Student Project Reports – Page 3

Posted on December 9, 2011January 9, 2012 by hj

Optimizing the added value and usability of the Smartest Home of the Netherlands

Final USI project by Leoni van de Sande. Summary of the report: [PDF, 300K]. Complete report upon request.

2011-LeoniVanDeSande-OptimizingTheAddedValueAndUsability — Entrance screen

The aim of this industrial project at Smart Homes , the Dutch expertise centre on home automation and smart living, was twofold. On the one hand, the level of appreciation of existing (concepts of) smart home applications was examined. In this purpose, (concepts of) smart home applications were first collected through field research, literature, and European and national projects Smart Homes contributes to. Afterwards, the collected (concepts of) smart home applications were filtered based on the smart home classification by Aldrich and its appreciation was tested by means of a questionnaire. Based on the results of this questionnaire, the applications that were most appreciated were visualized. Ideally, these visualizations will be shown in the Smartest Home of the Netherlands, a test and demonstration home located in Eindhoven, to show visitors the added value of home automation (i.e. domotica).

Continue reading Optimizing the added value and usability of the Smartest Home of the Netherlands

Posted on December 4, 2011January 4, 2012 by hj

Surround sound tuning based on location

Final USI Report by Angeliki Angeletou. [PDF, 1.9M]

Surround Sound Systems are designed to faithfully reproduce a movie soundtrack and provide an immersive sound experience to the user, when the loudspeaker placement and the listening position comply with certain standards. Deviation from these standards can cause a distorted or unnatural sound image. In order to address the impact of the loudspeaker setup on the listening experience, two Philips Surround Sound Systems were integrated with Ultra Wideband (UWB) localization technology for the design of two demonstrators. Each demonstrator is composed of two parts; a localization module, providing user’s and speakers’ coordinates and audio tuning algorithms which use this information for the calculations of the signals that are sent to the speakers. In the present study, the performance evaluation of each component as well as the implementation of the demonstrators are described and discussed.

A. Angeletou, Surround sound tuning based on location, USI Final Report, Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, 2011.
FULLTEXT: PDF

Posted on August 18, 2011December 18, 2011 by hj

Semantic Resources: A Study on a Tangible Interaction Approach to Managing Wireless Connections in a Smart Home Environment

By Jeroen Peters [M12 Report, PDF, 200K]

Technological advances in computational, networking and sensing abilities are leading towards a future in which our daily lives are immersed with interactive devices that are networked and interoperable.

It is imperative that users are able to understand such complex intelligent and interactive environments. Design has an important role in facilitating users in making sense of the many connections between devices in a networked environment.

Two design solutions based on tangible interaction have been developed that allow users to manage wireless connections between devices in a smart living room context.

Continue reading Semantic Resources: A Study on a Tangible Interaction Approach to Managing Wireless Connections in a Smart Home Environment

Posted on August 16, 2011January 4, 2012 by hj

Enriching the reading experience with dramatic soundtracks

by Kacper Holenderski. [PDF, 2.5M]

The goal of this research was to analyze to what extent applying dramatic soundtracks to a short story enrich the reading experience on an E-reader. This is an opportunity to give reading a new face allowed by the capabilities of the digital nature of eBooks and E-readers. The set up tested for imagery, transportation and attention through a questionnaire. Additionally arousal was measured with the help of GSR sensors. The results did not show a clear enrichment of the experience. The soundtracks were distracting at some points and complementing at others. The opportunity of dramatic soundtracks in eBooks is still a valid proposition which rests on the proper implementation.

