to the effects of radiation, and is ready for the harsh environment of space. The small size and low weight components will allow future space missions to conduct independent scientific investigations, adapt to changing situations in space, or determine the best data to send back to Earth. This project will showcase Canadian innovation and open the market for on-board AI in space, allowing a wide range of AI applications to run directly on a spacecraft. https://spaceq.ca/the-canadian-space-agency-awards-15-million-for-technology-rd-to-25-companies/

  • Canada Seeks Spending Stability As Fighter Competition Heats Up

    20 décembre 2018 | Local, Aérospatial

    Canada Seeks Spending Stability As Fighter Competition Heats Up

    Canada's Liberal Party entered office in 2015 with a promise to correct the previous government's “erratic” commitment to defense spending and reopen the competition for the Boeing CF-18 replacement. As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government enters a reelection campaign three years later, the Department of National Defense now has a long-term strategy calling for a significant increase in spending through 2027 but has been unable to break the cycle of ... Full article: http://aviationweek.com/defense/canada-seeks-spending-stability-fighter-competition-heats

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