Effectiveness of an Internet‐Based Graduate Engineering Management Course

This research provides engineering educators analytical evidence as to the effectiveness of Internet‐based course instruction. The research examined the University of Missouri‐Rolla's Internet‐based Advanced Production and Operations Management course, with a focus on determining the effectiveness of the Internet‐based education tools used. Over 100 students in five Internet‐based classes and one traditional, in‐class control group were given three sets of surveys, learning style assessments, a course pre‐test, and a course final examination. Multiple conclusions were drawn from this study based on analyses of the data collected. First, the Internet‐based students performed equally as well as the control group as measured by the difference between pre‐test and post‐test scores. Second, the Internet‐based students were found to have had exaggerated time requirement expectations for taking a course in the Internet environment. Third, the students rated the effectiveness and satisfaction positively for the Internet classroom format. Initially, the Internet‐based students were skeptical of electronic lectures but their experiences were positive.     

Using a Nationwide Internet‐Based Bridge Design Contest as a Vehicle for Engineering Outreach

The West Point Bridge Design Contest is a nationwide competition intended to increase middle school and high school students' interest in engineering. Unique among national engineering competitions, it entails no cost to participants, is entirely Internet‐based, and is achievable by any student with a Web‐enabled computer. By leveraging information technology, a project team of just three people has provided an engaging engineering design experience to over 30,000 students in the past two years. The project receives financial and promotional support from the American Society of Civil Engineers and private industry. Feedback from contestants and teachers indicates that students' interest in engineering is positively affected by their participation in the contest.     

Perspectives on an Internet‐Based Synchronous Distance Learning Experience

This paper examines the distance learning process by providing an informed student's perspective as well as the instructor's perspective on an Internet‐based synchronous distance learning experience. Throughout the semester, the student maintained a class‐by‐class journal on his experiences and reactions to the Internet‐based course. This journal served as a crucial resource in the subsequent evaluation of the virtual classroom experience. The analysis provided in this paper, informed by current research on traditional and distance education, suggests that community, interaction, pedagogy, attention, and feedback play important roles in the success of an Internet‐based learning experience. Specific comments by the course instructor, as well as survey results from both students and other instructors for a number of synchronous Internet‐based courses, are also presented. This data further illuminates the student synchronous distance education experience and contributes additional insight into the delivery method and its ongoing evolution. The unique observations and conclusions provided here are useful for both instructors and students interested in participating in synchronous as well as asynchronous computermediated education.     

基于兴趣引导的交互式儿童玩教具产品设计研究

目的设计出符合儿童发展特征及兴趣爱好的玩教具产品。方法以交互设计为前提,从幼儿园教师和儿童双重视角进行综合分析,从儿童玩教具产品的研究现状、研究意义、需求状况以及儿童的兴趣爱好、注意特征、审美特征、行为特征入手,提取问题点,得出儿童玩教具产品交互体验的影响因素,进行激发儿童心智发展和增强互动体验。结论在兴趣引导下的互动体验的玩教具产品有利于儿童主动学习,从娱乐中探索新鲜事物,使教与学自然地融合在一起。     

基于沉浸理论的儿童教育类APP交互设计

目的分析儿童教育类APP的发展现状及交互设计现状,探寻其在交互体验上的不足之处。探讨沉浸理论对于儿童教育类APP交互设计的可行性、有效性及实用性,并针对该类APP的沉浸式交互体验设计提出一些设计策略和建议。方法通过对儿童的认知能力、视觉和听觉特征、能力限度等方面的行为特征分析,结合APP实际案例,并以沉浸理论为指导来探索虚拟学习环境系统设计的关键因素,进而探寻儿童教育类APP的交互体验优化方案。结论在儿童教育类APP的交互逻辑架构设计和系统表象设计中,应充分考虑儿童的心理认知能力和行为限度,强调以儿童体验为核心,尤其以沉浸理论为指导,进而从交互和表象两个方面去营造强烈的临场感、参与感和成就感,来提升儿童学习的主动性及学习效率。     

