abstract: This dissertation is to address product design optimization including reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) and robust design with epistemic uncertainty. It is divided into four major components as outlined below. Firstly, a comprehensive study of uncertainties is performed, in which sources of uncertainty are listed, categorized and the impacts are discussed. Epistemic uncertainty is of interest, which is due to lack of knowledge and can be reduced by taking more observations. In particular, the strategies to address epistemic uncertainties due to implicit constraint function are discussed. Secondly, a sequential sampling strategy to improve RBDO under implicit constraint function is developed. In modern engineering design, an RBDO task is often performed by a computer simulation program, which can be treated as a black box, as its analytical function is implicit. An efficient sampling strategy on learning the probabilistic constraint function under the design optimization framework is presented. The method is a sequential experimentation around the approximate most probable point (MPP) at each step of optimization process. It is compared with the methods of MPP-based sampling, lifted surrogate function, and non-sequential random sampling. Thirdly, a particle splitting-based reliability analysis approach is developed in design optimization. In reliability analysis, traditional simulation methods such as Monte Carlo simulation may provide accurate results, but are often accompanied with high computational cost. To increase the efficiency, particle splitting is integrated into RBDO. It is an improvement of subset simulation with multiple particles to enhance the diversity and stability of simulation samples. This method is further extended to address problems with multiple probabilistic constraints and compared with the MPP-based methods. Finally, a reliability-based robust design optimization (RBRDO) framework is provided to integrate the consideration of design reliability and design robustness simultaneously. The quality loss objective in robust design, considered together with the production cost in RBDO, are used formulate a multi-objective optimization problem. With the epistemic uncertainty from implicit performance function, the sequential sampling strategy is extended to RBRDO, and a combined metamodel is proposed to tackle both controllable variables and uncontrollable variables. The solution is a Pareto frontier, compared with a single optimal solution in RBDO. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Industrial Engineering 2012

abstract: The aim of this study is to conduct the empirical tests on consumer's emotional responses of product design and the relationship between emotion and consumer's attitudinal loyalty to identify if there exists potential relationship links between these two factors together by following certain regulation. This study also seeks to compare Brand Loyalty of Apple products across two different cultures - China and US to see if there are any differences regarding their brand loyalty construction and expression. The emotional responses on product design were also studied in order to reveal potential emotional design issues between the two different cultures. Results of this study show that: (1) Brand loyalty strengthens a consumer's emotion bond with a targeted brand through its product carrier. Emotion is seen as a predictor for brand loyalty based on consumer proportionality and conformity of expression. (2) Cognitive experience is not necessary nor a sufficient condition to build brand loyalty. Emotion and culture will be crucial in constructing brand loyalty without cognition. Cultural differences will affect brand loyalty, especially regarding attitudinal loyalty. (3) Different cultures share different ways of emotional expression. Based on the scope, limitations, and results of this research, Chinese consumers appear to be more sensitive in their emotional feelings of the iPad's design than American consumers. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.D. Design 2012

abstract: All too often, industrial designers face seemingly intractable obstacles as they endeavor to, as Simon (1996, p. 111) describes, devise "courses of action aimed at changing existing situations into preferred ones." These problems, described by Rittel and Webber (1973) as "wicked," are insurmountable due to the contradictory and changing nature of their requirements. I argue that that industrial design (ID) is largely subject to Rittel's quandary because of its penchant for producing single solutions for large populations; such design solutions are bound, in some senses, to fail due to the contradictory and changing nature of large and, thus, inherently diverse populations. This one-size-fits-all approach is not a necessary attribute of ID, rather, it is a consequence of the time in which it came into being, specifically, the period of industrial mass production. Fortunately, new, agile manufacturing techniques, inexpensive sensors, and machine learning provide an alternative course for ID to take, but it requires a new way of thinking and it requires a new set of methods, which I will elaborate in this thesis. According to Duguay, Landry, and Pasin (1997), we are entering an age where it will be feasible to produce individualized, one-off products from large-scale industrial manufacturing facilities in a way that is not only cost effective, but in many ways as cost effective as the existing techniques of mass production. By availing ourselves of these opportunities, we can tame the problem, not by defeating Rittel's logic, rather by reducing the extent