Topology and variable optimization of a planar quasi-zero stiffness mechanism for motion isolation during the installation of wind turbine blades

Current service and installation activities for offshore wind turbines are carried out by jack-up vessels, which eliminate wave disturbances to a large extent. The use of these vessels imposes several disadvantages, including high operational costs and the limitation of operating in restricted water depths. An alternative is a crane mounted on a...

Comparing Design Synthesis Methods: A Study on Frame Design

The Lunar Zebro is a small moon rover that needs an advanced chassis to endure the harsh environment that the moon brings. To arrive at a solution for such a frame or chassis creativity and hard work are necessary. Whereas hard work is a given, creativity is not and it may need a helping hand. Design synthesis methods, of which brainstorming is...

Grasping AI: experiential exercises for designers

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are increasingly integrated into the functioning of physical and digital products, creating unprecedented opportunities for interaction and functionality. However, there is a challenge for designers to ideate within this creative landscape, balancing the possibilities of technology with...

Religious Heritage as Placemaker for Rural Cores: A toolbox with design implications for revitalization of rural shrinkage regions in the Netherlands by adressing vacant church heritage and the surrounding village core

One in five municipalities in the Netherlands is prognosed to experience population decline by 2050. Especially rural settlements will have difficulty facilitating this shrinkage and the negative effects involved. With a depriving variety of available facilities and an increase in vacancy, local communities are on the border of falling apart. At...

Finding what Fits: Uncovering the potential of Explorative Self-experimentation and how to facilitate it – A meta-strategy for helping individuals change and maintain personal health behaviours

We live in a world in which chronic diseases are on the rise. Yet, improving personal health behaviours is a long-term goal, that is often undermined by alluring offers that provide instant gratification and other more pressing day-to-day matters. Often it is not the intention that is missing to change personal health behaviours, but there is...

Education for Adaptive Reuse The TU Delft Heritage and Architecture Experience

The Section for Heritage and Architecture of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at the Delft University of Technology specializes in architectural education for adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, with a specific focus on the built heritage of the 20th century. Our approach combines architectural design and technological...

The Effect of Shape on the Pull-out Capacity of Shallow Plate Anchors in Sand

This paper presents an experimental and analytical study to investigate the effect of shape on the pull-out capacity of shallow horizontal plate anchors in sand under drained loading conditions. Novel dynamically penetrating plate anchor concepts have been proposed for use in the offshore energy sector. These anchor concepts may have shapes that...

Circular Rollout: Bridging the design-implementation gap in circular economy

<b>Circular Economy<br/></b>Exponential growth in human activity has caused exponential changes in Earth system variables, like greenhouse gas emissions and global temperature. Human influence on the planet has reached far beyond safe parameters and could lead to disastrous consequences for large parts of the world. This is attributed to the...

Luck is no Method: The design of a reflection method that supports designers in solving complex design problems

It is a given that the world changes. A changing world means that the problems society faces change too. Solving these problems has become more complex, and will so even more in the future. Increasingly, designers are the ones expected to be the ones to solve them. To that end, new design methods need to be devised to support designers in...

Interaction design explorations of mixed reality

This project is a research project in cooperation with UNITiD, with an intention of exploring the guidelines of MR interaction design.<br/><br/>With in the project, MR(Mixed Reality) refers to a digital overlay on the real world, with the virtual content anchored in and interactive with the realistic objects. As it is a newly published...

VRbanism: Assessing Virtual Reality as an Urban Design Tool

During the last few years, Virtual Reality (VR) technology has evolved at an impressive pace. The newest VR systems offer a high level of visual realism and accurate interaction with the virtual environment through spatially tracked controllers. This technology is increasingly being applied in many professions, but in architecture and urbanism...

IMPROVED MODELS IN THE DESIGN OF COMPLEX SPECIALS: SUCCESS OR FAILURE?

IMPROVED MODELS IN THE DESIGN OF COMPLEX SPECIALS: SUCCESS OR FAILURE?