Collaborative Design Approach Research Articles

Soft wearable robot design based on deep learning with Colab

ABSTRACT Soft wearable robots have the potential in assisting human movement and augmenting human capabilities for a variety of applications, but the design process for these robots often encounters issues of efficiency and creativity. To fill these voids, this study explored a GAN-based deep learning methodology, augmenting the computational advantage of StyleGAN3 and collaborative utilities such as Google Colab. The method used was training a GAN model with 924 images dataset and then using a satisfaction survey to rate the design output. In terms of results – the average score of the participants in satisfaction was above 4.87 and general satisfaction was above 81.4%. These outcomes are indicative of how well various GAN-based tools can exploit design spaces of soft wearable robots. The results of this study serve as a guide to improve the efficiency and diversity of wearable robot development and the opportunity to incorporate AI advances into collaborative multi-disciplinary design approaches.

Spaces seeking activities - activities seeking spaces: Evaluation and policy design of neighbourhood-wide urban community spaces

Cities thrive on the vibrant interplay of community-driven initiatives and the adaptive reuse of public spaces that foster socio-cultural activities, enriching civic life. However, these grassroots efforts often confront challenges such as spatial inadequacies caused by bureaucratic zoning policies and the scarcity of affordable real estate. Moreover, urban landscapes struggle with the abandonment and underutilization of public buildings and open spaces, hindered by complex administrative protocols and limited resource affecting both private developers and local governments. This study introduces a model for urban policy design, named the “NeighbourHUB” model (N-HUB), aimed at addressing these issues by aligning space demand with community activities through Participatory Cost-Benefit Analysis and collaborative design approaches. Developed by a multidisciplinary team from the University of Cagliari, in collaboration with 30 local community associations active in the neighbourhoods where the model was tested, N-HUB advocates for a gradual, incremental, and place-based approach to optimize space utilization and enhance coordination between local authorities and socio-cultural associations. The findings of case study application presented in this paper demonstrate its potential to improve transparency, accessibility, and usability of spaces, providing guidance for fair urban policy design and effective conflict resolution.

Collaborative design approach to identify research and innovation needs within the European smart building community.

Upgrading the level of smartness in buildings can significantly contribute to improve our quality and sustainability of living, through increased energy efficiency, optimised resource management, and improved air quality and comfort. However, the fragmented nature of the sector makes it challenging to identify what is technically, socially and economically achieved today in Europe in terms of building smartness, and what should be developed and financially supported tomorrow to accelerate the roll-out of smart and energy efficient buildings. This paper introduces the collaborative process developed to involve a large community of experts in detecting and formalising research and innovation gaps related to smart buildings. This process is composed of four successive steps: 1) a communication phase to invite volunteer experts to join the proposed task forces; 2) The organisation and facilitation of online brainstorming workshops to identify research & innovation (R&I) gaps; 3) the collective drafting of a white paper synthesising the brainstorming outcomes; and 4) an open consultation to collect additional external feedback before finalising the white paper. The collaborative process developed was tested over 18 months and implemented on 12 different topics relying on 27 brainstorming workshops. Building on the collective knowledge of 135 participants, it enabled identification a significant series of R&I gaps related to smart buildings. The collective sessions as well as the open consultation phases showed overall some clear convergence on the gaps identified. It can therefore be concluded the outcome of the collaborative process reached a consensus among the targeted innovation community. The feedback collected on the process, shows that the frequency, duration and attendance of the brainstorming workshops proposed were very relevant, while the selection of online participatory tools could still be improved. This process could be replicated in other frameworks where research and innovation gaps are sought for.

Activating smell’s political potential through smellwalk route design

This text unravels the collaborative design approach we—Ph.D. researcher Lauryn Mannigel, science and technology studies scholar Christy Spackman, cultural geographer Kevin McHugh, and visual artist and Studio Arts instructor Vicky Sabourin—used to create the route of a guided smellwalk for Montréal’s Quartier Concordia, exploring the political potential of smell. Drawing from the perspectives of practicing artists who value smell’s ephemerality, contextuality, and materiality, this text outlines the development of the smellwalk route, where we tested Mannigel’s conceptual curiosity in designing a path around the Henry F. Hall building—a building with a contentious political past—and Sabourin’s familiarity with the smells of frequently encountered spaces at Quartier Concordia. By exploring the roles of geographical proximity and distance, spatial familiarity and unfamiliarity, and the recollection of smell experiences—creatively balancing preconceived ideas with chance and pragmatics—our creative process develops a practice-led framework for olfactory encounters and public discussions that may activate the political potential of smell.

