This graduation project focused on developing a functional, comfortable, and reliable textile knee sensor sleeve for use in rehabilitation after knee injuries. Knee injuries are common and have a big impact on daily life. Current progress measurements in knee rehabilitation are mainly based on subjective observations by physical therapists. Objective measurements, when performed, are often fragmented, limited to snapshots, time-consuming and presented in difficult-to-interpret data. This results in a lack of continuous insight into movement of the knee, which makes it difficult to monitor and evaluate progress during exercises and throughout the entire rehabilitation process.

The research focused on the use of textile strain sensors as an accessible and affordable alternative to more complex and expensive sensors like IMUs. These sensors detect strain via changes in contact points, enabling to track movements like joint flexion (bending) and extension (stretching). Because of the high number of knee injuries and the impact on daily life, where the knee is constantly under strain during movement, this joint was chosen as the focus of this project.

To optimize the design for both technical and user-friendliness, the project combined literature research, field research, experimental research, and user testing. This provided insight into user needs, technical constraints, and optimizations for the sensor. The concept was developed by integrating the sensor and associated electronics into a textile knee sleeve and investigating how knee movement influences the sensor output. A visual interface was also developed that presents the data to the user in an understandable way. Design choices were validated through feedback from potential users, measurements, and iterative testing.

The result of this project is KinetiK, a knee sleeve and accompanying interface that allows users to monitor their movements in real time via a live graph. Instant feedback allows users to improve and correct their exercise performance during the session. The interface also gives an overview of session results, such as the number of bends, movement consistency, and maximum flexion angle. Long-term trends and badges help the user track progress and achieve goals. User testing confirmed that the concept is valuable for both patients and physical therapists, as it provides insight into progress and increases motivation.

Validation tests show that the knee sleeve is currently capable of counting the number of flexions, estimating maximum knee angles, measuring movement consistency, and tracking range of motion symmetry. However, precise measurements of knee angles and movement symmetry need additional research and optimization.

All in all, this project shows that a textile knee sensor sleeve can be a useful, accessible, and motivating rehabilitation tool, with potential for further application in for example daily activity monitoring, as motivational game-based application, and future use in combination with other sensor technologies. The project combines technology with user-centered design and gives a solid foundation for further development of a desired data-driven rehabilitation aid.

‘Sliders’ are plastic pucks attached to the leather suit of a motorcycle racer, whose knees come in active contact with the tarmac during cornering.
The exact location of these contact points are influenced by the rider’s body position, which is highly personal for each rider due to their anthropometry and riding techniques and styles.

A new slider attachment system called the ‘Damen Grid System’ is tailored to the exact active tarmac contact points of the rider, by 3D-scanning the rider in their personally used body positions. A contact point research was conducted with professional world championship riders, to gain insight into the variables that influence the ideal position of the slider on a rider's suit. Extensive context and user research forms the base of designing a new, complementary attachment system and implementing the tailored positioning.

The system and its locking mechanism were designed to address the shortcomings of traditionally used Velcro attachment systems, by providing a more secure, precise and consistent placement solution.

By ensuring that the slider is always positioned in the optimal spot, it not only enhances rider safety but also protects the integrity of the leather suit, reducing wear and tear caused by incorrect placement or detachment.
The system integrates effortlessly with existing suits, maintaining both functionality and improving aesthetics and aerodynamics, while also increasing the overall durability and reliability of the racing gear.

This innovation aims to give riders confidence in their equipment, allowing them to focus on performance without worrying about potential gear failures.

This master’s thesis presents a comprehensive redesign of the vaginal speculum, an essential yet historically problematic device used in women’s healthcare. The project focuses on addressing three main issues: enhancing patient comfort, fulfilling physician needs, and ensuring environmental sustainability. This work aims to resolve the persistent discomfort and anxiety associated with pelvic exams, which are exacerbated by the current design of the speculum, while also considering the environmental impact of the healthcare sector.

The vaginal speculum has seen little change since its invention in 1845, despite its controversial history and the discomfort it causes to patients. Traditionally, its design prioritized the needs of healthcare providers, often neglecting the experience of the patient. The discomfort caused by the device has been a significant deterrent for women undergoing gynecological examinations, contributing to delays in the diagnosis and treatment of various health conditions. While some modern adjustments have been made—such as the shift from reusable metal speculums to single-use plastic versions—these changes have increased the environmental burden of healthcare, particularly in the context of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The project followed the three diamond design method, encompassing the phases of Discover, Define, Ideate, Conceptualize, Develop, and Deliver, to create a new speculum design. The process began with an in-depth exploration of the needs of three primary stakeholders: patients, healthcare providers, and the environment. This included literature reviews, hands-on explorations, and interviews to understand the diverse perspectives and challenges faced by each group.

The resulting design, named "Lilium," integrates patient-centered features such as improved ergonomics, reduced invasiveness, and enhanced aesthetics to alleviate patient discomfort. For healthcare providers, the design offers a more efficient and user-friendly tool that facilitates better access and visibility during examinations. In terms of sustainability, the Lilium speculum is designed for reusability, with a focus on materials that reduce environmental impact while maintaining high standards of hygiene and safety.

This design thesis explored the possibilities of recycling medical waste from the Intensive Care Unit of the Erasmus MC Hospital in the transition towards Circular ICUs. Through a combination of qualitative research methods, such as observations, interviews and waste audit, the medical context and the waste composition were explored. By selecting the most promising waste types for recycling, proposals for their collection and following parts of the waste journey were prepared.

