This thesis focuses on the technological trends in smart products, and analyzes their conformity to the user expectations. The advances in computation technologies have totally revolutionized the product concept, and with the integration of microchips, software and sensors into the classical everyday objects, smart products, able to sense the context, reason about the sensed data and act according to the situation, have emerged. This new way of computing basing on the ubiquitous and calm computing visions, has distributed the digital information into the surrounding environment, and once freed from the limited resources provided by the classical desktop based computing, attempted to enhance user product communication and collaboration in everyday environments. Via their sensing - decision making - acting process and advanced interaction capabilities, smart products have gained the ability to better interpret user needs and intuitively communicate with users through simplified interfaces involving the majority of the senses without even disturbing or overburdening their users. The study first, throughout a literature review, examines these improvements in computation technologies and determines the trends related to smart products. An empirical research is then conducted to find out to what extend user expectations from smart products overlap with the ongoing researches in this area. The findings including users&rsquo / conception about smartness and expectations from different types of smart products are analyzed regarding to the technological trends to deduce the coherence between literature&rsquo / s orientation and user preferences. The study considered the technological trends as a database and takes the user expectations as the design motivation.

[pt] Já estamos vivendo sob o impacto dos primórdios do que é considerada a Terceira Onda da Tecnologia da Informação ou a Quarta Revolução Industrial, representadas principalmente pelo advento da IOT (Internet of Things). Esta verdadeira invasão de novas tecnologias já está começando a mudar de modo dramático a forma como vivemos, nos comunicamos e trabalhamos. O objetivo principal desta dissertação é não apenas avaliar a metodologia tradicional do design e os desafios que estas novas tecnologias da IOT trazem para o desenvolvimento do trabalho dos designers, mas principalmente analisar como eles devem se qualificar para manter sua posição de relevância no desenvolvimento dos novos produtos inteligentes conectados que caracterizam a IOT, como a definem Porter e Heppelman (2014). A partir de uma pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, procurei relacionar as novas tecnologias, os componentes e serviços que estão viabilizando a criação desses produtos inteligentes, apresentar as principais empresas que estão liderando esta revolução, pesquisar as áreas em que estes novos produtos já estão fazendo a diferença assim como as mudanças e desafios que eles nos apresentam, e verificar como e por que empresas fabricantes de produtos estão se transformando em empresas de produtos/serviços ou só de serviços. Procuro ainda mapear o impacto que estas novas tecnologias terão nos modelos de negócio, design, marketing, engenharia e no relacionamento com os usuários dos serviços e produtos que as incorporem. / [en] We are already living under the impact of what is considered the beginnings of the Third Wave of Information Technology or the Fourth Industrial Revolution, represented mainly by the advent of IOT (Internet of Things). This true invasion of new technologies is already starting to dramatically change the way we live, communicate, and work. The main objective of this dissertation is not only to evaluate the traditional methodology of design and the challenges that these new technologies of the IOT bring to the development of the work of the designers, but mainly to analyze how they must qualify to maintain their position of relevance in the development of the new products that characterize IOT, as defined by Porter and Heppelman (2014). Based on a thorough bibliographical and documentary research, I have tried to examine the new technologies and the components and services that are enabling the creation of these intelligent products, pinpoint the principal companies that are in the forefront of this revolution, research the areas in which these new products are already making a difference, indicate the changes and challenges that they present us with and see how and why companies that manufacture products are transforming themselves into production / services companies, or solely services companies. I also try to map the impact that these new technologies will have on the business models, design, marketing, engineering and relationships with the users of the services and products that incorporate them.

The industry relies on interdisciplinarity to promote advancements. The diverse engineering domains, information technologies, management and social sciences are combined in the industrial environment and oriented o society’s ever-changing demands. In parallel, the demographic shifts caused by population aging present room for innovation on many fronts, such as in health, technology, industry, products, and services, and in the same way in product development processes. In an attempt to tackle such issues, this article discusses how the addressing of the elderly population demands, particularly the demand for smart products, might be supported by the principles of production digitalization. In doing so, it proposes a conceptual framework for the development of smart products for the elderly, sustained by three core pillars: specific product lifecycle stages, Industrie 4.0 requirements for smart product development; and Industrie 4.0 enabling technologies which are integrated by the User-Centered Design philosophy. Their combination into a framework aims at addressing two main points: assist in the translation of elderly real consumers’ expectations and demands into more adequate, appealing products and in creating a transition path for companies who wish to incorporate the principles and technologies of production digitalization in their value chain. Furthermore, the article discusses how this proposal could be validated in the real industrial environment.