Patient Input into the Electronic Health Record: Co-Designing Solutions with Patients and Healthcare Professionals.

Patient-generated health data (PGHD) is the person's health-related data collected outside the clinical environment. Integrating this data into the electronic health record (EHR) supports better patient-provider communication and shared decision-making, empowering patients to actively manage their health conditions. In this study, we investigated the essential features needed for patients and healthcare providers to effectively integrate PGHD functionality into the EHR system. Through our collaborative design approach involving healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients, we developed a prototype and suggestion, using Estonia as a model, which is the ideal approach for collecting and integrating PGHD into the EHR.

ENGAGING CITIZENS’ PARTICIPATION STRATEGIES FOR CREATING RESPONSIVE URBAN LANDSCAPES: A CASE STUDY OF CALEB UNIVERSITY MAIN CAMPUS

Vibrant urban landscapes demand citizen participation. Co-creation, which is a collaborative design approach, empowers residents to shape their environments. This research explores co-creation, highlighting the importance of diverse perspectives for inclusive and sustainable urban landscapes. Using Caleb University as a real-world case study to explore successful co-creation strategies that leverage citizen involvement the research explores citizen experiences with campus development. Employing a qualitative research design, the research delved into the experiences, perceptions, and preferences of staff and students regarding Caleb University's campus development. Data were collected using collection involved a structured questionnaire distributed to a randomly-sampled residents, ensuring representation across all demographics. Findings reveal a generally positive attitude towards participation. The research also highlights the importance of diverse perspectives. Diverse opinions on campus aesthetics highlight the importance of inclusive design. The research emphasizes the resident's preference for green spaces reflects successful co-creation. The research also highlights the desire for multiple avenues of participation, with preferences for campus meetings, workshops, and online forums. Co-creation, free from participation barriers, empowers residents to shape responsive and inclusive urban landscapes, transforming cities into vibrant expressions of their collective vision for a sustainable future. Keywords: Co-creation, Inclusive, Sustainable, Empowerment, Responsive

Decoding Gender Representation and Bias in Voice User Interfaces (VUIs)

This article offers a thorough exploration of gender representation and bias within Voice User Interfaces (VUIs), delving into their intricate impact on technology design, user interaction, and broader societal dynamics. It scrutinizes the entrenched gender stereotypes inherent in VUI design, revealing the intricate interplay between technology, cultural norms, and gender expectations[1]. It highlights the ethical implications of such biases, emphasizing the need for diverse perspectives in the development of VUIs[2], [3]. the article advocates for a multifaceted approach to understanding and identifying bias in VUIs, incorporating methodologies such as data analysis, algorithmic auditing, and user testing[4]. Beyond individual interactions, it discusses how gender bias in VUIs can erode trust, diminish user satisfaction, and perpetuate systemic inequalities[1]. Proposing a shift towards gender-neutral design principles, it advocates for inclusivity and equity, championing personalized experiences and diverse representation. Looking ahead, the article outlines future directions in VUI technology aimed at advancing gender equality through enhanced natural language understanding, sentiment analysis, and collaborative design approaches[4]. By unraveling and addressing gender representation and bias in VUIs, this article lays a robust foundation for fostering a more inclusive and equitable landscape in voice technology.

A top-down lashing bridge collaborative design method

ABSTRACT The short detailed design cycle of lashing bridges on container ships needs to ensure that various designs have different requirements at multiple locations on the ship, making the design methodology for complex products challenging. Currently, research on the design methodology of lashing bridges lacks in-depth investigation into detailed design aspects. This work addressed research gaps through a top-down collaborative design approach and analysed the principles of propagating design changes in computer-aided design (CAD), as well as proposed a design methodology consisting of four core steps, namely, skeleton decomposition, feature aggregation, detailed design and product structure (PS) expansion. The effectiveness of this methodology was validated through practical design examples and specific variant design instances of a certain type of container ship. The validation demonstrated that the proposed design methodology, in contrast to traditional three-dimensional design methods, supported design process reuse and significantly improved design efficiency in complex product designs.

