3D printing for Frugal Innovation in Kenya: the design of a hand grip tool

This thesis is concerned with exploring just how to develop products in line with this frugal methodology through the case study of a hand exerciser. This main research question for this design project asks to what extent can FDM 3D printing be applied to assist Kenyan occupational therapists in the provision of therapy to individuals with hand...

Improving the use of surgical suction pumps in Sierra Leone

In Low-to-Middle-Income Countries more than 95% of the medical equipment are devices donated by NGOs, usually second hand, refurbished devices from High Income Country Hospitals. However, the lack of consumables and spare parts and infrastructural limitations lead to 70% of that equipment not working, or working improperly shortly after being...

Developments in the innovation phase: Creating a model of important factors for radically new technologies in the innovation phase

Radically new technologies, of which ‘the functionality was new to the market or the price-performance ratio was much better than contemporary products’ (Ortt, 2012), can be both risky and rewarding to develop. The innovation phase is the period from invention of a radically new technology until the first market introduction. This research into...

Governing construction projects in which 3D printing is applied: An integration of traditional project governance, product design and innovation

3D Printing is an emerging manufacturing technology that is in a research and prototyping stage in the construction industry. This research presents a governance framework for construction projects in which large scale freeform 3D printing is applied, based on empirical data of 7 case studies. The observed governance in the case studies is a...