to which his theories are appropriate to the domain of ID. This thesis also describes a test study: an experiment whose design was guided by the proposed design methodologies. The goal of the experiment was to determine the feasibility of a noninvasive system for measuring the health of the forearm muscles. Such a tool would provide the basis for assessing the true impact and possible pathogeny of the manual use of products or modifications to products. Previously, it was considered impossible to use surface electromyography (as opposed to needle or wire based electromyography) to assess muscular activity and muscular health due to the complexity of the arrangement of muscles in the forearm. Attempts to overcome this problem have failed because they have tried to create a single solution for all people. My hypothesis is that, by designing for each individual, a solution may be found. Specifically, I show that, for any given individual, there is a high correlation between the EMG signal and the movements of the fingers that, ostensibly, those muscles control. In other words, by knowing, with great accuracy, the position and the motion of the hand then it would become possible to disambiguate the mixed signals coming from the complex web of muscles in the forearm and enable the assessment of the forearm's health by non-invasive means. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.D. Design 2012

A análise biônica é uma ferramenta versátil que apresenta grande potencial tecnológico tanto em aplicações industriais como bens de consumo, pois através dela, o designer, pesquisa e busca na biologia indicações e orientações de elementos e mecanismos funcionais e formais que possibilitem o desenvolvimento de produtos. Assim, produtos que necessitem de conforto térmico, impermeabilização de paredes, lajes, telhas e produtos afins ou mesmo problemas como a retirada de resíduos do fundo de embalagens têm na análise biônica soluções inteligentes e otimizadas pela natureza. Desta forma, esta pesquisa teve o objetivo de analisar a morfologia da planta aquática Salvinia Molesta no intuito de investigar a capacidade de repelência da água na superfície da folha, para posteriormente reproduzir suas propriedades visando o desenvolvimento de produtos que necessitem de superfícies impermeáveis. Para esta análise foram realizados distintos métodos de caracterização: microscopia via microscópio estereoscópico, microscopia eletrônica de varredura - MEV, medida do ângulo de contato, medida da histerese do ângulo de contato e análise por dispersão de energia - EDS. Após a compilação destas informações foi desenvolvida uma simulação computacional 3D a qual serviu tanto para a demonstração quanto para uma melhor compreensão do mecanismo de funcionamento da capacidade de repelência de água da planta Salvinia Molesta. A caracterização por microscopia eletrônica de varredura apresentou a estrutura do tricoma onde por sua vez, identificou os locais onde havia presença e ausência de ceras nos tricomas da planta. A medida do ângulo de contato da superfície da folha é um dado de importante, pois define a capacidade de absorção de água na superfície da planta. Os resultados de caracterização indicaram a hidrofobicidade da Salvinia Molesta que até o momento não havia sido mencionado pela literatura. Esta pesquisa foi ainda precedida de uma metodologia biônica que conduziu em uma pesquisa sistemática onde avaliou a necessidade, os potenciais e as limitações da planta Salvinia Molesta podendo ser esta metodologia aplicada no estudo biônico de plantas em geral. / The bionic analysis is a versatile tool that shows great technological potential either in industrial applications as well as in consumption goods because by its usage the designer researches and seeks in Biology indications and orientations of elements, and functional and formal mechanisms that enable the development of products. Thus, products that need thermal comfort, proofing of walls, slab stones, tiles, and similar products or even problems with the removal of residues from the bottom of packages have got in bionic analysis intelligent solutions optimized by nature. This research aims to analyze the morphology of the aquatic plant Salvinia Molesta with the purpose to investigate the capacity of water repellence on the surface of the leave in order to later reproduce its properties aiming at the development of products that necessitate impermeable surfaces. For this analysis there has been carried out distinct characterization methods, such as: stereoscopical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy - SEM, measurement of the contact angle, measurement of the hysteresis of the angle, and analysis by energy dispersion system - EDS. After the compilation of these data a 3D computer simulation was developed which served as a demonstration as well as a better comprehension of the mechanism on the way the water repellence capacity of Salvinia Molesta works. The characterization by scanning electron microscopy showed the structure of the hair where it identified the places where there were the presence and absence of waxes on the plant’s hairs. The measurement of the contact angle of the leave surface is an important data because it defines the capacity of water absorption on the surface of the plant. The characterization results indicate Salvinia Molesta’s hydrophobicity which had not been mentioned in the literature up to now. This research was also preceded by a bionic methodology which conducted in a systematic research where Salvinia Molesta’s necessity, potentials, and limitations were evaluated, enabling this methodology to be applied in the bionic study of plants in general.