A collaborative hybridity design approach: enhancing urban water resilience and spatial legibility

ABSTRACT Within the global transition to sustainable urban water management, Dutch polder cities are also contemplating revitalising their water traditions. One of the keys to this task is to integrate water management into urban design, which is explored but not yet practically instrumentalized in the urban design process. This article introduces the concept of hybridity and develops a Hybridity Design Approach as an interdisciplinary methodology to explore the possibility of realising the extreme low impact Closed City Concept. Integration of the water environment and urban space needs interdisciplinary cooperation and sharing knowledge, as well as an innovative way of thinking about water-resilient urban design, maximising the landscape quality of a polder city while minimising its hydrological footprint in the region. Effective visualisation tools and techniques for this collaborative design process are developed and tested in the area of Zevenkamp in Rotterdam.

Parameters collaborative optimization design and innovation verification approach for fuel cell distributed drive electric tractor

Fuel cell distributed drive electric tractors (FCDET) are one of the necessary means to achieve truly green agriculture. However, low traction efficiency, poor control coordination, and excessive energy consumption are the main reasons hindering the industrialization of FCDET. This paper proposed a parametric collaborative optimization design method and innovative verification system that considers the drive system and energy system. Based on the tractor plowing operating conditions, a 7-DOF coupled dynamics model of the distributed drive system and a tire-soil interaction model were established, and the key component selection and parameter matching were completed. On the drive system optimization level, the front and rear wheelside transmission ratios are optimized based on a multi-island genetic algorithm (MIGA). On the energy system optimization level, the globally optimal power distribution ratio is found based on the dynamic programming algorithm (DP). A complete experimental prototype verification system is constructed based on the MATLAB/Simulink-NI PXI joint simulation platform, physical prototype test bench, and real vehicle multi-index test platform. The results show that the average efficiencies of the optimized drive and energy system are increased by 0.38 % and 3.82 %, the total energy consumption (total hydrogen consumption) is reduced by 25.40 % and 15.39 %, respectively. The maximum fault-free operating time is 5.5h, the average traction power is 21.07 kW, and the average traction force is 10610 N in the all-wheel drive mode. The experimental results fully demonstrate that the electric tractor with the fuel cell distributed drive system as the core can meet the verification of multiple indicators. This study can provide a new theoretical basis and technical verification method for the optimal design and system control of fuel cell distributed drive electric tractors.

A Human-Centric Design Method for Industrial Centrifugal Pump Based on Digital Twin

The worldwide demand for customized centrifugal pumps in numerous industries is intensifying steadily, posing significant challenges to the traditional design model characterized by extended design cycles, numerous errors, and elevated development costs. To address these issues, this paper introduces an intelligent collaborative design methodology for industrial centrifugal pumps grounded in digital twin (DT) technology. The methodology aims to handle the diversified types and intricate design requirements of industrial pumps and is specifically tailored to predict pump performance through a detailed multi-physics model. This model encapsulates various physical processes, including fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and structural mechanics, and incorporates the designer’s professional knowledge and experience to support enhanced decision-making. Furthermore, the application of intelligent parametric models has facilitated the interconnected design of pump components. This advancement has led to significant improvements such as shortening production cycles, reducing errors and costs, and enhancing design efficiency and quality. Consequently, the paper demonstrates that adopting this intelligent collaborative design approach can greatly benefit the industrial centrifugal pump sector by meeting the growing customization demands with increased efficiency and precision. These findings underscore the potential of DT technology in revolutionizing traditional pump design methodologies, advancing the intelligent progression of industrial centrifugal pump design and manufacturing, and satisfying the expanding demands of the global manufacturing industry.

Maximizing the value of patient and public involvement in the digital health co-design process: A qualitative descriptive study with design leaders and patient-public partners.

