Projects

Prototype bug catcher for research in Atlantic Canada

Jenny Mills is a master’s student at Acadia who works in the Ferguson Lab (separate site). She and a partner designed a prototype bug catcher. They printed the prototype and assembled the final bug catchers at Steamspace.

In partnership with Eassons Transport, the bug catchers were mounted on the front of semi-trucks that travelled routes around Atlantic Canada. Each bug catcher held a filter that collected bugs along the way.

When the bug catchers returned, the lab studied the bugs caught on each route to better understand bug populations across the region.

Equipment cases and mounts for contaminants research at Boat Harbour

Dr. Ian Spooner’s research on contaminants at Boat Harbour, Nova Scotia, depends on monitoring equipment, and most of it is custom made. Steamspace built cases and mounts for this equipment. They had already been designed but were not readily available.

“Without Steamspace’s rapid production capability we would have had to improvise, a challenge with such specialized equipment and time sensitivity in deployment of the equipment! Steamspace is a great resource that supports proof-of-concept research and the development and deployment of unique field equipment.”

Dr. Ian Spooner

3D scanned and printed statue from the Vaughan Memorial Library

The Vaughan Memorial Library archives hold a large replica of the Winged Victory of Samothrace, also called the Nike of Samothrace. The statue depicts Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory. The original dates to between about 200 and 175 BCE.

SteamTeam member Zach Adams and another Acadia student scanned the library’s replica with the Einstar handheld 3D scanner. They turned the scan into a 3D model that could be printed, then printed a smaller copy on the Steamspace 3D printers.

3D printed sewer cages for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance

“When the third wave of SARS-CoV-2 hit Nova Scotia, Acadia researchers needed more sampling devices to deploy as part of a wastewater surveillance program in the province led by Dr. Graham Gagnon, director of the Centre for Water Resources Studies (CWRS) at Dalhousie University, in partnership with Acadia, St. Francis Xavier, Cape Breton Universities. Steamspace were eager to assist and quickly 3D-printed COVID-19 Sewer Cages (COSCa), designed by CWRS graduate student Emalie Hayes, so Acadia researchers could sample more sites and test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in a timely manner. Steamspace staff also provided advice on how to print the devices more efficiently helping to improve future iterations of the device.”

Meghan Swanburg

CBC News reported on how Nova Scotia universities helped detect the Alpha and Omicron variants in wastewater: New data shows Omicron was in Nova Scotia wastewater in November (separate site).

Face shield kits for the Acadia community

In 2020, early in the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a shortage of personal protective equipment. Steamspace made face shield kits for Acadia students, faculty, and staff to help fill the gap.

Each kit included a 3D printed headband and a clear plastic sheet that fit together to make a face shield. This video from the Steamspace YouTube channel shows how to put one together.