This project develops a novel assistive technology for aiding in mobility of the Visually Impaired in collaboration with Royal Visio. This technology provides VIPs with a dynamic tactile map of their environment to improve spatial awareness. The aim is to improve overview, wayfinding and orientation, while also improving the overall mobility experience by boosting confidence and independence through comprehensive awareness of the environment.
The initial research phase seeked to understand the needs and challenges in mobility faced by VIPs, both from a functional point of view, focusing on wayfinding and orientation, and on a psychosocial level, focusing on emotional and experiential needs that derive from the process. It was found that the absence of the visual sense significantly limits VIPs’ ability to overview and comprehend their surroundings, hindering their orientation and use of distant environmental reference for movement, resulting in the reliance on physical guidelines. Reduced awareness of potential hazards and complicated wayfinding often leads focus the functional aspects of mobility. They experience a vigilant, alert state of mind, focusing mainly on avoiding risks and not losing their way. This intense focus diminishes engagement with the broader environment and leads VIPs to stick to familiar areas. Such limitations impact their independence but also their connection with society.
The review of current assistive solutions reveals that they primarily concentrate on similar functional aspects of mobility, using interface technologies that fall short in significantly enhancing environmental awareness and reducing the perceived lack of environmental awareness.
This gap highlights the need for assistive technologies that focus not only on wayfinding and navigation but also on these experiential aspects. The project proposes a multidimensional, spatial interface technology akin to conventional tactile maps but of dynamic nature, is capable of real-time updates based on the actual environment, moves along with the user and subsequently is able to display non-static and small-scale environmental elements. This dynamic tactile map aims to provide a deeper sense of environmental awareness and understanding.
In the subsequent research-through-design phase, a prototype of the conceptual product, that provides a dynamic top-view map of the environment on an electronic braille screen, is put to the test. Despite highlighting the potential of this conceptual direction for spatial understanding, orientation and free, confident movement, the experiment reveals significant requirements for improvement of the interface and environmental mapping technologies.
The final design, “Immersive Spatial Awareness,” features an improved interface with in the form of a haptic augmented reality system that enables a dynamic 360° 3D perception of the environment, primarily through touch, but supplemented with multisensory elements. While significant technological development and Human-Centred-Design is required to realise this visionary concept, the applied technologies are grounded in actual research and existing technologies that see rapid development, highlighting the realistic potential of the concept. The design is supplemented with a roadmap that details and presents the development process towards the successful application of this technology.

The Ocean Cleanup faces a lot of different challenges during new deployments aimed to prevent riverine waste from entering the sea and harming surrounding ecosystems. These challenges are particularly evident when addressing entire river systems rather than individual rivers. An example of a currently challenging site The Ocean Cleanup faces in their efforts to clean up Kingston Harbor is Shoemaker Gully, which is obstructed by mangrove forests preventing the Interceptor Tender to reach the waste. A smaller scale extraction tool that can be deployed in tight spaces would open up several possibilities for efficient extraction. Beyond The Ocean Cleanup, local initiatives operate in areas where commercial solutions prove inadequate, resorting to manual extraction or building their own tools due to worker health concerns. The introduction of new designs capable of benefiting both local cleanup organizations and The Ocean Cleanup can have a substantial impact on combating riverine plastic pollution.

This project aims to achieve that by introducing a new addition to the current solution portfolio. The objective of this thesis is to develop a modular extraction tool designed to efficiently remove contained waste from rivers directly to the shore. This innovation will expand The Ocean Cleanup's deployment options and empower other organizations to amplify their impact. By creating a cost-effective and adaptable proof-of-principle prototype, a foundation will be established for further development of extraction tools tailored to selected use cases.

The final design is a mobile and modular extraction tool, equipped to handle waste extraction from a diverse range of sites that is currently challenging to access. A full-scale prototype has been made to accurately assess its feasibility, with a potential deployment in Jamaica. It features well-thought-out features like adjustable and extendable legs for diverse riverbanks, a robust overall design, and an intuitive user interaction.

Hand suturing is one of the most challenging tasks in laparoscopic surgery and requires high cognitive effort from the performing surgeon. Nevertheless, it is also one of the basic skills of minimally invasive surgery and it is a critical skill due to its high requirements and broad application.

