Highlights - July 2007

 Enviroclub: Green Manufacturing Makes $ense

It takes more than mounting public concern to bring about the greening of Canada's manufacturers. That's why, seven years ago, NRC threw its weight behind Enviroclub – a Quebec-based initiative that has already helped more than 168 manufacturers increase their profits while voluntarily cleaning up their production processes.

 Industry Hungry for Neutrons

This year, the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor in Chalk River, Ontario, celebrates 50 years of achievements – including a Nobel Prize – while continuing to fuel advances in everything from green energy to advanced materials to cancer treatment.

 Water, Water Everywhere...

A cluster of researchers at NRC, the City of Regina, the University of Regina, and the private sector are developing technologies designed to catch leaks when they're small, understand and prevent the causes of water distribution failures, and provide water main operators with new software tools to manage these and other municipal infrastructure assets.

 New Technology to Ease Parkinson's

Scientists at NRC and a London, Ontario research institute have developed a medical device to help treat people with neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease. The technology, a small implantable device that can simultaneously stimulate parts of the brain and record neuron signals, is designed to support a procedure called deep brain stimulation.

 Wanted: Home on Red Planet

Students across Canada were challenged to survive on the Red Planet during this year's Canadian National Marsville – an NRC-led science outreach program that invites students from grades six to eight to plan the first human habitation on Mars.

 Virtual Surgery: Real-Life Impact?

World-renowned experts recently gathered at NRC in Boucherville, to discuss new ways that technology can do just that. Representatives from industry, universities and government joined medical professionals to discuss 3D simulation, computer-assisted surgery and other up-and-coming medical technologies.

Prototype Lifeboat for Harsh Environments A Newfoundland-based company is working on a new design for lifeboats that operate in harsh environments such as the North Atlantic. Their objective is to ensure survival of evacuees in extreme weather and sea conditions.