Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) continue to occur despite an increasing understanding of the risk factors that initiate these disorders. Ergonomics is commonly seen as a health and safety approach that has no influence on performance, a perspective potentially hindering intervention proposals in practice. Highlighting potential performance benefits can facilitate intervention cost-justification, along with the traditional focus on reducing exposure to injury risk. The main objective of this research was to examine the dual influences (i.e., on performance and injury risk) of two distinct types of interventions: adding adjustability, as a commonly advocated approach when considering ergonomics early in the (re)design phase to change task demands; and using exoskeletons to enhance worker capacity. A simulated drilling task was used, which was considered informative as it entailed diverse demands (precision, strength, and speed) and permitted quantifying two dimensions of task performance (productivity and quality). The dual influences of three levels of workstation adjustability were examined first; increasing adjustability improved performance, with this benefit occurring only when a given level of adjustability also succeeded in reducing ergonomic risk. Across examined conditions, several significant linear associations were found between risk (e.g., Strain Index score) and performance metrics (e.g., completion time), further supporting an inverse relationship between these two outcomes. The dual influences of three distinct passive exoskeletal designs were investigated/compared subsequently, in a simulated overhead drilling task and considering the potential moderating effects of tool mass and precision requirements. Specific designs were: full-body (Full) and upper-body (Arm) exoskeletons with attached mechanical arms; and an upper-body (Shl) exoskeleton providing primarily shoulder support. Both designs with mechanical arms increased static and median total muscle activity while deteriorating quality. The Shl design reduced shoulder loading while increasing dominant upper arm loading and deteriorating quality in the highest precision requirements. Influences of both increasing precision and tool mass were fairly consistent across the examined designs. As such, no single design was obviously superior in both physical demands and performance. Although future work is needed under more diverse/realistic scenarios, these results may be helpful to (re)design interventions that achieve dual benefits on performance and injury risks. / PHD

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.

In the development of battery electric trucks is one of the main concerns how to minimize the energy consumption of all the different subsystems on the truck. One of these energyconsuming systems is the active cab suspension. The load sensing (active) cab systems used today is using pressurized air, pneumatics, to keep the cab at correct ride height. Currently is this pressurized air produced with a big, bulky and heavy compressor that continuously is running to compress air for multiple different subsystems. The alternative to the load sensing active cab suspension is to use non-load sensing (passive) suspension. This option is limiting the comfort and appearance of the cab but is neither using any energy. The goal of this master thesis is to find a suspension solution that is both load sensing and energy-efficient. To find a suitable load sensing solution was cab suspension system on other types of heavy machines inspected, together with suspension systems overall. There could be seen that the use of hydraulics gave the adjustability needed, without consuming any energy when the adjustments had been done. The system could also be very compact. It is easy to adapt the existing suspension components to work together with the hydraulic cylinders, and the hydraulic suspension systems have the possibility to be merged with other hydraulic systems on the truck. / I utvecklingen av el- och batteridrivna lastbilar är en stor del av utmaning att minimera energianvändningen hos lastbilens alla olika delsystem, där ibland hyttfjädringen. Dagens lastkännande (aktiva) fjädringssystem på lastbilshytter drivs med tryckluft och arbetar kontinuerligt med att hålla lastbilshytten på rätt höjd. Tryckluften kommer ifrån en stor och tung kompressor som ständigt arbetar för att komprimera luft till lastbilens alla olika delsystem. Alternativet till den aktiva lastkännande hyttfjädringen är att använda en icke lastkännande (passiv) fjädring. Detta begränsar dock lastbilens komfort och utseende, men förbrukar heller ingen energi. Målet med detta examensarbete var att finna en fjädringslösning som både är lastkännande och energieffektiv. För att hitta en lämplig lastkännande lösning gjordes en grundlig undersökning av hyttfjädringslösningar på andra tunga fordon, samt olika fjädringssystem överlag. Det visade sig att användandet av hydraulik ger en tillfredsställande justerbarhet, utan att förbruka någon energi när systemet är i vila (inte aktivt justerar). Systemet skulle även kunna göras mycket kompakt. Det är lätt att anpassa dagens befintliga fjädringskomponenter för att kunna fungera ihop med justerbara hydraulcylindrar, och fjädringens hydraulsystem skulle kunna drivas ihop med övriga hydraulsystem på lastbilen.