Digital health interventions have enormous potential to support patients and the public in achieving their health goals. Nonetheless, many digital health interventions are failing to effectively engage patients and the public. One solution that has been proposed is to directly involve patients and the public in the design process of these digital health interventions. Although there is consensus that involving patients and the public in collaborative design is valuable, design teams have little guidance on how to maximize the value of their collaborative design work. The main objective of this study was to understand how the value of patient and public involvement in digital health design can be maximized, from the perspective of design leaders and patient-public partners. Using a qualitative descriptive methodology, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 design leaders and 9 patient-public partners. Interviewees agreed that involving patients and the public was valuable, however, they questioned if current collaborative methods were optimized to ensure maximal value. Interviewees suggested that patient and public collaborative design can add value through four different mechanisms: (1) by allowing the design process to be an empowering intervention itself, (2) by ensuring that the digital health intervention will be effectively engaging for users, (3) by ensuring that the digital health intervention will be seamlessly implemented in practice, and (4) by allowing patient-public collaborations extend beyond the initial product design. Overall, interviewees emphasized that although collaborative design has historically focused on improving the digital health product itself, patients and the public have crucial insights on implementation planning as well as how collaborative design can be used as its own empowering intervention. The results of this paper provide clarity about the ways that patient and public collaborative design can be made more valuable. Digital health design teams can use these results to be more intentional about their collaborative design approaches.

A Grounded Theory and Collaborative Design Approach to Disability Storytelling on TikTok

This developing dissertation explores the use of TikTok as a platform for individual and collective storytelling and information creation practices – within a specific online health community of people experiencing painful, invisible, and difficult to diagnose central sensitivity syndromes (CSSs) – to understand and support these embodied, creative, and collective information behaviors. Ongoing data collection indicates that people with CSSs are using TikTok affordances to tell and scaffold complex micro-stories about their expertise and social experiences of disability: by employing iconographic elements to make disability visual; intimate cinematography; audio, visual, and community-specific mimetic options; and platform-specific novel feature use. The research design draws upon critical disabilities studies (CDS) sensitizing concepts. A constructivist grounded theory approach will be employed, by theoretically sampling TikTok micro-videos, their top comments, and, by the time of this presentation, conducting semi-structured interviews with CSS TikTok community members. This poster also discusses these preliminary results, as well as a novel initial sampling approach which addresses both the hashtag and algorithmic logics of the platform, and an implementation of feminist ethics of care in research methods. Then, three codesign workshops with individuals experiencing CSSs will develop creative storytelling materials that can be utilized in various contexts. These workshops promote the inclusion of disabled community members as co-designers and aim to co-design physical and digital storytelling resources such as prompts, templates, and TikTok features.These findings expand storytelling theory into the health domain, introduce and define algorithmically mediated online health communities, and promote critical disability studies perspectives in information science.

A CFD-Based Collaborative Approach for Box-Wing Aircraft Aerodynamic Assessment: The PARSIFAL Study Case

This article presents a detailed aerodynamic investigation on a transport aircraft with a box-wing lifting system. The aerodynamic development of this configuration is presented through the description of the collaborative and multi-fidelity design approach that took place within PARSIFAL, an European project aiming to develop the box-wing configuration for a civil transonic aircraft. The article starts from an accurate description of the collaborative methodological framework employed and offers an overview of the development of the box-wing aerodynamics together with the highlight on its most significant characteristics and aerodynamic features identified. The design development is detailed step by step, with specific focus on the challenges faced, starting from the conceptual investigations up to the most advanced evaluations. Significant focus is given to the assessment of the aerodynamic performance in transonic flight for the box-wing lifting system, and to the design solutions provided to overcome issues related to this flight regime, such as drag rise and flow separation. In addition, the high-fidelity shape optimisation techniques employed in the advanced stage of the design process are detailed; these allow to define a final configuration with improved aerodynamic performance.

Innovation through the Quintuple Helix in living labs: lessons learned for a transformation from lab to ecosystem.

