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This work describes the development of a technique for the evaluation of the performance of a product's physical user interface. The technique is intended to combine the best features cat conventional user group testing with those of computer based biomechanical modelling. A requirement for the new technique exists as social pressure demands that consumer products he optimised for users with a wide range of physical capabilities, while shortening product lifecycles leave less time for extensive user evaluation programmes. A demonstration system was developed, based upon the use of an electromagnetic tracking system to gather upper limb motion data and a two segment, rigid link biomechanical model. Experimental work was carried out to test the effectiveness of the system at following limb movements and average error in reconstruction of hand position from segment angle data was 62mm (Standard deviation 41 mm) The modelling system was applied to the assessment of two types of product: cutlery and drinking vessels and the effectiveness of various statistical techniques in allowing the rapid identification of important design parameters was assessed. The use of Taguchi's smaller-the-better signal to noise ratio was found to be effective for the measurement of the effect of product design on shoulder and elbow forces. Cutlery with enlarged handles designed to reduce grip strength requirements tended to increase forces at the shoulder. The method was also applied to an interface optimisation problem involving the design of a lever mechanism. Partial factorial design was used to minimise experimental cost during the assessment of multiple factors, but strong interactions were detected between interface parameters, reducing the value of the analysis. The overall height of the lever handle relative to the user's shoulder was found to be the most significant design factor, with an optimum operating situation existing where the lever was low enough to require almost full extension of the elbow during use. The work concludes that biomechanical analysis holds further promise for the optimisation of interface parameters, provided the high experimental cost involved with present techniques can be reduced.

A Product Line Family contains similar applications that differ only in the sets of sup-ported features from the family. To properly engineer these product lines, programmers design a common code base used by all members of the product line. The structure of this common code base is often an Object-Oriented (OO) framework, designed to contain the detailed domain-specific knowledge needed to implement these applications. However, these frameworks are often quite complex and implement detailed dynamic behavior with complex coordination among their classes. Extending an OO framework to realize a single product line instance is a unique exercise in OO programming. The ultimate goal is to develop a consistent approach, for managing all instances, which relies on configuration rather than programming. In this thesis, we show the novel application of Combinatory Logic to automatically syn-thesize correct product line members using higher-level code fragments specified by means of combinators. Using the same starting point of an OO framework, we show how to design a repository of combinators using FeatureIDE, an extensible framework for Feature-Oriented Software Development. We demonstrate a proof of concept using two different Java-based frameworks: a card solitaire framework and a multi-objective optimization algorithms framework. These case studies rely on LaunchPad, an Eclipse plugin developed at WPI that extends FeatureIDE. The broader impact of this work is that it enables framework designers to formally en-code the complex functional structure of an OO framework. Once this task is accomplished, then, generating product line instances becomes primarily a configuration process, which enables correct code to be generated by construction based on the combinatory logic.

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In tropical algebras we substitute min or max for the typical addition and then substitute addition for multiplication. A dot product representation of a graph assigns each vertex of the graph a vector such that two edges are adjacent if and only if the dot product of their vectors is greater than some chosen threshold. The resultS of creating dot product representations of graphs using tropical algebras are examined. In particular we examine the tropical dot product dimensions of graphs and establish connections to threshold graphs and the threshold dimension of a graph.

Image processing refers to the various operations performed on pictures that are digitally stored as an aggregate of pixels. One can enhance or degrade the quality of an image, artistically transform the image, or even find or recognize objects within the image. This paper is concerned with image processing, but in a very mathematical perspective, involving representation theory. The approach traces back to Cooley and Tukey’s seminal paper on the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm (1965). Recently, there has been a resurgence in investigating algebraic generalizations of this original algorithm with respect to different symmetry groups. My approach in the following chapters is as follows. First, I will give necessary tools from representation theory to explain how to generalize the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT). Second, I will introduce wreath products and their application to images. Third, I will show some results from applying some elementary filters and compression methods to spectrums of images. Fourth, I will attempt to generalize my method to noncyclic wreath product transforms and apply it to images and three-dimensional geometries.