A presente pesquisa foi realizada através de trabalhos experimentais com estudos de casos onde foi possível avaliar o quanto o Design de equipamentos de Tecnologia Assistiva auxilia no processo de independência nas Atividades de Vida Diária de pessoas idosas e/ou deficientes, que se encontram institucionalizadas. Através de uma revisão de literatura foram identificados os objetivos das Tecnologias Assistivas, do Design Universal e da Acessibilidade, e o quanto estes podem facilitar o dia-a-dia de seus usuários com vistas à inclusão social. Desta forma, esta pesquisa se desenvolveu em uma Associação de Amparo que abriga mulheres idosas e deficientes, no município de Santa Maria - RS. Neste local foi possível perceber e reconhecer uma significativa demanda para a Tecnologia Assistiva. Ao analisar dados recentes, percebe-se o expressivo número de pessoas com alguma deficiência, sobretudo, com a crescente população de idosos em nosso país. Assim, a cada dia, profissionais das diferentes áreas – grupos interdisciplinares – devem buscar o aperfeiçoamento para através da “inovação tecnológica”, tendo em vista a melhoria dos serviços, garantirem o atendimento e a qualidade de vida destes protagonistas. Finalmente, com o desenvolvimento deste trabalho, o qual pretendeu proporcionar maior funcionalidade nas atividades cotidianas e com ganhos em autonomia, construíram-se caminhos e estratégias que contribuem para aprofundar o conhecimento científico desta área de caráter interdisciplinar onde converge o uso das Terapias da Saúde apoiadas pela Tecnologia Assistiva com o Design de “novos Produtos”, Engenharias de Materiais, Fabricação, Automação e outras. / This research was conducted through experimental work with case studies where it was possible to assess how the design of equipment for Assistive Technology assists in the process of independence in activities of daily living of elderly and / or disabled who are institutionalized. Through a literature review, identified the goals of Assistive Technologies, Universal Design and Accessibility, and how these can facilitate the day-to-day activities of its users with a view to social inclusion. Thus, this research has developed in an Association for the Support that houses disabled and elderly women in the municipality of Santa Maria - RS. This site was possible to perceive and recognize a significant demand for Assistive Technology. By analyzing recent data, one can notice the significant number of people with disabilities, especially with the growing elderly population in our country. So every day, professionals from different areas - interdisciplinary groups - should seek to improve through "technological innovation" in order to improve services, ensure the care and quality of life of these actors. Finally, with the development of this work, which sought to provide greater functionality in daily activities and gains in autonomy, we discuss ways and strategies that contribute to deepen the scientific understanding of this interdisciplinary area in which converges the use of therapies supported Health Assistive Technology for the Design of "new products", Engineering Materials, Manufacturing, Automation and others.

