Date :  4th June 2023 Level : Masters thesis in industrial engineering and management, advanced level, 30 ECTS Institution : School of Innovation, Design and Engineering, Mälardalens University   Authors :   Afnan Abdul Amir 9 Maj 1998Onel Nabeel Polus 24 November 1998 Title: How to identify Adaptability within SMEs: A case Study Supervisor: Mikael Johnsson Keywords: Change Management, Adaptability, SMEs Research Question : How can consult agencies identify the adaptability within SMEs?. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a process for the identification of  SMEs adaptability. Method: This study adopted a qualitative research methodology using a abductive approach. This method facilitated an iterative exchange between the theoretical framework and empirical observations. The theoretical framework was based on scientific articles and the study was conducted as a case study to help the company identify the adaptability within its clients. The empirical data was collected through structured and semi-structured interviews divided between the different clients. The empirical data was structured on 7 interviews with project managers, team leaders and CEOs. Conclusion: The conclusion that can be drawn from this study is that the adaptability to various market changes can be identified when a company analyzes the following three key factors: Leadership, Communication, and Knowledge. / Datum: 4 Juni 2023 Nivå: Examensarbete i produkt och processutveckling, avancerad nivå, 30 Hp Institution: Akademin för innovation, Design och teknik Författare:    Afnan Abdul Amir 9 Maj 1998Onel Nabeel Polus 24 November 1998 Titel: How to identify adaptability within SMEs: A case Study Handledare: Mikael Johnsson Nyckelord: Ledning av förändringsarbete, Omställningsförmåga, SMEs Syftet: Syftet med denna studie är att erbjuda en guide för fallföretaget att följa för att identifiera omställningsförmågan bland sina kunder. Forskningsfråga : Hur kan konsultföretag identifiera omställningsförmågan bland SMEs? Metod: Denna studie antog en kvalitativ forskningsmetod med en abduktiv ansats. Denna metod underlättade ett iterativt utbyte mellan den teoretiska ramen och empiriska observationer. Den teoretiska ramen baserades på vetenskapliga artiklar och studien genomfördes som en fallstudie för att hjälpa företaget att identifiera omställningsförmågan hos sina kunder. Datainsamlingen inkluderade strukturerade och semistrukturerade intervjuer där projektledare, teamledare och VD intervjuades för att skapa ett bredare perspektiv. Slutsats: Slutsatsen som kunde dras från denna studie är att omställningsförmågan till olika förändringar i marknaden kan identifieras när ett företag analyserar de följande tre faktorer : Ledarskap, Kommunikation och Kunskap. / nej

No description available.

As our climate continues to shift, it is fundamental to understanding these unprecedented changes through field research done in biomes most critically impacted. Due to the remoteness and extreme climatic nature of these research stations, they are typically either hastily built flat pack constructions or sterile pill boxes with little consideration of the immediate surrounding. This investigation looks at structuring the restrictions of environment to give the architecture a sense of place, rather than looking at these extremes as limitations. This proposal is sited in the Alaskan Arctic circle, where research is being conducted to understand the intertwined issues of climate change and permafrost melt. It is the intent of this project to present a prototype of a responsible and responsive architecture for Toolik Station, Alaska,a renowned destination for arctic climate research. This thesis synthesizes unpredictable site and environmental factors, elements which will become increasingly commonplace as our planet's climate shifts. The proposal for the Northern Reach interrogates and responds: How are we best equipped to live and work in a rapidly changing measure of extremes? What imbues an architecture with a sense of place when that place is inherently mercurial? / Master of Architecture / To best understand the unprecedented effects of climate change on critical, research is often conducted in remote and often extreme areas of the planet, where the living conditions are less than ideal which affects the longevity and effectiveness of said research. This project investigates the extremes of living and working as a field scientist in Toolik Station, Alaska, and proposes housing and accommodations which are more sensitive and appropriate for its site than what is currently being used. The proposed project can be used as a prototype to replace other buildings at the chosen site.