In the process of growing societies, and especially in the digital era we live in, there is a need for a strong push for innovation that puts citizens at the center of the process from the beginning to build more resilient, cooperative and flexible communities. Different collaborative design approaches have emerged in recent decades, one of the most interesting being Living Labs, which involves user-centered design and co-creative innovation that bring together different actors and roles. However, although these new methodologies are harnessing creativity, some aspects of this new, more ecosystemic and complex vision are not clearly understood: possible barriers, how to facilitate local and operational solutions, overcoming institutional blockage, integrating new roles, etc. The incorporation of the Quintuple Helix as a driver to ensure greater coordinated participation of local actors has proven its usefulness and impact during the re-adaptation of LifeSpace (previously named Smart House Living Lab), managed by the Polytechnic University of Madrid (Spain), a transformation based on the experiences and lessons learned during the large-scale ACTIVAGE pilot funded by the European Commission, more specifically at the Madrid Deployment Site. It involved more than 350 older adult people and other stakeholders from different areas, including family members, formal and informal caregivers, hospital service managers, third-age associations, and public service providers, forming a sense of community, which was called MAHA. The living lab infrastructure evolved from a single multi-purpose environment to incorporate three harmoniously competing environments: (1) THE LAB: Headquarters for planning, demonstration, initial design phases and entry point for newcomers to the process, (2) THE CLUB: Controlled interaction environment where returning users validate solutions, focusing mainly on AHA services (MAHA CLUB), such as exergames, social interaction applications, brain training activities, etc. (3) THE NEIGHBOURHOOD: Real-life environments for free and open interaction between actors and implementation of previously validated and tested solutions. The Quintuple Helix model applied in LifeSpace's new vision allows a coordinated involvement of a more diverse set of actors, beyond the end-users and especially those who are not traditionally part of research and innovation processes.

The human-centric Industry 5.0 collaboration architecture

While the primary focus of Industry 4.0 revolves around extensive digitalization, Industry 5.0, on the other hand, seeks to integrate innovative technologies with human actors, signifying an approach that is more value-driven than technology-centric. The key objectives of the Industry 5.0 paradigm, which were not central to Industry 4.0, underscore that production should not only be digitalized but also resilient, sustainable, and human-centric. This paper is focusing on the human-centric pillar of Industry 5.0. The proposed methodology addresses the need for a human-AI collaborative process design and innovation approach to support the development and deployment of advanced AI-driven co-creation and collaboration tools. The method aims to solve the problem of integrating various innovative agents (human, AI, IoT, robot) in a plant-level collaboration process through a generic semantic definition, utilizing a time event-driven process. It also encourages the development of AI techniques for human-in-the-loop optimization, incorporating cross-checking with alternative feedback loop models. Benefits of this methodology include the Industry 5.0 collaboration architecture (I5arc), which provides new adaptable, generic frameworks, concepts, and methodologies for modern knowledge creation and sharing to enhance plant collaboration processes.•The I5arc aims to investigate and establish a truly integrated human-AI collaboration model, equipped with methods and tools for human-AI driven co-creation.•Provide a framework for the co-execution of processes and activities, with humans remaining empowered and in control.•The framework primarily targets human-AI collaboration processes and activities in industrial plants, with potential applicability to other societal contexts.

Designing a Framework for Rural Community-Based Collaborative Cultural Mapping: The Fontoura Project

The tourism sector has faced many challenges in recent years, and technology, more specifically through digital approaches, is becoming a valuable ally. This paper aims to understand how the use of digital tools in rural territories may empower local communities in activities such as cultural mapping with the aid of open-access platforms and in close connection with current trends in e-tourism. The research conducted and presented debates the challenge of drawing a collaborative and participative framework to engage and promote the tourism supply and demand ecosystem in these rural territories. Fontoura, situated in the Minho region of the Northwest of Portugal, is studied to understand how its historical, traditional, and cultural patrimony may promote the territory as a tourist destination. The research presented, which is still underway, resorts to a participative and collaborative design approach involving the rural community and is further supported by an extensive literature review. This comparative study includes the analysis of a small sample of similar projects conducted with rural communities, quantitative and qualitative data collection, and the development of participative and collaborative activities with the local community. Results achieved so far indicate that enabling the community members to participate in the process – through surveys (for tourists, visitors, and residents), interviews and focus groups (with the senior segment) – contributed to the building of a sense of community, unity, and a sense of belonging. These feelings drive the community members to provide the project with content for Fontoura’s cultural mapping and the other project’s expected results, such as the proposal of a framework for promoting collaborative design with a concern with InfoVis approaches when dealing with georeferenced tangible and intangible heritage and other tourism-related resources. Results also suggest that the proposed framework may contribute to similar actions in other rural territories seeking to discover and fuel their potential as tourism destinations. The work presented is in tune with current debates regarding the design of guidelines and recommendations suitable for rural communities in their quest for sustainability, digital transformation, and cultural and natural mapping.