O Rio Grande do Sul possui um enorme potencial na exploração de material gemológico. Municípios como Ametista do Sul e Salto do Jacuí extraem mais da metade do volume de ágata e ametista comercializadas mundialmente. Nesse mesmo contexto o município de Soledade se consolida como Polo Comercial desse tipo de material, existindo empresas (no estudo realizado foram encontradas cerca de 180) relacionadas com exportação e beneficiamento de material gemológico. No entanto grande parte dessas empresas exporta esse material com pouco beneficiamento, não valorizando as peças, que são beneficiadas no exterior, muitas vezes voltando ao Brasil para serem comercializadas com um alto valor agregado devido ao Design e a tecnologia empregada. Com investimentos em pesquisa, tecnologia e Design, assim como capacitação de mão de obra, é possível realizar no Brasil beneficiamentos de qualidade, gerando produtos diferenciados que podem ser exportados ou comercializados internamente a um preço competitivo e adequado. Nesse sentido o objetivo desse trabalho é mostrar a aplicação da tecnologia de digitalização tridimensional para o design e lapidação de gemas, obtendo o máximo de aproveitamento e valorizando o material nas nos municípios do Rio grande do sul que extraem e comercializam as gemas. No Centro Tecnológico de Pedras, Gemas e Joias do Rio Grande do Sul foram realizados testes com digitalizador HandyScan, obtendo modelos virtuais de gemas marteladas de ametista e citrino com bastante precisão. Os resultados obtidos mostram o grande potencial dessa ferramenta em fornecer modelos virtuais de gemas, possibilitando o cálculo e o projeto de sua lapidação antes do seu corte, diminuindo perdas e erros no processo de lapidação. / Rio Grande do Sul has a huge potential regarding gemological material exploration. Municipalities as Ametista do Sul and Salto Jacuí extract more than half of the volume of agate and amethyst sold worldwide. In this context the town of Soledade is consolidated as a Commercial Polo of the material and there are companies (in the research done were found about 180) related with exporting and processing gemological material. However most of these companies export this material with little improvement, not valuing the parts, which are benefit in foreign countries, often returning to Brazil to be marketed with a high added value due to the applied design and technology. Investments in research, technology and design, as well as training of manpower can be achieved in Brazil benefit from quality, create differentiated products that can be exported or commercialized internally at an appropriate price and competitive. In this sense the objective of this research is to show the application of threedimensional scanning technology to gems design and polishing, getting the maximum utilization and valuing to the material in its extraction region. In the Technology Center of Rocks, Gems and Jewelry of Rio Grande do Sul (CTPedras), tests were performed with Handyscan scanner, obtaining virtual models of hammered amethyst and citrines gems with plenty of accuracy. The results show the great potential of this tool to provide virtual models of gems, enabling the calculation and project of gemcut before its cut, reducing losses and errors in gemcut process.

The UK disposes of 1.25 million tonnes of domestic electronic products (DEPs) each year, the majority of which still perform their tasks perfectly, in a utilitarian sense. In an emotive sense, however, these unwanted products bear a metaphysical mode of defect manifest within the relational space occupied by both subject and object.·ln this way, it is clear that design for durability has important implications beyond its conventional interpretation, in which product longevity is considered solely in terms of an object's physical endurance whether cherished or discarded. This thesis explores the emotional dimension of design for durability to provide a more progressive set of sustainable design propositions; arguing that consumer desires continually evolve and adapt whilst the DEPs deployed to both mediate and satisfy those desires remain relatively frozen in time; this incapacity for mutual evolution renders most DEPs incapable of both establishing and sustaining a relationships with users. The waste this inconsistency generates is considerable, and comes at an increasing cost to manufacturers facing the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, but more importantly, the natural world. This thesis explores 3 converging fields of knowledge: sustainable product design, emotional and user-centred design, and consumer motivation. Although the literature reviewed in this thesis presents selected discourses that articulate the need for longer lasting domestic electronic products, practical working methods, design frameworks and tools that enable the commercial implementation of such artefacts, have yet to be realised. This study argues that the apparently intangible, ethereal nature of considerations pertaining to psychological function cause confusion for the practicing designer tasked with the design and development of greater emotional longevity in D.EPs. As a result, the potentially positive impact(s) of academic studies in this area has thus far failed to penetrate the working practices and methodologies of design - arguably, the one place where new models of sustainable design knowledge and understanding are most urgently needed. The aim of this thesis is to generate new and practical design information that enables product designers to engage more effectively with complex issues of emotional durability through design; presenting a more expansive, holistic approach to design for durability, and more broadly, the lived-experience of sustainability. The three core contributions made by this thesis are thus; (1) the implicit development of a 6-point experiential framework to structure inquiry and exploration into salient issues of emotional durability through design; (2) the design and production of 6 experimental DEPs, which exemplify ways of working with the 6point experiential framework; (3) the development of an original, and transferable, methodology for developing case-specific design knowledge to address emotionally durable design.