For a long time, auxiliary lights utilizing halogen or xenon light sources has been fitted in front of the car’s front grille when needing an improved high beam performance. The bigger the auxiliary light, the better its light performance has been. Today’s LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology, where several small light sources are used, has enabled a new market of auxiliary lights, smaller in size and more flexible in shape but with performance able to both match and outperform the traditional auxiliary lights. This master thesis focuses on developing an overall solution for mounting the type of LED auxiliary light commonly referred to as LED light bars on the roof of a car and aims to broaden an existing market. LED light bars are characterized by its oblong and cuboid-like shape. High-performance light bars are theft-desirable by nature as they have a high price and lack of theft security in themselves. In today’s market, there is no given solution for the attachment of roof mounted light bars without harming the car. As a result, mountings of this kind are mostly seen neither aerodynamic nor aesthetically appealing. The project has been performed according to the CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) phases. During the conceive phase, a comprehensive pre-study was carried out in which car, relevant theories, LED light bars, competitors and expert observations were investigated. In the design phase, ideas were developed using a number of creative methods implemented individually, in groups and in the form of a workshop. Ideas were clustered into categories and were screened prior to the implement phase. In the following phase, the ideas were combined into a concept that was defined in details. A prototype was manufactured and evaluated, after which the concept was iterated into a final solution. During the last phase, operate, all deliverables were produced at the same time as a manufacturing process was initiated. Together with Vparts, a company dedicated entirely to Volvo owners, an overall solution has been developed to enable a good-looking, anti-theft-proof, model specific and aerodynamic mounting of LED light bars onto the roofs of cars. The concept consists of a double curved light bar in combination with lockable and adjustable mounts having an aerodynamic shape. The solution is modular and includes two different versions of the mounts, which together cover 9 Volvo models, each variant consisting of four different components per side of the light bar.

Dans le domaine de l'Interaction Homme-Robot, et plus particulièrement dans le domaine de la robotique sociale, les robots compagnons font de plus en plus partie de notre vie quotidienne et ont un grand potentiel pour aider les gens dans leurs activités quotidiennes, speciallement dans le cas d'une interaction "one to one". Ce scénario où les robots partagent le même environnement avec les humains et interagissent avec eux peut être bénéfique mais il peut aussi présenter des effets négatifs, comme générer un stress sur les utilisateurs humains, c'est aussi le cas de l'effet de la facilitation sociale, abordé au début de ce travail.Avoir des robots qui nous aident dans nos activités quotidiennes conduit à la nécessité de les doter de capacités sociales afin d'adapter leur comportement à leurs utilisateurs, leur environnement et leurs tâches. Néanmoins, comment réaliser cette adaptation reste un défi.Afin de répondre à ces questions de recherche, "Comment atteindre l'apprentissage tout au long de la vie et l'adaptation pour l'interaction humaine-robot personnalisée?" et "Quel est le rôle de la personnalité, de la mémoire et de l'orientation réglementaire dans HRI?", nous proposons l'utilisation du modèle "Big 5 traits" de personnalité afin d'adapter le comportement du robot au profil des utilisateurs. De plus, notre système contient une implémentation du modèle OCC et une mémoire de type épisodique, afin de générer un comportement naturel, capable de se souvenir des événements passés et de se comporter en conséquence. Nous présentons plusieurs études expérimentales, où nous testons notre système, et où nous analysons le lien entre les traits de personnalité de l'utilisateur humain et le comportement du robot. La contrainte générée sur les utilisateurs a été mesurée en utilisant des capteurs externes tels qu'une caméra thermique et un capteur GSR. Notre système proposé s'est révélé efficace pour générer un comportement de robot adapté à la personnalité des utilisateurs. Nous avons trouvé quelques relations entre la personnalité, les préférences de l'utilisateur et la performance de la tâche, qui sont détaillées dans ce travail. Nos études ont montré que les personnes ayant un haut niveau de conscience ont une meilleure performance que les personnes peu consciencieuses. En outre, les personnes