This thesis explores how cultural identity and Moroccan food practices can inform the design of a future kitchen appliance. The project was carried out in collaboration with De’Longhi Braun Household and started from the question of what the kitchen of 2040 could become when it is shaped not only by efficiency, convenience and technology, but also by culture, heritage and everyday food practices.

The research focused on young adults of Moroccan heritage living in the Netherlands. Through cultural research, brand research, a survey, interviews and a participatory research session, the project explored how Moroccan food practices are continued, adapted and experienced in contemporary home kitchens. The findings show that food plays an important role in cultural identity, belonging, family connection and sharing. At the same time, traditional practices can be difficult to maintain because they require time, confidence, specific knowledge and tools that do not always fit Western kitchen environments.

These insights led to the design of AZERG, a kitchen appliance for making amlou, a traditional Moroccan almond, argan oil and honey spread. The concept combines references to the traditional stone grinder and the tajine with Braun’s functional and minimal design language. Instead of fully automating the process, AZERG uses power-assisted grinding to reduce physical effort while keeping the user actively involved in the circular grinding movement.

The final design shows that cultural representation in kitchen appliances does not have to rely on decoration alone. It can also be created through interaction, materiality, use rituals and the practices a product makes possible. In this way, AZERG supports people in reconnecting with cultural roots and sharing these practices with others in everyday home use. ... Read more

Microneedle patch (MNP) technology enables transdermal drug delivery (TDD) by penetrating the stratum corneum (SC) and is upcoming in the East-Asian skincare market as anti-acne microneedle patches (AAMNPs). TDD increase the absorption of active acne-fighting ingredients, which are dissolved in these microneedles. However, AAMNPs cannot penetrate the SC successfully with manual application. As manual application frequently results in inconsistent needle penetration, reduced efficacy, and needle damage during use, which has also been confirmed with this thesis. To make the microneedles (MNs) penetrate an applicator is required. At the moment there is no known cosmetic MNP applicator on the market, indicating a gap in the market. This thesis presents the design and development of MINUS, a compact AAMNP applicator for facial use. The primary objective was to create a device that ensures effective, safe, consistent, and accurate application of AAMNPs while accommodating multiple patch sizes for a broad MNP usage. The project was conducted for uPATCH, a startup primarily focused on the development for medical MNP applicator.
The research is done with a triple diamond approach with three phases: research, conceptualisation, and embodiment. Main procedures included market analysis, investigating penetration mechanics, researching AAMNP effective penetration spring force and user evaluations. The resulting design implements an impact force delivery system, enabled by a spring that is retracted and locked by twisting the device. This spring is released by a button, pushing the inserting AAMNP forward, resulting in penetration using impact force. The design consists of nine parts that can be easily assembled under 1 minutes. The applicator accommodates AAMNPs up to 20mm in diameter and prioritizes compatibility with existing patch packaging for rapid market integration.
Findings indicate that the MINUS applicator successfully enables skin penetration of CMNPs, transforming previously ineffective topical applications into functional transdermal delivery systems. However, several limitations were identified, including testing conducted on forearm rather than facial skin, and the inability to establish direct contact with manufacturers and consumers for validation. Recommendations include exploring an adjustable impact force mechanism to accommodate for the different facial regions, investigating repairability improvements and encouraging MNP manufacturers to redesign their MNPs to be able to penetrate with a spring force of 20 N instead of 45 N.
This thesis shows that a well-designed applicator can significantly enhance the effectiveness and user experience of AAMNPs, creating value for manufacturers, clients, and end-users while addressing a clear gap in the current market. ... Read more

Cooking has been one of the most important activities of mankind throughout history. The Early Humans already gathered around the campfire to prepare and cook ingredients together. This campfire evolved to the kitchen area as we know it today. In the last century, since the introduction of the Frankfurter Kitchen by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky in 1926, this area has been focused on efficiency. This value supported general wealth and is still visible in our current kitchen.

Looking towards 2040, we need to reflect if this value from 1926 still aligns with our current desires. Looking back to the campfire, cooking was a moment of being together and interact on a social level.

In an ever-busy lifestyle, this social interaction with friends and near ones is more important than ever. Therefore this thesis explores how to replace the value of efficiency with focus on the social interaction. This within the cooking journey of Dutch starters in a 2040 context.

This thesis is in close collaboration with De`Longhi Braun Household, a company in small domestic appliances located in Germany.

This thesis is divided in a research and conceptualisation phase. During desk research an adapted Vision in Product (ViP) design approach is used to reveal the core value of cooking from the past, current and future. This value, combined with a determined focus area and group, results in the creation of a design vision.