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo classificar as técnicas criativas utilizadas no processo de desenvolvimento de produto, através de uma taxonomia facetada. Essa taxonomia originou uma tabela de referência que pode auxiliar designers, engenheiros, arquitetos, publicitários e outros profissionais que utilizam processo criativo a escolherem a(s) técnica(s) criativa(s) mais adequada(s) aos diferentes requisitos de projeto e características da equipe projetista. Para a elaboração da taxonomia, foram abordadas duas áreas do conhecimento: o processo de desenvolvimento de produto, com ênfase nas técnicas criativas, e a teoria da classificação, com o objetivo de conhecer e aplicar uma metodologia com finalidade prática e foco no usuário. Os resultados deste trabalho foram a compilação e a classificação de 31 técnicas criativas, sob 6 facetas, a listar: quantidade de participantes, perfil técnico dos participantes, característica do problema a ser resolvido, ação utilizada na técnica criativa, exigência de ferramental e tempo de execução da técnica. / This work’s aim to classify the creative techniques used at product development process, through a faceted taxonomy. This taxonomy has led to a reference table that can help designers, engineers, architects, advertisers and other professionals who use creative process to choose the most appropriate creative technique(s) to different design goals and characteristics of the design team. In developing the taxonomy were addressed two areas of knowledge: the product development process, with emphasis on creative techniques, and the theory of classification, in order to know and apply a methodology with practical purpose and focus on the user. The results of this study were the compilation and the classification of 31 creative techniques under six facets, which are: number of participants, technical profile of the participants, nature of the problem to be solved, creative technique used in the action, demand for tooling and runtime of the technique.

Em um mundo marcado pela globalização, mercados comuns, grandes grupos corporativos, produção em massa e uma oferta quase ilimitada de produtos industriais, a individualização é um requisito que ganha cada vez mais importância entre os consumidores. O mercado para produtos que expressem sua personalidade e seus gostos, que os identifiquem e os tornem únicos por meio da customização, está em franca expansão. Isto abre uma possibilidade para o design comprometido em desenvolver produtos que atendam essas necessidades individuais, mesmo em produtos produzidos em massa. No entanto, os métodos projetuais usualmente empregados por profissionais do design não contemplam esse novo cenário, gerando uma lacuna a ser estudada. Este trabalho tem como objetivo, identificar etapas e características dos processos metodológicos que incorporam a customização pós-produção. Este trabalho faz uso da investigação exploratória, bibliográfica e qualitativa por meio da aplicação de questionários e entrevistas. A aplicação das entrevistas ocorreu com um grupo de profissionais atuantes nas diferentes áreas do design de produto. A síntese das entrevistas, aliada a uma análise comparativa dos dados convergentes e divergentes, somaram para identificação das principais etapas no desenvolvimento de produtos que levam em conta a customização do usuário pós-produção. Os resultados finais dão conta da importância do pensamento voltado para a customização em diversas etapas do processo de projeto em design. / In a world marked by globalization, common markets, large corporations, mass production and an almost unlimited supply of industrial products, individualization is a requirement that is increasingly gaining importance among consumers. The market for products that express your personality and tastes, identifying them and make them unique by customizing is booming. This opens a possibility to design committed to developing products that meet these individual needs, even in mass produced products. However, projective methods usually employed by design professionals do not consider this new scenario, creating a gap to be studied. This study aims to identify steps and characteristics of methodological processes that incorporate the customization postproduction. This work makes use of exploratory research, and qualitative literature through questionnaires and interviews. The application of the interviews took place with a group of professionals working in different areas of product design. A summary of the interviews, together with a comparative analysis of convergent and divergent data, amounted to identify key steps in developing products that take into account user customization postproduction. Final results realize the importance of thought toward customization in various stages of project design.