This report presents the design process of the development of a new heating concept for the professional kitchen. The project is executed on behalf of the TUDelft and the kitchen manufacturer Qook!. Project Topic: Cooks in Michelin starred and fine dining restaurants cope with long working days under high pressure. Although there are many legislations and rules, on a certain culinary level the circumstances are tough and are accepted as part of the job. Working weeks of 70 to 80 hours and the constant pressure of performing better everyday requires a productive and ergonomic work environment. This design project aims to improve the physical and cognitive ergonomics, which simultaneously will improve the efficiency of the professional kitchen. Design Direction: Cooks in Michelin starred and fine dining restaurants cope with long working days under high pressure. Although there are many legislations and rules, on a certain culinary level the circumstances are tough and are accepted as part of the job. Working weeks of 70 to 80 hours and the constant pressure of performing better everyday requires a productive and ergonomic work environment. This design project aims to improve the physical and cognitive ergonomics, which simultaneously will improve the efficiency of the professional kitchen. Concept: A new heating method of ceramic dinnerware is developed. Combined with a special porcelain coating, conceived and manufactured by the German company Schönwald, a concept is developed that uses a field of induction coils to replace the current heating systems. It improves thermal comfort, manoeuvrability, visibility and the working posture. During the concept phase a prototype has been built as a proof-of-principle of the newly developed heating system. I conclude with a number of recommendations that can be used for the development of the concept toward a final product. ... Read more

Although there are systems that allow you to take your infant with you on a cargo bike, there were still many prejudices and concerns on this matter. Due to the transmitted vibrations, which could be a source of discomfort and a risk to human health, experts criticized travelling with infants on bicycles and cargo bikes. An infant safety seat is the smallest child safety seat for newborns up to 10-13 kg and is properly developed according to the highest crash test standards in the automotive industry. Yet, little is known about the vibrations transmitted from the cargo bike to a child fastened in child safety seat. The graduation project includes a consideration of the health risks and discomfort likely to be caused by vibration. Made analyses and research led to the design of a spring-damper seat system for the use of infant safety seats on cargo bikes. Moreover, the outcome of the graduation project encourages further researchers to investigate how to improve health aspects and comfort of infants during travel by cargo bike. This may lead to a revision of current recommendations for infants’ suitability for travel by cargo bike, placed in an infant car seat, and also have implications for the design of infant seat systems that emphasize comfort and health during travel. ... Read more

The aim of this graduation project was the design of a compact, simple, and effective means of transport for the last mile, suitable for an environment with a system of shared usage. The focus of the project lied on the design of the vehicle itself, while the design of the marketing strategy and the sharing system were left out the scope.A university campus environment was chosen as context for the research and development of the product, due to its medium-large scale, its enclosed nature, and the wide variety of users. This combination of factors made the design feasible in the timeframe of the graduation project, while keeping it open for possible future applications in other environments such as factories, hospitals, and airports.The vehicle typology to design was not set upfront or arbitrarily chosen in the beginning, but it was determined by process of analysis, during which a design vision and a set of requirements were created.In a cycle of three iterations, concepts were created by following an incremental process in which insights from one idea served as a starting point for the next, leading to well-defined product architecture. This was built with simple prototyping techniques to generate a proof of concept, ready to be tested by users.Finally, the embodiment design phase elevated the product architecture to a detailed state, defining construction, mechanisms, materials and form through the use of a variety of techniques, ranging from sketching, digital visualisation and simulation, physical prototyping and user testing.The result is a dynamic, elegant and robust kickscooter with a stable three-wheel tilting and steering mechanism, an expandable compact cargo solution and a nestable configuration, specifically designed to answer the demanding requests of a chaotic shared mobility environment. Its name is Flo. ... Read more

