Thin glass sandwich panel designed for visual comfort: Designing the core of the panel to dynamically enhance the visual comfort of the façade

The main focus of this thesis is on a thin glass sandwich panel combined with a three-dimensional printed core pattern. The core pattern provides stiffness to the panel, but it also influences the daylight transmission. The goal of this research is to design a façade system which can dynamically improve the daylight performance, effectively...

Personalisation of safety shoe inlay soles using dynamic foot data

This thesis project was carried out as a part of Ultrapersonalised Products & Services (nextUPPS.nl) as a collaboration between TU Delft and Bata Industrials B.V. To integrate new technologies of Industry 4.0 to enhance product and user experience, Bata Industrials, with a facility in Best, Netherlands, partnered with nextUPPS. An...

Design of a compact and mobile 3D Printer: to be part of a larger swarm robotics system inspired by termite builders

This project was focused on designing and prototyping a mobile robotic builder using additive manufacturing. This robotic builder is meant to be a part of a larger fleet of robotic builders that use swarm based strategies to build structures using simple behavioral rules. The concept was inspired by the biological phenomenon that are termites,...

How might human experience inform AI systems

The problem we want to address<br/>AI(Artificial intelligence) is diving into people’s lives as its algorithm continues to iterate. However, the algorithmic and quantitative systems do not seem to access people’s experiences, which always include emotional and qualitative factors. How can an AI system understand people’s feelings? How can an AI...

Machining cost estimation in topology optimization for 2.5-axis CNC milling: Adapting a new-school design method to an old-school manufacturing process

The work presented in this report is an attempt to allow density-based topology optimization algorithms to take into account machining costs when optimizing. To this end, and estimation model for the cost of 2.5-axis CNC milling was developed based on the principles of Design for Manufacturing.<br/>This estimation model was implemented in a...

Exploring Animated Textiles Using Pneumatic Actuators: Towards a Toolkit

This project explores how 3D printed pneumatic soft actuators can be used to enhance the expressiveness of textiles with alive-like movement. The research begins by studying current literature on shape changing materials and interfaces in order to select the best candidate material to explore during the project. The project then uses a material...

Manipulating post-buckled compliant mechanisms: Buckling mode interaction as a novel method of stiffness compensation

Bistable vibration energy harvesters are an interesting alternative to their linear counterparts. They allow for large amplitude oscillations between their stable equilibria, from which much energy can be generated. However, the stable equilibria are separated by a potential energy barrier that has to be overcome. Therefore, we cannot guarantee...

Application of mechanical metamaterials in a parametric, 3D printed ankle foot orthosis

During this project the possibilities of enriching the functionality of an Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) by implementing mechanical metamaterials are researched. The project is executed for Buchrnhornen, a company based in Eindhoven which has over 70 years of experience in manufacturing orthopaedic shoes and orthosis in a traditional way. Mechanical...

Topology Optimization for Damage Tolerance

Complex structural shapes can be produced with additive manufacturing. The geometrical complexity that can be achieved translates into an increase in possible designs. Designing these structures with traditional methods is difficult. A design process with computational optimization will enable engineers to use the geometrical freedom offered by...

Designing a lightweight and comfortable aircraft seat

A LIGHT WEIGHT AND COMFORTABLE AIRCRAFT SEAT. <br/>This assignment started fairly broad with only a clear deadline to present a final prototype at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg between 11th and 12th of April 2018. At first the project sounded almost impossible to complete before this time. After discussing the possibilities with Rik...