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Conceptual Design in Informal Metalworking Microenterprises of Tanzania

Abstract Product design is a key aspect of human intelligence and creativity, attracting not onlyexperts but also people without any formal design training. Although numerous people in developingcountries design and manufacture products in metalworking microenterprises in the informal sector,there is still little knowledge about their design process. This paper aims to fill this gap in […]

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Design of (Semi-)Autonomous Vehicles: Perceptions of the People in Sweden

Abstract The field of autonomous vehicles is gaining wide recognition in the industry, academia as well as socialmedia. However, there is a lack of knowledge on expectations of people regarding this topic. To this end,this paper analyses extant research on perceptions of people in various countries about semi-autonomous andautonomous vehicles. Secondly, based on the findings […]

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Can Design Be Non-paternalistic? Conceptualizing Paternalism in the Design Profession

Abstract Paternalism is an instance of someone making a decision on behalf of someone else. A professional designer can exhibit paternalism through conceptualizing, defining, and selecting current or preferable situations or while finalizing outcomes for stakeholders. Paternalism is thus, a critical ethical dimension related to the design profession. The design academy and community must theorize […]

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Final presentations from project course 2 (MT1539) on BTH Experience Day | 2021

Project course 2 (MT1539) with students from the Mechanical Engineering programme’s 3rd year delivered their final presentations as pert of BTH Experience Day 2021. This year, mechanical engineering students worked on company-related or entrepreneurial projects that required satisfying user needs and technical functions. They worked on projects involving the design of physical artefacts with innovation […]

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Frugal-IDeM: An Integrated Methodology for Designing Frugal Innovations in Low-Resource Settings

Abstract People living in low-resource settings at the base of the world income pyramid (i.e. Base of the Pyramid — BOP) face several constraints. To satisfy their unmet needs, integrated frugal innovations are necessary. Several studies, discussed using many names such as ‘design for Base of the Pyramid’, ‘design for development’, ‘product service systems’, ‘frugal […]

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Design, Frugal Innovations and Low-Resource Settings: An Analysis of Five Contextual Aspects

Abstract A data analysis method based on artificial neural networks aiming to support cause-and-effect analysis in design exploration studies is presented. The method clusters and aggregates the effects of multiple design variables based on the structural hierarchy of the evaluated system. The proposed method is exemplified in a case study showing Designing frugal innovations is […]

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