This project focuses on the exploration and development of an assistive device that allows the use of 3D scanning in the creation of personalized orthoses for spasticity patients.

Spasticity is the symptom of various neurological diseases and is characterized by a prolonged contraction of the muscles. For upper limb spasticity, this leads to patients’ hands being in a cramped position and are unable to move it into a desired position without external force. To prevent the spasticity to worsen over time, orthoses are used to stabilize the hand and stretch the muscles. Currently, the hand orthoses for spasticity are still being formed the traditional way: a long process of gypsum molding, casting and the forming of thermoplastic material.

Artus3D is a company that provides automated software to design and manufacture personalized hand orthoses from a single digital 3D scan of a hand. Due to the nature of spasticity, the hands need to be stretched into an open position before the 3D scanning is applicable. Together with Centrum Orthopedie, Artus3D is looking for a solution to stretch the hand and encorporate their 3D scanning & software technology into the design of spasticity orthoses. The problem consists of two parts: the orthosis design and the 3D scanning support. This project focuses on the 3D scanning support and the enabling of scanning spastic hands.

The 3D scanning support keeps the spastic hand in a stable position and is designed for patient visits in the orthopaedic context. It uses a ball joint and a sliding joint in order to constrain the hand in the desired position. It is usable up to MAS 3 spasticity and has been designed to fit the 5th to 95th percentile of the population. The design follows the shape of the hand, keeps clear of important areas near the thumb, base of the hand and limits the amount of material at the lower arm. This is done with the intent of capturing as much information in the 3D scan as possible, while keeping high usability for the orthopaedic technologist and comfort for the patient.

Flatland, a visual thinking agency, helps companies and institutions turn complexity into clarity by using visual thinking, co-creation and design thinking. They work together with their clients in a (physical) setting where they co-create together and use visualization as a means of problem solving and communication. During these sessions their clients are expected to fully engage and participate, while they usually do not have extensive experience with this way of working. This leads to some participants closing off during sessions, which leads to less (valuable) input from them.

Research suggests that one’s involvement and participation in creative activities is influenced by one’s creative self-beliefs (Karwowski, Lebuda & Beghetto, 2019). In the context of Flatland the specific creative self-belief of creative confidence has the biggest impact, which is the belief in one’s ability to think or act creatively in and across particular performance domains’’ (Karwowski & Beghetto, 2018). This influences what creative tasks one will engage with and in what way they will perform (Karwowski & Beghetto, 2018). The latter is especially important for Flatland, since they would like their participants to perform to their full potential, because this results in more (valuable) input and a more qualitative end result.

Several observations, interviews and surveys were conducted which resulted in the following insights. 1) Several participants feel overwhelmed when entering the first co-creation session with Flatland as they have to adjust to a new way of working, new team, new context, etc. 2) Flatland did not structurally prepare their participants for their co-creation sessions. 3) The participants with the lowest creative confidence scores usually talk less, initiate less, mostly react and feel doubtful when they speak which sometimes results in them disappearing into the background. This is not beneficial to Flatland nor the client, since this leads to less (valuable) input and a less qualitative end result.

This resulted in the design of a digital preparation booklet that aimed to improve the creative confidence of participants that usually score the lowest within a group, by preparing them before their first co-creation session starts, so they are able to express their opinion more easily and fully engage during the process. This was done through the use of the four sources of self-efficacy (Bandura, 1996) and through decreasing the impact of the four fears that influence creative confidence (Kelley & Kelley, 2012).

The final booklet was validated through several observations, interviews and a survey. Client input showed that they valued the thorough preparation and that the booklet felt as a warm welcome and made them excited for the upcoming sessions. Observations and interviews with Flatland showed that participants seemed to work better together, persevered longer when things got complex, actively participated throughout the whole session and felt ready and excited at the beginning of the first session. Survey data shows that even though there was not a significant increase in participant’s creative confidence, there were less lower scoring participants after using the booklet. And so the intended effect was achieved.

This thesis explores potential causes for reduced razer blade use time, as this increases e-waste while reducing’ profit. Influenced by the upcoming energy label, impact resistance of the shaving head is deemed to negatively affect use time and strategic position. Through researching breaking behavior of the head several strategies for achieving full impact resistance are proposed, with the direction of detaching the interface legs being further explored. In the end this direction is found to not be feasible and not recommended to be researched further. However other strategies are proposed that potentially offer the razer blade an increase in impact resistance or use-time.

The world is currently trying to adopt a sustainable transformation process to counteract the negative effects of climate change. Part of this sustainability process is the electrification of the transport sector. However, a network of charging solutions is needed to provide the transition to sustainable mobility with the desired power. One of these solutions is the Revolt HUB, which alongside a charging solution, also serves as an outdoor advertising platform. This project aims to find out where improvements can be made to the Revolt HUB. The starting points that have been used to define the scope are the improvement of the interaction and the embodiment of the brand values, particularly the combination of the product and sustainability. Therefore, the title of the project states: Redesigning the Revolt HUB while challenging a future-proof modular user interface and association with brand values. In order to find possible areas of improvement, multidisciplinary research was performed. Through this research, an analysis was made of the company, the current product, the current and desired interaction and the context. The findings showed that making small adjustments led to a chain reaction of other adjustments. This resulted in a consensus with all stakeholders to rebuild the HUB from scratch. All this was accomplished through a vision formulated according to trends and developments in both the technological and social fields. Based on this, recommendations were presented as a complete redesign of the HUB. The interaction is leading and serves as a starting point for further elaboration of the complete product portfolio. In addition, the concept also lends itself to the implementation of future technological developments, as a separate single charging station is incorporated into the design; the new ONE. Further elaboration could focus on testing the concept and concretising the technical assumptions made.

This report presents the design process of the development of a new heating concept for the professional kitchen. The project is executed on behalf of the TUDelft and the kitchen manufacturer Qook!. Project Topic: Cooks in Michelin starred and fine dining restaurants cope with long working days under high pressure. Although there are many legislations and rules, on a certain culinary level the circumstances are tough and are accepted as part of the job. Working weeks of 70 to 80 hours and the constant pressure of performing better everyday requires a productive and ergonomic work environment. This design project aims to improve the physical and cognitive ergonomics, which simultaneously will improve the efficiency of the professional kitchen. Design Direction: Cooks in Michelin starred and fine dining restaurants cope with long working days under high pressure. Although there are many legislations and rules, on a certain culinary level the circumstances are tough and are accepted as part of the job. Working weeks of 70 to 80 hours and the constant pressure of performing better everyday requires a productive and ergonomic work environment. This design project aims to improve the physical and cognitive ergonomics, which simultaneously will improve the efficiency of the professional kitchen. Concept: A new heating method of ceramic dinnerware is developed. Combined with a special porcelain coating, conceived and manufactured by the German company Schönwald, a concept is developed that uses a field of induction coils to replace the current heating systems. It improves thermal comfort, manoeuvrability, visibility and the working posture. During the concept phase a prototype has been built as a proof-of-principle of the newly developed heating system. I conclude with a number of recommendations that can be used for the development of the concept toward a final product.