A systematic approach for coupling user satisfaction with product design

A fundamental assumption in this paper is that user satisfaction depends on product design. The approach consists of 5 steps: (1) define user satisfaction, (2) decompose product design elements, (3) conduct experiments, (4) develop relationship models, and (5) analyse critical design features. In order to demonstrate the practicability of this approach, relationship models were developed based on experimental data using a total of 60 subjects (30 American and 30 Korean subjects). In addition, critical design features and their common properties were identified for audio/visual consumer products. Similarities and differences between American and Korean consumers were discussed. The resulting relationship models can be used to predict user satisfaction and provide significant remedies for design change.     

基于传统街区更新的城市设计

以南京市小西湖地块为例，深入探 讨城市设计在传统街区城市更新中的基础、 角色、手段及成果形式。以提高市民的生活 品质、提高容积率、保护历史地段结构和提 升公共空间品质为目标，本着社会公平立场、 城市记忆立场与城市传统街区风貌保护的立 场，通过基于历史成因的和基于整体市民利 益的两种分配方式，城市设计最终认可城市 形态动态变化的合理性、扩大居民/市民/游 人共享的公共空间、实现居民与建设主体多 方获益。     

Mitigating adjacent channel interference in vehicular communication systems

In the last few decades, dedicated wireless channels were specifically allocated to enable the development and implementation of vehicular communication systems. The two main protocol stacks, the WAVE standards proposed by the IEEE in the United States and the ETSI ITS-G5 in Europe, reserved 10 MHz wide channels in the 5.9 GHz spectrum band. Despite the exclusive use of these frequencies for vehicular communication purposes, there are still cross channel interference problems that have been widely reported in the literature. In order to mitigate these issues, this paper presents the design of a two-stage FIR low-pass filter, targeting the integration with a digital baseband receiver chain of a custom vehicular communications platform. The filter was tested, evaluated and optimized, with the simulation results proving the effectiveness of the proposed method and the low delay introduced in the overall operation of the receiver chain.     

Emotional Illness and the Working Environment

Some of the difficulties associated with the measurement of alterations in mental health resulting from the working environment are discussed. Causes of stress are described which stem from the individual and his relationships, and from the organization of which he is a part. The need for a re-evaluation of the industrial physician's role and for future collaborative studies of occupational mental health is suggested.     

中国美容医疗设备及其技术进展

近些年随着人们生活水平的提高,中国人在美容方面的需求不断加大,使得医学美容行业的发展极具活力,与之相应的美容医疗设备及技术的未来市场容量将非常可观。     

Wearable technologies: The role of usefulness and visibility in smartwatch adoption

Although still in the early stages of diffusion, smartwatches represent the most popular type of wearable devices. Yet, little is known about why some people are more likely to adopt smartwatches than others. To deepen the understanding of underlying factors prompting adoption behavior, the authors develop a theoretical model grounded in technology acceptance and social psychology literatures. Empirical results reveal perceived usefulness and visibility as important factors that drive adoption intention, suggesting that smartwatches represent a type of ‘fashnology’ (i.e., fashion and technology). The magnitude of these antecedents is influenced by an individual's perception of viewing smartwatches as a technology and/or as a fashion accessory. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.     

OSPM: A design methodology for open strategic planning

This study employs a design science perspective to propose a methodology for open strategic planning (OSP). Habermas’ discourse theory and Bryson’s strategy change cycle are used as informing kernel theories. A methodology is proposed to satisfy the requirements retrieved from the kernel theories. The proposed methodology contains modules for a planning system and a planning process. Design principles are explained through a blueprint of the system and process. The proposed methodology is applied and evaluated in two cases. Contributions to the literature involve extending the literature on OSP to an applicable methodology with guidelines on how to implement open strategy.     

Design of horizontal drains for the mitigation of liquefaction risk

Drainage is one of the most popular protecting measures to mitigate ground liquefaction. Deploying the drains horizontally may be convenient where conventional vertical ones cannot be used, like beneath existing structures. The spacing among drains must be designed to limit the pore pressure build-up during shaking. The usual assumptions of radial consolidation around vertical drains, stemming from the assumption of an infinite number of drains, may not be appropriate for horizontal ones, since the latter are generally arranged in few rows at a shallow depth, especially if drainage at the ground level is possible as well. Hence, existing solutions for vertical “earthquake” drains have been modified in this work to take into account such different geometrical features. The resulting solution has been validated against numerical and experimental sets of data. Charts covering a wide range of geometrical layouts, soil properties, and seismic actions are finally proposed. They can be used to design the drain spacing that is needed so as not to exceed the target value of excess pore pressure in the ground.     

Instrument mediated activity: from subject development to anthropocentric design

The aim of this article is to present the ‘instrument-mediated activity’ approach, which is part of a ‘generative model’. A group of principles liable to contribute to the epistemological unity of generative models is put forward as well as a theoretical framework that conceptualizes what an instrument is for the subject. The article develops the idea that the instrument is a mixed entity born of both the subject and the artifact. The artifact is not an instrument in itself. It is the subject who grants it the status of a means for his/her action. Processes of design in usage by users are defined as ‘instrumental geneses’. Finally, the consequences of this model on the organization of design processes are examined, in taking into account instrumental geneses as resources for design.     

On the influence of shape and material used for the femoral component pegs in knee prostheses for reducing the problem of aseptic loosening

The integration of materials selection and design are essential to the success of new product development, especially when applied to biomedical devices. The knee prosthesis, like any other implant, is a product that still lacks satisfactory design solutions for solving the problem of aseptic loosening. Stress shielding is one of the main causes of aseptic loosening that is intimately related to the overall design of the knee prosthesis. The design of the location pegs in the femoral component of the knee prosthesis is seen to have a critical effect on the stress shielding. In this study, therefore, different combinations of location peg geometries and material designs were assessed using finite element analyses in conjunction with a design of experiments procedure. The materials considered were Co–Cr alloy (as reference material) and functionally graded material (FGM) for the main body of the femoral component, and various porous materials for the pegs (as promising new materials). The performance outputs (responses) were stress levels in the femoral bone to assess the stress shielding effect, and stress levels in the pegs to assess adequate peg strength. The result revealed conflicts in satisfying the design objectives. Therefore, a multi-objective optimization was carried out to find the optimal geometries of the pegs for the femoral component. Based on the findings of the optimization process, a set of candidate designs was generated and a multi-criteria decision making approach used to obtain the final ranking of candidate designs. The ranking order demonstrated the superiority of using a FGM femoral component with porous material pegs of conical geometry. By comparing the results with the standard Co–Cr design, it was shown that the new design of pegs can significantly increase the magnitude of stresses seen at the distal femur; hence reduce the stress shielding effect, without over compromising on the strength of the pegs.