Product placement is now a US$7.76 billion industry, flourishing as advertisers attempt to combat audience sophistication, zipping, zapping, muting of commercials, TiVo, media multi-tasking, the Internet and digital television, all of which may signal the death knell of the interruptive commercial model. Yet whilst research on product placement is growing, it has not kept pace with the practice, and many findings do not converge across studies. This is likely the case because parameters remain undefined and there is no operational framework to describe how product placements are processed, and no agreement as to what effects are possible or how they should be examined. Most effects-based research has focussed on executional factors and what the product placement does to the audience member. This assumes that the recipient is a passive participant. However this thesis argues that the audience member is actually an active processor who should be the focus of research. This research distinguishes product placement from related activities and develops a new conceptual model of product placement processing. It puts a strong focus on the role of the audience member, stating that their level of familiarity of the placed brands, and their level of engrossment with the entertainment story will impact their recognition of product placements in that story. Applying Rasch Measurement Theory, an Audience Engrossment scale is developed and refined over four stages of data collection, with 1360 respondents across seven films, to capture the quality of people??s interaction with a film. The result is a scale comprising 19 feeling items, 10 arousal items, 6 appraisal items and 7 cognitive effort items. The scale was then tested as part of the conceptual model, with 191 participants watching The Island and completing questionnaires after the film relating to their recognition of brands within the film and their level of engrossment. Brand familiarity information was collected four weeks earlier. Onset prominence, high plot connection, dual modality and use by star were found to have the strongest direct effects on recognition, with brand familiarity and the four audience engrossment dimensions generally found to interact with the product placement characteristics as hypothesised.

<p>Early concept generation is the base for the final products appearance. Since most of the products character and cost is set at an early stage increased knowledge at an early stage is vital. This master thesis aims at creating a method called RAPTOR. The purpose of RAPTOR is to reduce the cost and increase the knowledge by combining CAD and optimization with an easy excel interface.</p><p>For illustrative purpose an electric motor example has been used. The master thesis has been demonstrated at GM power train, Trollhättan Sweden, and a considerable interest was shown.</p><p>The inspiration comes from the GlobaLiTH project, a project at the machine design department at Linköping University, Sweden, where a sustainable light utility vehicle was designed.</p>

<p>Post och telestyrelsen (PTS) har gett ett allmäntråd om att alla brevinkast ska ersättas med postfack från och med den 1 januari 2011. Med denna rekommendation kommer brevinkasten på dagens dörrar att bli överflödiga. Många kommer att vilja ta bort sitt brevinkast och ersätta det med en produkt som ger en tystare och säkrare miljö i hemmet.</p><p>Detta examensarbete syftar till att finna en eller flera lämpliga lösningar för att ersätta brevinkasten på dörrarna. Denna lösning är tänkt att vara ett billigare alternativ för att lösa problemet, jämfört med att köpa en ny dörr.</p><p>Olika metoder för att finna idéer har använts och flera alternativ framkom. Det gjordes utvärderingar för att finna den lösning som var mest lämplig för att lösa problemet. Detta förslag vidareutvecklades och testades i praktiken.</p><p>Det förslag som till slut valdes kommer att fungera som en lösning för problemet</p> / <p>The Swedish authority Post och telestyrelsen PTS has made a recommendation that all letterboxes on doors should be replaced by postboxes from the first of January 2011. This recommendation is going</p><p>to make the letterboxes on the doors unnecessary. Some people want to replace the letterbox on their door so that they will have more silent and safe environment in their home.</p><p>With this project, the goal was to find at least one good solution for this problem; a solution wich would cost less money than to change the whole door to a safety door.</p><p>Some different methods have been used to find ides and a lot of alternatives have came up. The most suitable solution was chosen with the help of some methods. This solution was tested if it would work in reality.</p>

<p>In the last century there have been drastic changes in the way products are developed and manufactured – manufacturing technologies have advanced and at the same time global competition has increased tremendously. For companies to survive, the name of the game has been to offer greater product variety, in more frequent intervals, and for a lower price. Mass production has been replaced by mass customization, where the basic rule is that the customers should get exactly what they want, at the time they want it.</p><p>A partial remedy to concurrently lower cost as well as provide customers with a greater number of variants has been to use platforms*. Platforms in the manufacturing industry have at times been highly advantageous while in other instances they have caused more problems than benefit. Platforms exist in different contexts and scope, and it has been found that companies need to improve their platform management skills in order to increase the general level of competitive advantage.</p><p>This dissertation proposes that a company can considerably improve the management of its platforms by increasing its holistic understanding of them. To do this, platforms are viewed from different viewpoints that aim to both display the effect a platform has on its surroundings, as well as the effect its surroundings has on it. This approach has been incorporated into a method called the PAMatrix (Platform Assessment Matrix) that uses a synthesis of cross-functional, subjective expert opinion and consensus based decision making.</p><p>The PAMatrix method uses already existing implicit and explicit knowledge to improve decision making on how to manage each individual platform. First a set of platforms are identified that the company views as key enablers for creating a competitive advantage. The platforms are then assessed from several different viewpoints – each capturing a partial evaluation of the platforms’ status or effect. After an assessment of a viewpoint, each stakeholder individually suggests a specific strategic action plan along with a weight factor of how important the viewpoint is to the overall assessment of the specific platform. Finally, the discrete action plan suggestions are collected and jointly assessed and debated – based on which, a final strategic action plan can be made.</p><p>The method has been tested in three industrial situations, where its use has been considered beneficial and platform understanding has increased.</p><p>* In this dissertation, a platform is defined as the set of core assets that are reused to create a competitive advantage.</p>