During gastric bypass surgery, there are multiple moments of hand suturing which makes the procedure physically and cognitively challenging. This research focuses on possible alternatives for internal tissue closure to reduce the frequency of hand suturing. The main objective of the research was to develop a method which reduces cognitive effort and procedure time while enhancing comfort for the surgeon.

To get insights into the current procedure of hand suturing, it was analysed on the example of anastomosis closure. Observations of gastric bypass surgeries gave the required information to generate a detailed workflow which identified hand suturing as a key difficulty during the process. The analysis results gave a starting point for the ideation of a new closure method. Additionally, requirements for the closure method were formulated and taken into account during the development.

Multiple concepts like differently shaped clips, hooks and staples were created and prototypes were built. Materials like metal wire staples and 3D printed prototypes were used and tested on foam, silicon and rubber. Through tests and interviews with healthcare professionals, one concept could be chosen and further detailed.

The newly developed method combines the advantages of both hand suturing and the commonly used stapling technique. The staples are attached in an alternating way on the edge of the tissues, while a suture is pre-threaded through the staples. When pulling the suture, the two sides approximate each other. The advantage of this method is that the tissue does not need to be positioned before the application which makes the procedure less challenging for surgeons.

A real scale prototype of the method was build to test manufacturability and proof of principle. Further optimization was done with Finite Element analysis and co-creation sessions with medical doctors. The evaluation of the concept was done in close collaboration with multiple bariatric surgeons, by conducting interviews and hosting discussion sessions.

The result of the evaluation showed that some of the safety requirements on anastomosis closure cannot be met with the newly developed concept. More suitable alternatives like the closure of mesenteric windows was investigated. Mesentery defects occur e.g. due to anatomic changes during gastric bypass surgery. If left untreated they may lead to internal hernia and small bowel obstruction. The newly developed method has the potential to close mesenteric windows time efficiently while enhancing the surgeon’s comfort. Risk assessment and further interviews showed that this application is safer and more accepted by surgeons which makes it a promising solution for hernia repair.

On-the-go food packaging has a significant negative impact on the environment. The awareness of this long existing problem is rising among consumers and policy makers. Although over decades many professionals in various areas of expertise have worked on improvements and tried to find solutions, these solutions all involve trade-offs. An ideal zero waste, circular status in which the world’s resources are preserved and their value is maintained has not been reached yet. New solution spaces need to be discovered, which seems like an impossible job within this already much discussed issue. The present project starts out from the thesis statement that there are still ‘voids’ to be discovered in the entirety of solution possibilities. A ‘void’ is defined as a solution space that is not deployed because it is undiscovered, not because it is considered un-useful. Traditional design ways of problem solving use ideation techniques to come up with different concepts from which the best one is selected. By selecting solutions in this way, solution spaces and possibilities may be overlooked. Going beyond the traditional design problem solving techniques, this research uses a technique based on abstracting physical working principles of solutions, borrowed from the field of biomedical engineering. By combining problem solving techniques from different engineering disciplines, a systematic overview of solution spaces is created exposing undeployed solution spaces. In the subsequent phase, the undeployed solution spaces are investigated further to see if there are actual ‘voids’ among them. The overview is used to create an innovative solution concept by first clustering the solution spaces in workable solution directions to reduce complexity. By an iterative process of ideating and research, a solution space is selected. Taking the complex interconnected boundary conditions into account – such as the demanding consumer, the profit desiring retailers and the different types of environmental impact –, solution concepts are developed within the selected solution space from which one is selected as final solution concept. The final solution concept implies separating the presentation function of food packaging from the disposable packaging and shifts the function to a reusable element. The solution concept is developed into an example application: a new packaging is designed for prepacked stuffed wraps. The new packaging is user tested and adapted in an iterative process, based on the test results, until it has shown its potential. Thus, the created systematic overview is verified to uncover at least one ‘void’ and holds the possibility to contain more. This project aims to contribute to reducing the negative environmental impact of on-the-go food packaging by showing that is worthwhile to search beyond existing solution directions. The created packaging concept plays both ways: by being part of the theoretical void finding process in verifying the overview and by being part of a practical solution in reducing the amount of single use material. The application of this concept can be explored further in future research.