Community-based waste management: Best practice for waste management in Panggungharjo Village, Sewon District, Bantul Regency

Through Village Regulation (Perdes) Number 7 of 2016 which regulates guidelines for waste management, domestic waste management (household waste) which has been pioneered by Pemdes Panggungharjo since 2013 found a way to manage waste independently. Until 2019, Panggungharjo Village had 30 waste banks with a total of 1,800 customers who were residents of the village. Waste management is handled directly by BUMDES Panggung Lestari through Unit Usaha Kupas, one of the village economic institutions under the auspices of the Panggungharjo Village Government, which has so far focused on dealing with villagers’ waste problems. In terms of community-based waste management, the Panggungharjo Village Government has created a roadmap for waste management with the active role of the community in synergy and collaboration with BUMDES Panggung Lestari which is regulated in the Village Regulation. Communities as waste producers are required every day to sort waste independently by separating residual waste, organic waste, and selling value waste. In the early days of waste management, Panggung Lestari collaborated with Pegadaian which had a Gold Savings product. The simple principle is that the community deposits waste that has a selling value and then converts it into a rupiah value with the gold savings. There is a minimum limit for waste deposits and the time period for collecting the savings. Interesting developments in the journey of managing waste in this span of time have created a business model that can be used as a reference for policy formulation from the village to the district level, where a plenary collaborative waste management governance design approach based on value chain analysis becomes a bridge in the realm of waste management as one of the public services where the community also has the same obligations regarding problems, on the other hand management based on value chain analysis has economic value where the relationship between the management of unit usaha Kupas and residents can be in the form of user-consumers or partners who jointly think about handling domestic waste. Until now, the waste management business model in the Panggungharjo Urban Village illustrates how the waste management journey is built in stages and has relevance to the needs of waste management at different scales in terms of waste generation capacity, technology, number of customers, and future development plans. The latest development at Panggung Lestari is that it is now able to process domestic waste (household waste) into a variety of products including organic fertilizers and others, in addition to a waste bank with a selling value of waste that is still ongoing. Carrying the spirit of “Starting from the residents, ending in the village”, Panggung Lestari is currently serious about developing its integrated waste management capacity.

Collaborative design approach to identify research and innovation needs within the European smart building community

Background Upgrading the level of smartness in buildings can significantly contribute to improve our quality and sustainability of living, through increased energy efficiency, optimised resource management, and improved air quality and comfort. However, the fragmented nature of the sector makes it challenging to identify what is technically, socially and economically achieved today in Europe in terms of building smartness, and what should be developed and financially supported tomorrow to accelerate the roll-out of smart and energy efficient buildings. Methods This paper introduces the collaborative process developed to involve a large community of experts in detecting and formalising research and innovation gaps related to smart buildings. This process is composed of four successive steps: 1) a communication phase to invite volunteer experts to join the proposed task forces; 2) The organisation and facilitation of online brainstorming workshops to identify research & innovation (R&I) gaps; 3) the collective drafting of a white paper synthesising the brainstorming outcomes; and 4) an open consultation to collect additional external feedback before finalising the white paper. Results The collaborative process developed was tested over 18 months and implemented on 12 different topics relying on 27 brainstorming workshops. Building on the collective knowledge of 135 participants, it enabled identification a significant series of R&I gaps related to smart buildings. Conclusions The collective sessions as well as the open consultation phases showed overall some clear convergence on the gaps identified. It can therefore be concluded the outcome of the collaborative process reached a consensus among the targeted innovation community. The feedback collected on the process, shows that the frequency, duration and attendance of the brainstorming workshops proposed were very relevant, while the selection of online participatory tools could still be improved. This process could be replicated in other frameworks where research and innovation gaps are sought for.

Simulation Analysis of Inflatable Film Truss Structure Unfolding Process

Inflatable film truss structures have been widely employed in spaceship unfolding sections and supporting structures, and the membrane structure’s folding scheme has a substantial impact on the unfolding effect. In this research, a parametric model of a thin film structure is built using the collaborative fold design approach. The dynamic simulation study of the inflatable film structure was performed using the enhanced spring-particle system and the expansion kinetic behavior and parameters were determined. The results of the study reveal that the simulation process is robust and trustworthy, with no component collisions, evaluating the efficacy of the folding scheme design and providing technical support for such engineering applications..