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo propor uma metodologia de desenvolvimento virtual de produtos por meio da criação de um aplicativo de banco de dados com componentes individuais e utilizando a tecnologia da realidade virtual (VRML) para a visualização do produto final. Para o desenvolvimento do trabalho foram investigados: a influência da difusão das tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TICs) no setor industrial; o processo de desenvolvimento de produtos e suas etapas; o design virtual e os recursos computacionais utilizados atualmente tanto na concepção quanto na prototipagem de produtos; a tecnologia da realidade virtual e sua aplicação nas diversas áreas, em especial, na indústria; e a utilização de padrões de metadados para a modelagem de banco de dados. O processo de intervenção ocorre por meio das seguintes etapas: análise e seleção de produtos para a montagem; projeto dos componentes individuais dos produtos; estruturação dos metadados; desenvolvimento do banco de dados e da metodologia de montagem. A metodologia de montagem é constituída de duas fases: na primeira, são definidos os pontos de inserção dos componentes (onde ocorre a conexão) e obtidas as suas coordenadas em um software CAD, a partir do seu modelo tridimensional, e também os demais metadados que caracterizam cada componente a ser cadastrado no banco de dados; criam-se arquivos em realidade virtual VRML de cada componente. Na segunda fase, modela-se o banco de dados, registrando todas as informações necessárias dos componentes e realizando a montagem dos produtos, através da conexão de dois componentes individuais em cada etapa de montagem. A metodologia de montagem de produtos virtuais está implementada no aplicativo de banco de dados chamado "dvPro", desenvolvido na plataforma do banco de dados Microsoft Access. O aplicativo possui interface amigável, possibilitando o cadastro de componentes, a montagem de produtos e a reutilização de componentes e produtos para a montagem de novos produtos, não exigindo do usuário grande conhecimento em banco de dados e realidade virtual. Apresentam-se dois exemplos de montagem de produtos, nos quais é possível verificar a viabilidade e a eficiência da metodologia proposta. / The objective of this work is to propose a methodology for virtual product development through the creation of a database with individual components and the use of virtual reality technology (VRML) to visualize the final product. For work development, the following subjects were investigated: the influence of information dissemination and communication technologies (ICTs) in the industrial sector; the process of product development, its stages; the virtual design and the computing resources currently used in design and product prototyping; the virtual reality technology and its application in various areas, especially in industry; and the use of metadata standards for database modeling. The intervention process occurs through the following phases: analysis and selection of products for assembly; design of individual product components; metadata structuring; development of database and assembly methodology. The assembly methodology has two steps: in the first, insertion points of components (where connections take place) are defined and its coordinates are obtained using a CAD software, based on the 3D model. Also, other metadata that characterize each component to be registered in the database are obtained and virtual reality VRML file for each component is created. In the second step, the database is modeled, recording all the information from the components and performing the product assembly, through the connection of two individual components in each assembly. The methodology for virtual assembly of products is implemented in a database application named "dvPro", developed on Microsoft Access database system. The application has a friendly interface, allowing component registration, product assembly and reusability of components and products to assembly new products. Only basic knowledge of database systems and virtual reality is needed to use the application. Two examples of assembly methodology are presented, where the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed methodology can be verified.