One of the most enriching relationships of human beings is the relationship between owner and companion-animal, including more specifically the relationship between owner and cat. Cats are the third-most important source for social support and security for human-beings. Cats are relatively easy to take care of and make people feel needed. Owners often see them as a friend, child or partner in the relationship.
Cats have similar emotions as humans, which lays a foundation for the relationship; they express emotions, however, quite differently. Therefore, owner and cat don’t always understand each other, which often results in confusion, frustration, annoyance and uncertainty in the owner.
The relationship between owner and cat is an emotional one, full with positive and negative interactions. Too many negative interactions could, in fact, eventually lead to an abrupt termination of the relationship.
This project is about the development of the owner-cat relationship and what leads up to the unexpected termination of it: when an owner decides to give up the relationship and surrender the cat to the shelter.
The decision to owner-surrender is often grounded in several reasons of the owner. What are some of the reasons that owners decide to surrender their cat? What problems may arise in the relationship? How does the relationship work? And what emotions play a role in the relationship?
To answer these questions, this project maps the emotional of journey of owners with their cats and explores the interactions and behavior of owner and cat during this journey. With these findings as a guide, a design is created, Telltail, which is a product meant to help new owners understand their cat’s behavior and personality to increase the bond between owner and cat.

As of October 2017 the Civic Integration Act (WI 2013) (Rijksoverheid, 2017) states that all non-EU newcomers that want to integrate in The Netherlands have to participate in the Participation statement procedure (PSP). As part of this procedure newcomers have to sign that they understand and respect the Dutch core values: freedom, equality and solidarity. A fine of €340 is the consequence if the statement is not signed within one year after being housed in a municipality. This report describes the graduation project at the Delft University of Technology that aimed answering the following research question:

Can the Dutch core values be conveyed to newcomers in The Netherlands?

By developing an intervention that helps to convey values to newcomers this question is answered using a Research through Design approach. A discussion and recommendations for policy are presented based on the answer. On top of that, newcomers and PSP trainers have been involved in all stages of the project in order to create a human-centered design. The project is done in collaboration with Christa Nieuwboer, senior researcher at Apparent.

The three phases Reveal, Create and Evaluate can be recognised throughout the report.

Reveal
Information about the current context is collected in the Reveal phase. Moreover, it states a strong foundation on which the project is built. Last, prototype interventions activities with newcomers are done in order to find out what is appropriate.

The analysis of the current context revealed information about the values workshop. Moreover, the definition of the three values freedom, equality and solidarity as described in the booklet Core values of the Dutch society (Ministry for Social Services and Employment, 2014) is adopted. A lecture by Tamar de Waal (Toeset, Hobbelink and Dorresteijn, 2017) motivated to respect the fact that the meaning of values should be viewed in relation to their context. Additionally, the four educational principles currently used in the values workshop are used as guidelines for concept development. These are: (1) make use of visualisations, (2) build on personal preferences and experiences, (3) include team and individual assignments and (4) facilitate group discussion and reflection.

The foundation exists of four pillars. First, the learning cycle of Kolb (1984) proved to be suitable for approaching abstract values through concrete experiences. The cycle follows the stages of (1) concrete experience, (2) observations and reflections, (3) abstract concept and (4) test implications of this concept after which the cycle starts over again. Second, the adopted vision on integration is that acknowledging and respecting the pluriformity of the Dutch society can stimulate social cohesion, rather than aiming at sharing all values. The third pillar consists of three additional educational principles: (1) focus on intrinsic motivation, (2) make use of active learning methods and (3) involve of a role model. Last, all newcomers are defined as the target group for the project. Although the initial focus was on Syrian newcomers, involving people with different cultural backgrounds is more suitable when talking about the meanings of values in different contexts in an equal way.

The intervention studies showed the importance of time, roleplay, discussing both similarities and differences and involving concrete information and multiple topics when aiming at understanding values. The design brief was devised in accordance with Nieuwboer using all previous findings. The following design goal was agreed upon:

Design an experience-based intervention that enables newcomers in The Netherlands to understand the three Dutch core values following an experiencing, reflecting, understanding-approach while at the same time supporting the newcomers in discussing the differences and similarities between different culture’s values and practices.