K. Holenderski, Enriching the reading experience with dramatic soundtracks, M11 Report, Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, 2011.
FULLTEXT: PDF

Posted on August 10, 2011January 18, 2012 by hj

Semantic Resources: A practice oriented approach: Sustainable services for television

M11 Master Project by Nick Sturkenboom. [PDF, 1.5M]

https://www.drhu.eu/reports/2011-NickSturkenboom-SemanticResources.pdf — Semantic Resources

In the EU, policy makers have been debating over carbon reduction for many years. One of the methods that pursue to reduce our carbon footprints is to raise energy awareness and stimulate energy efficiency through behavioral and attitude change. However, these same policy makers currently overlook the reasons why people consume resources, how these ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ establish themselves and evolve over time in our everyday lives, also known as ‘practices. (E.g.) (Shove E. , 2003) (Hargreaves, 2011) (Chetty, 2008) (Stern, 2000) (Hertwich, 2005)

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Posted on July 18, 2011December 18, 2011 by hj

Blurring the boundaries

By Matthijs Jansen [B32 Graduation Project, PDF, 3.5M]

This report covers the work of the final bachelor project of Industrial Design student Matthijs Jansen. It shows the design process of an adaptive photo mirror. With this mirror, a host can show his hospitality and care for his visitor through common photos of him and his guest inside the mirror, creating a fun and surprising experience when receiving guests in the hallway.

M. Jansen, Blurring the boundaries, B32 Report, Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, 2011.
FULLTEXT: PDF

Posted on June 12, 2011January 16, 2012 by hj

Internship at Promea Industrial Design, by Remco Nagtzaam

Foreword of the report [PDF, 500K]. “This report will describe my internship at Promea Industrial Design, both my activities, reflections and growth will be described. The department of Industrial Design from the University of Technology Eindhoven offers students to do an internship in the final year of their bachelor education. This opportunity is a welcome change in working environment from my point of view, it allows me to place my education in a better context with regards to the professional work environment.”

Posted on April 6, 2011April 13, 2011 by hj

Sense Your Heart

By using a PPG system (photoplethysmograph), data from the heart beat can easily be obtained. Although the device is relatively simple, the design opportunities that are created are fast and as complex as the designer’s wishes. In the module “sense your heart”, master students created several very interesting ideas and prototypes. The goal of this module was to get a good understanding of the workings of the human heart and how this working can be monitored. Secondly a learning objective was to implement these measurements in a concept using a self-built Photoplethysmography sensor and corresponding software. This technology can be used for measuring the heart rate, which in our case was used to determine the heart-rate variability which can be an indicator for relaxation or arousal.

Continue reading Sense Your Heart

Posted on February 2, 2011March 18, 2011 by hj

Spotlight Navigation: “interactive controllers for the ubiquitous, invisible technological networks”

Erik Kogler, one of our bachelor students, designed a handheld projector based user interface for environments that are full of smart objects. “Spotlight Navigation at the TU/e can thus be said to arise from SOFIA’s need for interactive controllers for the ubiquitous, invisible technological networks that will surround the user (in this case in the home). When dealing with pervasive technology it is normally assumed that all manner of products will be able to share and collect information, even though they lack an interface capable of creating the connections to make this useful. … Spotlight Navigation device seems an ideal solution to this lack of interface as it can use any surface to create a vast and entirely flexible user-interface.”

Download the final report [PDF, 800+K]

Posted on February 1, 2011March 18, 2011 by hj

Semantic Resources: A tree to create awareness about domestic resource consumption.

Willem Willemsen, one of our master students, designed a decorative toy tree to create awareness about domestic resource consumption. “I chose this metaphor because trees are associated with the environment and the better you do the better your tree (representing the environment) gets. The size of the tree doesn’t only represent the environment, but also the user’s personal effort on reducing resource consumption. Plants are also something that people use a decorative objects in their houses, so the object wouldn’t be an alien object in-between the rest of the objects in the house. The way it works is that the user can build the tree with building blocks. These blocks have a light source inside them that will light up when a level is gained. Each time a level is gained the next block turns on until all blocks are turned on. When this happens the user can add a piece to the tree, and the level starts over again. This means that the system has no levelling limits and can keep growing indefinitely with enough pieces.”

Download the PDF [2M] for more details.