introverties étaient plus influencées pour effectuer une tâche que les personnes extraverties. En outre, nous avons observé une augmentation du stress de l'utilisateur, causée par un robot avec une voix semblable à une machine.En plus de s'adapter aux préférences des utilisateurs, nous voulions que notre système soit capable de générer des comportements de robot capables depersuader efficacement leurs utilisateurs d'accomplir les tâches qu'ils doivent accomplir (prendre des médicaments, appeler des membres de la famille, etc.). Pour cette raison, nous proposons l'utilisation de la théorie Regulatory Focus, qui se concentre sur les inclinations que les gens ont lorsqu'ils prennent des décisions, et comment augmenter la motivation des gens à atteindre un objectif. Nous avons mené plusieurs expériences afin de valider cette théorie dans le contexte de l'interaction homme-robot. Nos résultats montrent que les comportements de robot basés sur la théorie de la focalisation réglementaire, y compris les gestes corporels et la vitesse de la parole, sont efficaces pour persuader les utilisateurs d'accomplir une tâche. Nous avons également constaté une augmentation du stress chez les utilisateurs lorsque le robot ne correspondait pas à l'état réglementaire de l'utilisateur.Nous concluons que les sujets abordés dans cette thèse, à savoir: personnalité, mémoire et focus réglementaire, doivent être inclus dans la conception des comportements des robots, afin d'avoir des robots plus efficaces sur les tâches persuasives, et moins stressant pour leurs utilisateurs . / In the domain of Human-Robot Interaction, and more specifically in the social robotics field, companion robots are more and more part of our daily lives and they have a great potential for helping people in their daily activities, especially in tasks that need one-on-one interaction. This scenario where robots are sharing the same environment with the humans and interact with them can be beneficial but it can also present some negative effects like generating stress on the human users, this is also the case of the social facilitation effect, aborded at the beggining of this work.Having robots helping us with our daily activities leads to the need of endowing them with social capabilities in order to adapt their behavior to their users, environment, and tasks. Nevertheless, how to achieve this adaptation remains a challenge.In order to address these research questions, "How to achieve lifelong learning and adaptation for personalized Human-Robot Interaction?" and "What is the role of personality, memory, and regulatory focus in HRI?",we propose the use of the Big 5 personality traits model in order to adapt the robot's behavior to the profile of the users. Moreover, our system contains an implementation of the OCC Model, and an Episodic-like Memory, in order to generate a natural behavior, being capable of remembering past events and behaving accordingly. We present several experimental studies, where we test our system, and where we analyze the link between the human user's personality traits and robot's behavior. The generated stress on the users was measured by using external sensors such as a thermal camera and a GSR sensor. Our proposed system showed to be effective in generating a robot behavior adapted to users personality. We found some relations between personality, user preferences and task performance, which are detailed in this work. Our studies showed that people with high conscientiousness have greater task performance than people with low conscientiousness. Also, that introverted people were more influenced to perform a task than extroverted people. Also, we observed an increase on user stress, caused by a robot with a machine-like voice.Besides of adapting to the users preferences, we wanted our system to be able to generate robot behaviors capable ofpersuading effectively their users in achieving the tasks they need to do (i.e. taking medication, calling family members, etc). For this reason, we propose the use of the Regulatory Focus theory, which concentrate on the inclinations that people have when taking decisions, and how to increase the motivation on people to achieve an objective. We conducted several experiments in order to validate this theory in the context of human-robot interaction. Our results show that robot behaviors based on the Regulatory Focus Theory, including body gestures and speech speed, are effective in persuading users to accomplish a task. We also found an increase on user stress when the robot did not match the user Chronic Regulatory State.We conclude that the topics aborded on this thesis, that is to say: Personality, Memory and Regulatory Focus, have to be included in the design of robot behaviors, ir order to have more efficient robots on persuasive tasks, and less stressing to their users.