The design brief functioned as the closing document of the Reveal phase and the starting point of the Create phase.

Create
The aim of the second phase was to create a suitable intervention. Ideation sessions led to the game idea direction. It was decided to design for structured play, incorporating a clear goal and rules. Moreover, the choice for an analogue game was made to provide the best circumstances for dialogue and roleplay. Last, the aim to explore cultural issues and provide dialogue about these clearly indicated the game would be expressive.

Game elements and mechanisms found in other games were combined into the game concept. Through seven gameplays with different user groups the elements and mechanisms have been tested and improved which resulted in the intervention WAARDEN?! Het spel. The goal of the game is to earn the most value points. Twelve participants play in four teams and sit around the three-values symbol, which is laid down on the floor. A game facilitator guides the gameplay.

Each turn either a roleplay or a question card is played. With a roleplay card two teams enact a situation. One team from the perspective of their own cultural background, the other how they think it would happen in The Netherlands. The question card presents a question about a law that the teams have to answer. By playing the cards teams can earn points. After that, the game facilitator asks reflection questions about the differences, similarities, participants’ opinions and possible consequences of the enacted situations. Finally, the played card has to be linked to one or more of the three Dutch values by placing it on the three-values symbol. The game ends by reviewing the three-values symbol and appointing a winning team. Through this procedure, the participants follow the phases of the learning cycle of Kolb (1984).


Evaluate
In the last phase of this report the conclusion and discussion are presented. The game is a very effective intervention for helping newcomers to understand the Dutch core values. The answer on the research question is that the values are too abstract, too dynamic and too ambiguous to capture and convey. These conclusions have resulted in following recommendation for policy making:

Discard the abstract and contradictory Participation statement. Rather, regard the values workshop as an introduction to a lifelong intercultural values dialogue to reach a pluriform society in which people respect each other’s values.

The focus of this project is two-fold: first it explores how animation can be used to make functional robots more intuitively understandable. A framework for functional robot developers, to apply animations in the designed behaviours of their products, is proposed. Second, it demonstrates the value of the incorporation of animated behaviours, as well as the effects, through application of the framework to a hospital transport robot.

Robots, belonging to smart machine technologies, are expected to be part of the most disruptive technologies over the next decade. Especially functional robots are on the rise, making the transfer from controlled factory floors to mundane environments, where people can also encounter them in everyday life. This requires new design strategies that tackle functional robots, not only as efficient machines but also as understandable agents that people can deal with, preferably intuitively.
What sets robots apart from other intelligent agents, is that they are able manipulate our world not only digitally, but also physically. Since people are highly sensitive to physical movement, this trait can be used in the pursuit of more intuitively interpretable robots. The art of animation houses deep expertise in how to use movement, to dynamically communicate state and intention, and can therefore be the key to designing more intuitive robots
This project has therefore set out to make effective application of animation practices available for functional robot developers, as to enable them to offer more intuitively understandable products and be a game changer for how we have to deal with robots today.
A framework, that combines animation practices and functional robot development with knowledge of user-centred design, is proposed, to provide guidance throughout development towards more intuitively understandable products.

Over the last decade an increasing number of functional robots have been developed and employed to conduct the intra-logistics in hospitals. The main reason for implementation has been that hospitals are under a constant pressure to cut costs. However, especially in sensitive settings such as hospitals, there is urgency for these robots to be naturally understood to facilitate an intuitive response in people towards the robots. People in healthcare facilities often feel stressed and anxious, leaving them with only little capacity to deal with complex or confusing situations.
Based on the identified urgency for more intuitive robots in this setting, a case study was conducted that aimed to answer the following question:

How can the application of animation principles in the designed expressivity of a hospital delivery robot evoke an intuitive response in hospital visitors, in such a manner that its expressive behaviour seamlessly integrates with its delivery function?

It was found that the proposed framework effectively stimulates a workflow that adopts animation practices. Also, it could be concluded that animated behaviours and ‘staging’ of robots movements through embodiment can indeed stimulate desired response in the human encountering the robot.
Although the framework still requires validation through evaluation in real life robot development project, the current study shows its potential as a first step towards more intuitively understandable robots based on animation practices.