Through ideation, conceptualisation and prototyping the final design, Mesa, is introduced. A total replacement of the 2026 kitchen area. This flexible kitchen enables the person cooking to move with the social interaction, and therefore having the opportunity to be included in conversations during the complete cooking journey. This way people can make best use of the time they spend together.

Mesa, developed for a Dutch starters couple in a 2040 home context, considers all stages of the cooking process. Moving with the social interaction, preparing ingredients, cooking on induction technology, fume extraction and fresh water supply are all covered.

After validating this concept kitchen, users indicate a desirability towards this new vision of social cooking. The execution is promising, but further development is required before mass implementation.
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The amount of products we own combined with the ease of obsolescence, result in a huge environmental impact. Our attitude towards products is unsustainable and designers have a responsibility to guide consumers toward more meaningful and lasting relationships with the products we buy.

Since the kitchen appliance market is highly saturated, focus on functionality and affordability makes it hard to compete. There is an opportunity in adding other types of value (emotional, social, epistemic and conditional) to Braun kitchen appliances, to be front runner for the transition in kitchen context and product ownership.

The choice to cook often results in a trade-off between time, cost, and health. The mega-trends show that health, sustainability, self expression and community become increasingly important. Therefore cooking will transition from a functional activity to an experience-based one. The purpose of cooking will be to acquire skills or to connect with oneself and others.

The conceptual design, 'The Turning Point', transforms the cooking process into a satisfying and enjoyable experience. Users can choose between hand-pulling and foot-pumping movements, which are converted by a visible mechanism into a rotational driver for kitchen appliances. This replaces all electric rotating motors in the kitchen. The interaction between user and product requires effort from the user, thereby strengthening their relationship. Direct feedback makes people feel in control, and they value the end result more when they have put in the effort themselves.

The future persona will put time and effort in their kitchen appliance and associates the product with a positive experience. The investment and positive association lead to more product attachment. Care and maintenance feel natural and satisfy the user. Their daily movements contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

The report is structured based on the Vision in Product Design method (ViP). The current context is compared to the future context of 2040, which is used to create a design vision. The Turning Point is a showcase that embodies communicates this vision.
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This project aimed to redesign the manufacturing process of superyacht doors, platforms, and hatches at Akerboom Yacht Equipment, a subsidiary of Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw. Akerboom’s current sequential, fixed-position manufacturing method results in inefficient space use and physically demanding working conditions. The goal was to develop a standardized manufacturing method and corresponding workstations that improve efficiency, reduce labor hours, and enhance ergonomics without compromising quality.

The research phase involved workflow analysis, ergonomic evaluation, Lean Muda identification, and stakeholder consultations, which revealed non-value-adding activities, layout inefficiencies, and ergonomic risks. Based on these findings, a new manufacturing process was developed, splitting core processes and designing standardized workstations for them.

The concept showed a 23% ergonomic improvement compared to the current state, exceeding the initial 15% target. Lead time simulations demonstrated a reduction of approximately 165.5 hours (26.1%). Financial analysis projected a payback period of approximately four years under full implementation. Furthermore, key stakeholders confirmed the concept’s feasibility, viability, and desirability.

Overall, the project provides a blueprint for a standardized manufacturing approach that delivers shorter lead times, improves ergonomics, and ensures long-term economic benefits for Akerboom. ... Read more

