Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, September, 2020 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 51-59). / We live at a time of technological change that is unprecedented in its pace, scope, and breadth of potential impact. Technological progress, specifically general purpose technologies, is the main driver of aggregate economic growth. It increases productivity, which is what determines the wealth of nations and the living standards of individuals. However, despite impressive technological advancements, productivity growth has actually slowed. Entrepreneurship, particularly innovation-driven entrepreneurship, is recognized as the central change agent to unlocking technological advances, driving productivity improvement, and advancing social transformation. However, literature demonstrates that despite stories in the media, innovation-driven entrepreneurship and business dynamism has steadily declined over the past twenty years. We provide four recommendations aimed towards helping society harness recent technological advances and translate them into improved living standards. We then apply these recommendations to contribute to our understanding of how we might best accelerate the development of entrepreneurs and new entrepreneurial ventures that leverage AI and digital technologies for good of society in ethical ways. / by Joshua Creamer. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 59-62). / In this research, we aimed to understand how we can motivate customers to make more responsible choices in regard to organic food purchases. Also, we studied how customers' purchase attitude and their purchase behavior differ from each other. We designed four different kind of experiments to examine whether different pricing, consensus principle, environmental and health benefits awareness can have impacts on the number of organic purchases. We also had sale experiment and online survey to study if customer's attitude and behavior are different from each other. The findings in this study suggest that there is no significant difference between the organic purchase behavior and customers' purchase intent. Moreover, we found that there are no significant differences between different experiments and treatments. However, our results reveal that baby boomers were more willing to purchase organic pecans compared to generation X. / by Ameneh Fadaie. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, May, 2020 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 58-60). / Superficial vasculature presented on human skin is a stable and unique network across different individuals and contains important physiological information that is less understood and studied. Potential clinical applications include monitoring the progress of the peripheral arterial disease, assessment of revascularization during surgical interventions, and early assessment of skin cancer from melanoma imagery. Some non-clinical applications include biometric scanning and relocalization for ultrasound imaging. To bridge the knowledge gap between the technology and these potential applications, a reliable, robust, and versatile platform is necessary. My thesis project involves the design and development of a platform for longitudinal superficial vasculature imaging, as well as robust computational algorithms to characterize and quantify vasculature networks. The technology used for the system includes near-infrared (NIR) optics and illumination source in the biological tissue window (750nm-940nm) optimized for hemoglobin absorption. The algorithms used, including segmentation, registration, and graph-based network analysis, are developed and implemented in Matlab. Some of my results include evidence of longitudinal vascular stability, relocalization capability, vasculature features on different parts of the human body. / by Hongling Chen. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M. / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program / S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 48-49). / Innovation is a nebulous and subjective field that's definitions and validity is often put into question. To study this field, it is critical to look at thought leaders within the field as well as well established institutions of innovation and analyze their processes to establish a common framework. This paper expands on common ideas presented by people within the design innovation field who write and educate the public about innovation processes. It also looks at educational institutions and departments whose goal is to establish innovation processes and engage people in the innovation process. From there, a common high-level framework of innovation is extrapolated into a map of modules. The modules can then be used as an analysis tool for past innovation engagements as well as future innovation planning. Additionally, certain innovative characteristics and behaviors are also identified from popular literature and educational frameworks and surveyed for their impact. In the study presented, financial data is collected from students who engage in a school project that requires the design, manufacturing, and sales of original products. The students are then surveyed on various innovative behaviors and asked to compare themselves to other teams within their cohort. Through anecdotal evidence and interviews, specific teams' processes are summarized. The data and analysis can offer a holistic perspective to the innovation processes as well as evidence of correlations between specific innovations and their effectiveness on financial impact. / by Kevin Yu. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, February, 2021 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 88-92). / As the fourth most populous country globally, Indonesia is the world's 10th-largest manufacturing power, according to the United Nations (Schonhardt, 2016). The manufacturing sector employs 14.72% of the total Indonesian workforces (BPS, 2018). With the demographic bonus that will happen in 2045, around 208 million Indonesians will enter the workforces. Thus, Indonesia has the potential to become the hub of the manufacturing industry in Southeast Asia. This thesis aims to help industry practitioners in the manufacturing industry improve their competitive advantages and innovative performance by building the absorptive capacity. Absorptive capacity is a firm's ability to acquire, assimilate, and transform new knowledge and valuable information to upgrade its core capabilities in response to the changing economic environment. It indicates a firm's innovative activities and influences the sustainability of a firm's competitive advantages. This thesis answers the question that has not been explored previously: how should the absorptive capacity and innovative performance of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries, where resources for research and development (R&D) are limited, be evaluated. All the factors that drive a firm's absorptive capacity and innovative performance were evaluated using a case study approach and direct field interviews with twelve manufacturers in Indonesia. The case studies provide vivid illustrations about Indonesia's SMEs and manufacturing industry conditions: the capabilities, challenges, and opportunities for further improvements. Finally, the case studies' findings were used to build conceptual frameworks that guide practitioners. Absorptive capacity is a multidimensional construct that can drive a firm's innovative performance. It is driven by a firm's capabilities and efforts to learn new knowledge and adapt to the environment. This thesis is seed research for multi-year research collaboration between MIT and Indonesia to build an integrated sustainable design and supply chain model to enhance Indonesia's manufacturing industry. / by Nyoman Anjani. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, May, 2020 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 105-114). / In this thesis, I introduce Self-Interfaces as a method for creating behavior change. Self-Interfaces are interfaces that intuitively communicate relevant aspects of covert physiological signals through biofeedback to give the user insight into their behavior and assist them in creating behavior change. The human heartbeat is a good example of an intuitive and relevant haptic biofeedback; it does not distract and is only felt when the heart beats fast. My vision is to identify other covert physiological processes and instances in which they become useful, and augment our awareness of those signals in order to create behavior change. As a first case-study, I develop the Self-Interface for Electrodermal Activity (EDA), which is designed to help regulate attention and interest in users with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). EDA is a covert physiological signal correlated with high and low arousal affective states. Three studies were carried out to: 1. identify the design criteria for development of the EDA Self-Interface, 2. identify guidelines to reduce the cognitive load imposed by the haptic biofeedback signal, and 3. identify the aspects of the EDA that are relevant and insightful for the ADHD population. The insights from these studies contributed to the design and development of the EDA Self-Interface which has three components: EDA Sensor (Affectiva E4 Sensor), a wearable haptic biofeedback interface, and a phone app to process the EDA data and communicate it with the wearable interface. Lastly, I discuss the evaluation criteria for the EDA Self-Interface and propose a longitudinal study for such evaluation. / by Nava Haghighi. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M. / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program / S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 65-68). / Autonomous vehicles are approaching the market faster than we imagined and the ageing population is growing year after year. Today the world is facing several challenges related to personal mobility like traffic congestion, pollution, road accidents, and many more. The autonomous vehicle is a promising technology that has the potential to address some of these challenges. While we consider personal mobility, there is an opportunity to introduce autonomous vehicles for the ageing population. Right now, we are designing the technology keeping potential users in mind, which may not include the older persons. Since this technology is at the initial stage, we could intervene and design a better inclusive technology irrespective of age and health conditions. In this research, we are applying human-centered design approach to study autonomous vehicles and elderly people of tomorrow. We have leveraged various qualitative research methodologies and a human-centered design approach to better understand the domain. As a result, we are proposing a novel framework which might help us design a better inclusive technology for the future. / by Samip Jain. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, September, 2020 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 26-37). / This study represents the culmination of historical research on the topic of building empathy (perspective-taking, or cognitive empathy for this context) through identity expressed over digital media channels, or in a cognitive empathy portal of sorts. Through literature review, relevant topics around digital media as a tool to build empathy are introduced. A controlled digital experiment (in a portal-like digital experience) then integrates research into a single framework that can be leveraged in future iterations of a cognitive empathy portal. Results of this experiment show that no consistent link between a single score in cognitive empathy and accuracy in predicting behavior exists. Furthermore, considerations around testing for self-reporting of empathy components in future research should be taken into account and explored rigorously. / by Aaron Stinnett. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 53-54). / Along with the exponential advancement of technologies, the way people receive information and communicate with one another has been constantly changing, moving from traditional letters, newspapers and televisions to modern computers and smartphones. In the meantime, screens of various sizes have also flooded our lives, ranging from wall-mounted projections to the tiny screens of wearables. Every interface is a medium where information can be displayed, delivered and digested. In recent years, as smartphones mature, numerous industry reports have predicted that augmented reality (AR) will bring the next transformational change, replacing smartphones and becoming a significant medium for daily communications. However, many of the technical barriers remain unconquered, resulting in slow market penetration and user adoption. In this paper, a conceptual design of a low-cost AR device will be proposed along with extensive market analysis and in-depth user research. The goal is to significantly univeil the actual user needs and lower the technical barriers of entry for ordinary consumers to purchase, enjoy and co-create AR devices and applications. / by Ming-Hui Wu. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, May, 2020 / Cataloged from the official version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 62-64). / The past three decades have been exciting yet challenging times for journalism. Thanks to massive advancements in technical capability, journalists were able to reach global audiences and produce more diverse, insightful and powerful reporting. However, the Internet also profoundly disrupted long-established business models and proved journalism to be a seemingly unprofitable venture. Major revenue streams have been in staggering decline. As a result, newsrooms were forced to shrink their staff and ambitions, and the general public was losing access to accurate and important information. It is urgent to examine the limitations of current models and envision possible paths forward, as journalism is crucial to building and maintaining healthy civic discourses, a robust public sphere, and a well-functioning democratic society. This thesis intends to focus on independent news media, primarily legacy newspapers, in contemporary liberal democracies in the U.S. and Europe. It aims to answer the following questions, with each detailed in its respective chapter: how has the Internet reshaped the news business; what are the current major revenue streams (e.g., advertising and subscription) as well as the lesser-known, emerging monetization methods (e.g., micropayment and service bundling); and how do new business models drive organizational design and product thinking, in the lens of digital subscriptions. / by Xiaoyu Yan. / S.M. in Engineering and Management / S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program