A luminaire’s primary purpose is to provide visibility into a space, but also to serve as an aesthetic object for it. When switched off, luminaires maintain their presence as forms and when switched on they transform places by creating or vanishing different shadows. For years luminaire designers are trying to tame the light emitted from the light bulb, an archetypal component of a great literal and metaphorical significance for the human his-tory. The era of LED’s sets no limits of light source forms, intensity, color temperature, lighting color or color rendering index. Space is now the primal factor and the luminaire forms and adjusts around it. By examining the connection between luminaires and space, functionalism and how great designers approached the topic, a luminaire design tool will be explored connecting past, present and possible future technology advancement. With the above tool, a prototype model will be created with the intention to experiment with adjustability and adaptability into space. The main goal will be the re-search of a primal form for the design tool that serves as a multipurpose solution while retaining high quality levels. Well-being and creativity as well as responsible consumption and production are connected with the de-sign process.

Building an efficient and robust robot that does not use appendages for locomotion requires inspiration and a thorough understanding of the working principles of limbless animals’ locomotion. In these animals, the passive properties of their morphology and material allow them to dwell in complex terrains at different animals’ scales by using only a simple mode of locomotion, i.e., undulatory locomotion. A better understanding of these animals can inspire efficient locomotion strategies and lead to multi-gait terrain adaptation that exploits their physical intelligence. This study endeavors to model undulatory locomotion in various environments and study the effect of endogenous and exogenous dynamics in limbless bodies. First, undulatory locomotion is modeled analytically using the Lagrangian mechanics approach in a dry frictional environment. A discrete multi-bar system is set to get the propulsive force through frictional anisotropy. The system is then non-dimensionalized to determine the factors representing material and environmental properties. The principal components of the model are body stiffness, internal damping, moment of inertia, and frictional anisotropy. Simulations showed the interdependence of these quantities to achieve the desired speed. The results also highlighted the interdependence of endogenous and exogenous dynamics to achieve different locomotion gaits. Swimming, crawling, and polychaete-like locomotion are characterized based on stiffness factor, frictional factor, and frictional coefficient ratio. The model is validated by inputting the required parameters of the corn snake from the literature. Then undulatory locomotion is modeled in a viscous environment, and the results are compared with the dry environment. It is found that the optimum weight of dry and viscous frictional factors can be found in a hybrid environment to achieve better speed performance. Finally, the experimental validation is carried out in a dry friction environment. The results from experimental and physical models are compared. The physical robot is a wheel-based modular system with flexible joints moving on different substrates. The influence of the spatial distribution of the body stiffness on the speed performance is also explored. Findings suggest that the environment affects the performance of undulatory locomotion based on the body stiffness distribution. Although quantitatively the stiffness varies with the environment, we obtained a qualitative constitutive law for all environments. Specifically, we expect the stiffness distribution to exhibit either an ascending-descending or an ascending-plateau pattern along the length of the object, from head to tail. Furthermore, undulatory locomotion showed sensitivity to contact mechanics: solid-solid or solid-viscoelastic contact produced different locomotion dynamics. Our findings elucidate how terrestrial limbless animals achieve undulatory locomotion performance by exploiting the passive properties of the environment and the body. Application of the obtained results can lead to better-performing long-segmented robots exploiting the aptness of passive body dynamics and the characteristics of the environment where they need to move.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

This thesis report has been written for the Innovation in Business, Engineering, and Design master’s program (specialization in design) at Linnaeus University in Växjö, Sweden, in collaboration with IKEA, a furniture company in Älmhult, Sweden.  This report is about finding form for customization to contribute to adapting cultures into product development. IKEA is iconic for Swedish design; however, it is a global company with customers all around the world. The research explores how IKEA can maintain its strong Swedish identity while inviting in different cultural influences. It decodes how cultural elements are integrated within the homes of people living away from their home countries.  A line of customized products was designed and developed with Ukrainian-influenced cultural values through form, colour, and pattern. Although the project was done through the lens of Ukrainian culture, the ideation behind the product development adaptability can be applied to any culture. The products bring together an understanding of product use and performance, as well as cultural traditions in the home.

We are living at a tipping point of human civilisation. Our impact on the climate has become undeniable and if we don’t want a drastically different way life, we must adapt. The building sector is responsible for around 19% of the total CO2 emissions and 30% of the energy use in Sweden. To lower that amount, we need to build smarter. To design a sustainable building, we need a holistic approach that consider several factors. This thesis discusses the concept of sustainability and the sustainability factors that influence the design of a building.  By using a range of certification systems, such as EU level(s) and Miljöbyggnad 4.0 we can evaluate the design in an early stage to avoid neglecting any vital aspects of sustainability. Furthermore, the concept of adaptability as a source of sustainability is explored, and a design for a modular house that is both sustainable and affordable is proposed.