Knee injuries are increasing in the Netherlands, while many physiotherapists are leaving the profession due to high workloads and limited career growth, highlighting a growing gap in rehabilitation services. Through literature research and qualitative interviews, the rehabilitation process, patient challenges, biomechanics, and emotional adaptations after injury were explored. A stakeholder analysis and patient journey mapping revealed that a major barrier to recovery is the misalignment between physical and psychological rehabilitation, known as parallel recovery.
Further research into existing knee wearables and competitor analysis indicated a market gap. While current solutions focus on either physiological or biomechanical measures, few integrate both to address parallel recovery. With the rise of E-health technologies and constrained healthcare access, moving the patient more to home and self management, a system promoting synchronized physical and mental rehabilitation is viable.
Based on these insights, the project scope shifted towards developing a system that enhances parallel recovery using actionable sensor data. Three design directions were developed, with the final concept being Symphysis. Symphysis is a product-service system that detects physiological responses in relation to knee movement through a sensor kit combined with a mobile app and therapist dashboard. It enables patients and physiotherapists to identify emotional challenges during rehabilitation through a unique feedback loop.
The system uses three wearable modules placed on the thigh, shin and wrist , integrating heart rate (PPG), galvanic skin response (GSR), and inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors. By analysing changes in heart rate variability, skin conductance, range of motion, and movement biomechanics, Symphysis provides insights into how psychological states influence movement patterns. The wearable connects via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to an app that visualizes the data for both patients and therapists, supporting live session tracking, daily monitoring and telerehabilitation.
To test the concept, a functional prototype was developed and evaluated with nine healthy participants. Participants completed three conditions: resting baseline, squats without cognitive load, and squats with a cognitive load (counting backwards in 7s).
Paired sample T-tests showed a significant increase in GSR (P = 0.038, d = 0.83), internal/external rotation range of motion (P = 0.045, d = 0.28), and velocity (P = 0.049, d = 0.17) under cognitive load. Participants also took significantly longer to complete exercises under cognitive load (P = 0.021, d = 0.96), indicating clear effect of the cognitive load, but the differences in time allowed participant use different adaptation strategies, which made comparison more difficult.
These results suggest that Symphysis can detect emotional influences on movement. However, sensor reliability, particularly in the wrist module, needs improvement. Future work should refine the hardware, set a fixed exercise pace to minimize adaptation strategies, and conduct further validation before drawing conclusions and beginning clinical trials. ... Read more

More people are being diagnosed with skin cancer worldwide. High-Dose-Rate (HDR) brachytherapy provides a highly effective radiotherapeutic approach for skin cancer due to its capacity for very localized and accurately controlled radiation dose delivery. For an even more effective treatment, patient specific applicators are made in the hospital. 
These custom applicators offer a better anatomical fit to the skin than the readily available applicators and can be designed to give a patient specific treatment. Current solutions make use of 3D printing but often still involve complex, time-intensive fabrication workflows that lack flexibility and maintain uncertainties in dose delivery.

This project addresses these limitations by developing and validating a novel 3D printing fabrication method for these custom skin applicators in combination with a re-designed workflow to offer one solution for all types of non-melanoma skin cancer. It approaches the challenges and opportunities from a user-centered product design perspective, instead of the common clinical viewpoint.

The findings demonstrate three critical advantages of this new system: a faster and more flexible workflow and an applicator with better dose distribution. The new applicator design and workflow provide a low-effort fabrication pipeline, drastically reducing the time it takes to make a custom skin applicator. Going from a multiple day process to a +/- 1,5 hour process that can be done while the patient is waiting. 
The nurse and physician can take advantage of a more automatized workflow without losing their necessary control. The low threshold of the fabrication gives more flexibility in the workflow and adaptations or corrections are easier made.

This project validates a step toward a new generation of personalized HDR brachytherapy applicators for skin cancer. Paving the way for improved clinical efficiency and treatment quality. ... Read more

‘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.
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Children with disabilities (CwD) experience many barriers decreasing their quality of life and hindering their development. Child therapists support CwD and parents of children with disabilities (PCwD) to participate in daily activities. However, the child therapists indicated to be missing the practical tools to also facilitate inclusive outdoor play. For this reason, the HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht (HU) set up the Samen spelen project. The Samen spelen project found that PCwD and parents of children with typical development (PCwTD) play a role in the barriers CwD experience as there is a knowledge gap between them. This thesis was set up in collaboration with the HU to further explore the knowledge gap and the role increased parental contact can play in decreasing the barriers CwD experience.
It was found that PCwTD rarely come into contact with CwD and therefore lack the knowledge and skills to treat CwD properly and teach children with typical development (CwTD) about CwD. Additionally, mainly the differences between CwTD and CwD are perceived, preventing the normalisation of CwD.
Based on these findings, the design vision is formulated. The vision focuses on stimulating direct contact between CwD, PCwD, CwTD and PCwTD by guiding the parents to provide input for inclusive play. Followed by stimulating PCwD to help PCwTD correct the children during inclusive play and highlighting the similarities between the children.
Based on this vision, de Voelvlek is designed. The Voelvlek consists of a sensory rug, abstractly shaped balls called ‘monstertjes’ and play cards. The monstertjes are dynamic objects that stimulate spontaneous interaction between PCwD and PCwTD and stimulate bystanders to join the play. The parents can mix and match the play cards to facilitate inclusive play ideas for their children. By discussing the common interests of the children for the play, PCwTD learn about the similarities between CwD and CwTD. When the children are playing the PCwTD can continue this learning process through observation and the questions on the play cards. The play cards use different kinds of questions to stimulate parental interaction and help PCwTD reflect on their behaviour towards CwD and PCwTD. ... Read more