Although wakeboarding is increasing in popularity and number of participants, the market of wakeboard features only fulfils the needs of a part of its potential customers. A gap has been determined in the expertise development of riders. Therefore, the focus of this project is on riders that have enough skills to complete a full round on a cable park but are not ready for currently existing features. Additionally, a distinction is made between Adrenaline Seekers and Entertainment Enjoyers. The latter is focussed on within this project. Based on this target audience analysis, an interaction vision with the qualities of Surprise, Togetherness and Encouraged is developed. This was the starting point for ideation.
In the development phase the minimum viable version of the Pad, a feature that provides a different riding experience than water without the risk for injuries, has been designed. This development is executed by combining the results of a material exploration into prototypes that are realised and tested by riders on a cable park.
The evaluation of these prototypes led to the final design of the Pad, which is the first product in the development process of this new generation. According to the vision created, this development process should be continued in order to enlarge the product portfolio and realise this new generation. By enriching the wakeboarding experience of Entertainment Enjoyers, a new generation has started in the evolving sport wakeboarding. ... Read more

Digital technology is conquering private homes and changes the way people interact with products and services. Today already, devices provide intelligent support for daily tasks, by making homes automated and context-aware. This inexorable trend is projected to further reshape the nature of consumer goods. However, several threats come along with blindly implementing digital technology. Meaningful human-product interactions can get diluted, or even lost, by the ongoing automation of the kitchen. Especially, highly emotional luxury brands like German kitchen appliance manufacturer Gaggenau, rely on the physical qualities of their products. This dilemma makes the brand hesitate when it comes to the implementation of digital technologies, facing the thread of their products becoming obsolete on a market driven by digitalization. A crucial task for the brand’s future development is to find the balance between support and automation while preserving their user-centered brand values. While analyzing the target group it was found crucial to understand their process of cooking, in order to identify novel opportunity spaces.
An essential insight derived by analyzing the relationships of a product and its surrounding environment. Supportive countertop devices take a big amount of space. When managing bulky kitchen machines, the user has to restore the device after every use or leaving it on the countertop permanently. Additionally, every machine comes with its own, heavy motor block which is doing essentially the same thing - providing motion. The design principle was formulated, describing the idea of an universal motion port, submerged in the countertop surface of a kitchen. The seamlessly integrated hub provides motion and heat via an electromagnetic field, powering various modules placed on top of the counter.
Exploring the principle, became the focus of the project and a blender module was chosen as an example module. During the embodiment of the product, several ideas were tested to transfer a rotary momentum through a solid surface. The principle of an axial flux motor was sensed promising and got prototyped and tested by many iterations. A more elaborated prototype from machined parts was made, proofing the concept idea as valid. Due to the successful implementation of the axial flux motor principle an ultra slim motion port was achieved. To further enrich the product experience, a haptic input controller was designed. This completely detachable magnetic dial works with a digital user interface shining through the counter surface.
The final design of the blender module was strongly guided by the three design attributes - light, pure and effortless. The semi-transparent glass object can lock in on the submerged motion port on a perfectly unbroken surface. While processing food, the cook can perceive the color of the produce, even through the lid. The frosted glass finish combined with the light and pure appearance of the product, makes the device harmonize with its surrounding. Finally, The Gaggenau Sous Chef, was designed to be unobtrusively accessible to the user and to allow a flexible operation of modules by an universal motion port.
... Read more

Urbee is a smart BSSs (bicycle sharing system) which targets private companies as their customers. Unlike common city BSSs that are run by municipalities, Urbee stations can be installed on the diverse environment that cannot be as sufficient and perfect as the space of common city BSSs. This project is about proposing the solution for this specific context.

A nomadic docking station, semi-permanent, architecture which can fit to different given spaces with high adaptability is proposed in this report. To meet the diverse demands of private BSS in the future, the implementation of system should be flexible. The modularized docking station provides four main types of efficient parking configurations. The amount of bikes is changeable depending on the space dimension. The non-excavating installation allows the station can be relocated easily. All these parking configurations can be constructed with the same set of station components.

The image of the next-gen Urbee docking station can be determined after the project. A lower threshold for implement Urbee system for customers, which also helps Urbee to increase the business expandability. A higher mobility and adaptability that system could be quickly adjusted, according to diverse environments and needs. The higher smartised system which provide more intuitive and easier user experience.
... Read more