In close collaboration with the main stakeholders and several sessions with the nurses, two directions for the final design were defined. Both solutions bring part of the waste stream upwards in the hospital waste hierarchy, ensuring better environmental scenarios in the short term. The first part of the design provides a process for separately collecting the packaging of special infusions bags used for dialysis. This process is aided by several physical and graphical tools which help the waste generating group, the nurses, to integrate the separation into their practices easily and correctly. The second part of the design promotes the correct usage of existing waste shredders through simplified rules and aided decision making.

By implementing the proposed solutions, nearly 10.000 kg of plastic waste can be derailed from incineration towards mechanical recycling, and 2000 kg of infectious waste can be saved from high intensity hazardous waste incineration. The overall environmental impact of the design is calculated to reach a reduction of 26.000 kg CO2 yearly and more importantly, poses an example to other hospitals, that recycling of their waste is a possible scenario.

This Master thesis was developed for Mercedes-Benz AG. The following report elaborates the steps taken in developing a holistic interior vision for ‘Sustainable Luxury’ of Mercedes-Benz. In seek of representation for the future societal needs, and possible future challenges and opportunities in terms of holistic mobility conceptualisation, the research took place in the rural areas of Japan. Therefore, this project is aimed at ‘Self-reliant people accepting innovation raised on the traditional values’. These people are seeking the segregated life, focused on the abundant luxury of time, bonds of smaller communities, and personal fulfilment. Cherishing the community traditions, innovation is acceptable if it preserves the experiential domain of respect towards community members and the environment. To fulfil the demand for such a context, the mission was ‘to achieve a perception of an abundance of less within the experience and perception of the product while keeping the identity of the brand intact.’ As the reconciliation between sustainability and luxury indicates the change of expression of luxury in means of a form, the qualities of the premium experience are set to keeping the utmost feeling of safety and physical ease leading to comfort. Therefore, ‘encountering a moment for yourself, within a shared experience, in comfort.’ was set as the desired interaction. The ideation led to the development of three concept ideas, which were further validated and iterated leading to the conclusive vision ‘Ikigai: A reason for being’. Ikigai presents mobility solution as part of the holistic system of sustainability and manifests as a contribution to the context. The vision ‘Ikigai’ is a Level 4 shared mobility service by Mercedes-Benz, intended for the rural communities of Japan. The on-demand service, utilising the Mercedes-Benz municipal vehicle, grants community residents overcoming the dependence on the pre-scheduled, public transportation of the area. The private zones in the interior space are providing users with a possibility for individual focus and relaxation while in a shared environment. Ikigai’s minimalistic interior is enriched by the works of local craftsman. The material finishings of unique algae-based materials and bio-luminescent lights, produced in the village, are limited to the vehicle design specific to the area. Consequently, the car simultaneously represents exclusivity of the local craftsmen and uniqueness of the tradition, sharing them in rides beyond the borders of the village. The brand remains to provide unique personal experiences within innovative products. Meticulous attention to details and high build quality bring it to the class of its own in providing a sense of safety and physical ease leading to Mercedes-Benz comfort.

This Graduation product concerning a Master Thesis for the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering explores and develops an Economy Class Sleeping Facility meant for the Flying V concept plane developed by the Delft University of Technology. Sleeping and relaxing are the highest performed activities inside an airplane during cruise flight, however this is scored lowest on comfort. To increase passenger comfort on long-haul flights a better sleeping facility has to be provided by airlines. An extensive literature research along with gathering of relevant information resulted in a list of requirements the Economy Class Sleeping Facility had to fulfill. These requirements together with the knowledge from gathered information were taken into account during the ideation phase. Out of these ideas 2 ideas proved to be possible to turn into a viable product meeting all requirements. These ideas were subsequently turned into concepts by evaluating measurements to check if they were indeed as promising as expected from the ideation phase. A life size prototype was built to make it possible to test both concepts with potential users. This user test performed with 10 participants generated several insights which led to changes to the concepts. Subsequently, concepts were compared and evaluated by using a Harris-Profile to see if they met all requirements formulated from the analysis phase. From this evaluation 1 concept turned out to have the most potential and was chosen to developed into a full design. The final design consists of the Economy Class Sleeping Facility, but also took into account the whole economy class interior it should be placed in. A final evaluation was performed to evaluate the design and form recommendations. This final evaluation is done by an online questionnaire filled in by 204 participants, with 184 relevant responses.
This all resulted in the final design of the Economy Class Sleeping Facility. This Economy Class Sleeping Facility is unique because it offers beds that transform into seats which need to be used during taxi, take-off and landing. This all without occupying extra space, by applying the proposed lay-out capacity of the Flying V even increases with 3 passengers. The beds have a length of 193cm, which means that the majority of people can lay down fully flat while flying. Inside the cabin passengers have their own control panel controlling airflow, lights and the curtains which create privacy. Next to that each bed is equipped with a personal In-Flight Entertainment system. Out of 184 people who evaluated the design, aged between 17 and 75, 69,57% indicated they would use the bed system as presented to sleep during a long-haul flight. Also, participants rated the expected comfort of the beds with an average of 4,45 out of 7. While experienced comfort of sleeping in economy class seats was rated 2,63 out of 7. This shows a large increase in passenger comfort offered by the Economy Class Sleeping Facility.