Measuring Engineering Design Self‐Efficacy

Background Self‐concept can influence how an individual learns, but is often overlooked when assessing student learning in engineering. Purpose (Hypothesis ) To validate an instrument designed to measure individuals' self‐concepts toward engineering design tasks, three research questions were investigated: (a) how well the items in the instrument represent the engineering design process in eliciting the task‐specific self‐concepts of self‐efficacy, motivation, outcome expectancy, and anxiety, (b) how well the instrument predicts differences in the self‐efficacy held by individuals with a range of engineering experiences, and (c) how well the responses to the instrument align with the relationships conceptualized in self‐efficacy theory. Design /Method A 36‐item online instrument was developed and administered to 202 respondents. Three types of validity evidence were obtained for (a) representativeness of multi‐step engineering design processes in eliciting self‐efficacy, (b) the instrument's ability to differentiate groups of individuals with different levels of engineering experience, and (c) relationships between self‐efficacy, motivation, outcome expectancy, and anxiety as predicted by self‐efficacy theory. Results Results indicate that the instrument can reliably identify individuals' engineering design self‐efficacy (α = 0.967), motivation (α = 0.955), outcome expectancy (α = 0.967), and anxiety (α = 0.940). One‐way ANOVA identified statistical differences in self‐efficacy between high, intermediate, and low experience groups at the ρ < 0.05 level. Self‐efficacy was also shown to be correlated to motivation (0.779), outcome expectancy (0.919), and anxiety (—0.593) at the ρ < 0.01 level. Conclusions The study showed that the instrument was capable of identifying individuals' self‐concepts specific to the engineering design tasks.     

Understanding the Role of Self‐Efficacy in Engineering Education

The engineering professor's role is dualistic in the sense that not only must s/he create an academic environment conducive to the acquisition of course content but must also prepare students to become practicing professionals. This dualism requires that the professor both motivate good study habits as well as build within students the confidence that they have the requisite capability to perform actual engineering. Self‐efficacy, simply defined as one's self‐judgment concerning capability, has been shown to be an important mediating factor in cognitive motivation. This paper describes the motivating role of the professor, theories of motivation, the role of self‐efficacy in motivation, and guiding principles that can be used to enhance self‐efficacy in engineering students. These principles can serve as guidelines in designing instructional delivery strategies that motivate engineering students to engage in behaviors conducive to becoming value‐added practitioners.     

基于系统设计思维理念下的交互产品设计研究

目的针对交互设计师在构建交互产品设计时的系统性思维,以用户体验、服务设计理念上的交互产品设计模型为研究对象,创造和优化交互产品设计模式。方法以博物馆交互产品设计为实验样本,基于系统设计思维理念,将交互产品设计置于用户体验、服务设计理念、情景设计理念分析中,阐释基于系统思维的交互产品情感化特征,包括用户情感需求和产品服务生态系统,以及心智模型与概念模型的关系和视觉系统呈现,阐释产品交互界面的数据动态可视化、虚拟现实的游戏化、服务式设计等方式。结论探索了用户体验、服务设计理念在交互产品设计中的应用,提出了"目标—建模—行为—体验"的综合层级的系统模式,有利于满足产品经理和交互设计师开展交互产品设计的需求,提升用户体验和交互产品的优化设计,在系统设计思维理论下,优化了交互产品设计感知行为、情感体验行为,实现了引导转换和系统改良,提升了设计策略的时效性。     

Lignin‐Based Direct Ink Printed Structural Scaffolds

3D printing of lignocellulosic biomass (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) has attracted increasing attention by using this abundant, sustainable, and ecofriendly material. While cellulose can be easily tailored into a highly viscous ink for 3D printing, after solvent evaporation, the final printed structures become highly porous, fragile, and easily fall apart in water due to its hydrophilic nature. Lignin, another crucial component of natural lignocellulose, has not yet been reported for ink printing due to its unfavorable rheological behavior. Herein, a low‐cost direct ink printing strategy is developed to fabricate lignin‐based 3D structures with lignin no further refined and a more compact microstructure as well as different functionalities compared with printed cellulose. By using a soft triblock copolymer as the crosslinking agent, the rheology of lignin‐based inks can be adjusted from soft to rigid, and even enables vertical printing which requires stiff and self‐supporting features. The lignin‐based inks contain less water (≈40 wt%) and exhibit a much denser, stiffer structure, resulting in a wet tensile strength of ≈30 MPa, compared to only ≈0.6 MPa for printed cellulose. In addition, the unique macromolecular structure of lignin also demonstrates significantly improved stability in water and under heat, as well as UV‐blocking performance.     

基于互动型设计的食品包装创新研究

目的以当前的消费理念为背景,研究互动型食品包装的设计原则与方法。方法对受众与消费者不同的消费层次进行分析,在遵循普通食品包装设计规范基础上,创新性地从包装互动性、趣味性和衍生性角度出发,将互动型设计理念与食品包装设计相结合,达到设计目的。结论从包装市场消费趋势与互动型包装创新性的角度来看,互动型设计在食品包装设计领域中的发展前景十分可观,其设计的创新层面不仅体现在多变化、多互动的盒型设计,更体现在对当今多元化的大众消费理念的理解。     

基于情感仿生的交互设计方法研究

目的为拟合线下用户情感,基于仿生概念提出一种交互设计方法。方法以工业产品仿生设计方法、交互设计一般流程、用户个体心理三分法理论为基础,对移动应用产品中的情感仿生类型和关键特征进行研究。结论归纳出依据视觉细节、执行流程和场景氛围为不同交互设计对象的交互情感仿生类型,提出情感仿生交互设计概念框架和面向执行流程的情感仿生模型,并以音乐移动应用设计实例说明方法的可靠性和适应性,为交互设计师开发产品提供新思路。     

基于公理设计的产品结构设计模型研究

目的为了满足客户的实际需求,缩短产品设计周期,避免传统设计方法生成产品结构的过程中易产生设计耦合的潜在问题。方法以结构设计作为主要目的,提出一种基于公理设计的产品结构设计模型(AxiomaticDesignBasedStructuralDesign,ADBSD)。该模型在质量功能展开(QualityFunction Deployment, QFD)的基础上,采用KANO模型的赋值计算规则,获得总体客户功能需求权重值,作为结构设计的总功能需求,输入公理设计框架流程中的"Z"字型映射中;并运用TRIZ技术冲突、发明原理等工具进行设计优化,在设计初期解决设计参数之间的冲突问题,得到完整的产品设计结构。结果通过对小空间自走式消防装备进行设计研究,阐述了运用ADBSD进行产品结构设计的优势,验证了该方法的可行性。结论该模型为产品创新设计过程提供了新思路和理论参考。     

基于情境的产品交互设计思维研究

目的 探讨设计师在情境作用下的系统性思维过程,旨在构建基于情境的产品交互设计思维模型,为设计师如何设计出用户体验较好的产品提供思路。方法 以设计思维作为研究对象,将设计过程置于情境分析中,采用理论框架构建和实验验证的方法,基于“5W1H”方法构建情境组织模型,以分析设计过程中的情境作用。结论 通过实验及分析进一步提出基于情境作用的产品交互设计思维模型,在设计过程具有一定的参考作用,有利于促进设计师开展产品交互设计活动,完善其设计方案,以提升产品的体验感。     

基于通感转化理论的交互装置体验设计

目的 探索通感体验的原理与特征,探讨多感官间通感体验转化流程,进而探究丰富交互装置设计的方法,推进通感体验与情感体验的升级.方法 首先提出了通感体验的三个层次,然后建立了基于交互装置的通感体验转化流程,探讨了通感体验三个层次的体验特征.在此基础上,提出两种引导方法,即用户感知引导与环境引导.最后,以光立方和呼吸墙项目为案例,探讨剖析在交互装置设计中通感设计的目的成效与方式方法.结论 人与数字媒体艺术装置之间的"交流"是双向且灵活的,装置主动引导交互体验的变化与升级,为体验者提供更加丰富且个人化的通感体验和情感体验."交互共同体"触发了体验者的反思,表现为对通感体验的感知维度和情感体验深度的拓展.     

A Hybrid Method for Structural System Reliability‐Based Design Optimization and its Application to Trusses

Most research studies on structural optimum design have focused on single‐objective optimization of deterministic structures, while little study has been carried out to address multi‐objective optimization of random structures. Statistical parameters and redundancy allocation problems should be considered in structural optimization. In order to address these problems, this paper presents a hybrid method for structural system reliability‐based design optimization (SRBDO) and applies it to trusses. The hybrid method integrates the concepts of the finite element method, radial basis function (RBF) neural networks, and genetic algorithms. The finite element method was used to compute structural responses under random loads. The RBF neural networks were employed to approximate structural responses for the purpose of replacing the structural limit state functions. The system reliabilities were calculated by Monte Carlo simulation method together with the trained RBF neural networks. The optimal parameters were obtained by genetic algorithms, where the system reliabilities were converted into penalty functions in order to address the constrained optimization. The hybrid method applied to trusses was demonstrated by two examples which were a typical 10‐bar truss and a steel truss girder structure. Detailed discussions and parameter analysis for the failure sequences such as web‐bucking failure and beam‐bending failure in the SRBDO were given. This hybrid method provides a new idea for SRBDO of trusses. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于劝导设计的交互式颈椎病预防产品设计

目的 探究劝导设计理论在颈椎病预防产品设计上的指导作用,通过引导用户的行为,让用户养成主动活动颈椎的习惯,进而预防颈椎病。方法 分析现有颈椎病防治产品存在的问题,以劝导设计理论为主线来探索颈椎病预防产品的设计机会,提出颈椎病预防产品的设计要点,即用游戏化设计来提高用户的使用动机,在用户能力允许的范围内设定颈椎锻炼的动作,并通过实体交互触发用户行为。结果 采用Arduino平台开发产品硬件,运用Unity 3D制作游戏,实际完成一套颈椎病预防产品原型,将头部动作和游戏内容相对应,由头部转动来控制游戏操作内容,让用户在玩游戏的同时有效活动颈椎,缓解颈部的酸疼和疲劳。结论 用实际开发的产品验证游戏化设计和实体交互结合的可能性,为预防颈椎病的产品设计实践提供新思路。     

Biomechano‐Interactive Materials and Interfaces

The reciprocal mechanical interaction of engineered materials with biointerfaces have long been observed and exploited in biomedical applications. It contributes to the rise of biomechano‐responsive materials and biomechano‐stimulatory materials, constituting the biomechano‐interactive interfaces. Here, endogenous and exogenous biomechanical stimuli available for mechanoresponsive interfaces are briefed and their mechanistic responses, including deformation and volume change, mechanomanipulation of physical and chemical bonds, dissociation of assemblies, and coupling with thermoresponsiveness are summarized. The mechanostimulatory materials, however, are capable of delivering mechanical cues, including stiffness, viscoelasticity, geometrical constraints, and mechanical loads, to modulate physiological and pathological behaviors of living tissues through the adaptive cellular mechanotransduction. The biomechano‐interactive materials and interfaces are widely implemented in such fields as mechanotriggered therapeutics and diagnosis, adaptive biophysical sensors, biointegrated soft actuators, and mechanorobust tissue engineering, which have offered unprecedented opportunities for precision and personalized medicine. Pending challenges are also addressed to shed a light on future advances with respect to translational implementations.     

Cross‐laminated Timber Plates Subjected to Concentrated Loading

Since wood products for structural elements, especially cross‐laminated timber (CLT), have gained importance in the building sector, the need for appropriate and reliable design codes for such wood products has become essential. For the improvement and development of design concepts, a profound knowledge about the mechanical behaviour of these products is necessary. For this reason, this work focuses on global failure mechanisms and the corresponding evolution of different crack modes in CLT plates, depending on geometric and/or material related properties. Therefore, plate‐bending experiments on three‐ and five‐layered CLT plates were carried out. In addition to standard evaluation methods, each specimen was cut into small cubes to identify the failure modes inside the plates. Regions with dominant shear failure, tensile failure, delamination and mixed failure modes could be captured and connected to geometry and loading situation. Based on this evaluation, well‐known but not yet in detail described effects, such as the ductile structural behaviour of CLT plates, can be explained. Moreover, the evolution of rolling shear failure modes as well as from which point the progressive failure highly affects the plate stiffness is investigated and analysed in detail.