Engineering education

This chapter presents the dynamics and interplay of individual and collaborative use of ICT tools during a design project-based learning course. During the COVID-19 pandemic, five teams (8-9 members) with members from Croatia, Italy, Slovenia, and Austria worked in a geographically distributed context. The results show that students utilise both individual and collaborative working modes. However, the dynamics of ICT use differ throughout the course. Typical design tools for 3D modelling become predominant just in the later course phases. In contrast, visualisa tion tools are used more during the initial phases. Finally, findings suggest that remote collaboration requires continuous and frequent use of communication tools (video conferencing and instant messaging) throughout the whole course. The presented f indings can help educators and researchers in engineering education better structure their classes in post-pandemic settings.

Educational reforms and recent trends have pushed CAD education further into the mainstream of higher education. This has resulted in a rapidly increasing number of students enrolling in introductory level CAD courses, producing a flood of digital assignment submissions that need to be evaluated in a timely manner. This overwhelming situation has led to accelerated work on software tools for autonomous analysis and grading. However, the type and complexity of CAD model that can be analyzed, and the quality of the feedback that is generated, are still quite limited. In response to this predicament, and also efforts to reform an actual mechanical engineering CAD (MCAD) course, a new approach, framework, and software tool have been developed, based on visual representation and analysis of metrics. These novel instruments are aimed at supporting a more diverse and inclusive analysis and assessment of MCAD models, with a focus on the overall outcome a student produces, which includes model structure, history of model creation, and modeling strategy. The first part of this paper presents the novel approach and instruments for enhanced feature-based MCAD model analysis in the educational context. The second part of this paper reports on their development and implementation, and on the empirical results obtained during testing and evaluation.

Keywords: competency development , formative feedback , knowledge discovery , MCAD model analysis and assessment , radial visualization , visual analysis

This work is focused on the development of a “serious game”, i.e., a software with no playful purpose adopted to train and verify the skills of users to improve safety in the workplace. Particular attention has been given to the accidents that occur during typical operations done in factory sites, e.g., driving forklifts. Firstly, the different types of “serious games” already available on the market have been analyzed to identify the best way to carry on tests and simulations by means of virtual, mixed, and augmented reality. Afterward, once the best solution has been identified, the Unity development environment has been considered to define a standard that could also be used for future projects. So, the result is the development of a powerful editor of the scene, in which the user can program all the components adjusting the game to the tasks to be performed by the worker, the tools, the environment and the targets. So, an upgradeable “parametric path” has been created, which will be followed by the forklift, realizing a new game and test environment for the worker. Then, modular components have been conceived to contemplate the future developments of the project, including a graphic editor: these will lead to a software that can be easily modified according to the customer's requests.

Keywords: Occupational safety , Serious games , Virtual reality

Preface and Acknowledgements (Editorial)

Keywords: Editorial

Day by day, more and more people get in touch with user interface (UI) development matters, since user experience (UX) and, as a direct consequence, user-centered design (UCD) gain importance in establishing the success of products on the market or, simply, because users feel the need to interact with products easier and more directly. In the last years, affordable UI development tools have appeared on the market, freeing apprentices from owning specific skill and knowledge and boosting interactive activities by allowing different competencies to work in synergy. This research exploits the experience where university students - the apprentices - use several affordable tools to develop the UI of a refrigerator. Pointing out the opportunities and criticalities encountered during the experience allows highlighting those variables to consider in selecting the most suitable tools already on the market as well as in developing new ones, all of this aiming at a sort of “discount UI development”.

Keywords: Affordable user interface development tools , Discount user interface development , User experience design , User experience evaluation

Due to the pandemic, there has been a shift from conducting paper-based in-person exams to conducting online exams. To still be able to evaluate students, a closed-ended test was implemented to verify the skills acquired by the exam candidates. We have developed on Moodle platform an online test called Technical Drawing Test (TDT2) based on graphic questions with closed answers both single and multiple, replacing the open-ended graphic questions of the previous in-person paper exam mode and with the same contents. This article aims to show the method by which the types of exercises were chosen according to the skills to be tested and to present the first results obtained, with the goal of verifying that the new test is equivalent to the old paper-based open-ended test in its ability to test candidates' skills. The reliability of the TDT2 is quantified through two statistical synthetic indexes calculated by the Moodle platform and comparing the results of the online TDT2 with the results of the paper-based in-person exams.

Keywords: Engineering education , Moodle , Technical drawing , Testing methods

Artificial limbs can help people missing body parts to restore some of their daily-life activities. However, the user should spend up to a few months to intuitively control the new device. During this period, she/he may suffer pain due to wearing or using the prosthesis inappropriately. This research presents a virtual simulator that allows the user to carry out training sessions for controlling the prosthesis. A set of Surface Electromyographic (sEMG) sensors are used to acquire the signals from user's muscles and send them to a recognition algorithm that interprets the patient's intentions. Simultaneously, the patient observes the response of her/his device on the simulator. Two studies are presented: the first study evaluate the performance of three different recognition algorithms i.e., Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), based on the successful recognition of the patient's intentions. The second study investigates the least number of sEMG sensors to be used, as having less components improves the patient's wearability and decreases the processing time. The developed simulator represents a real prosthetic device, PRISMA hand II. The results showed the superiority of the MLP with 80% of successful recognition when 6-sEMG sensors are used. If a reduced set of gestures is considered (frequently needed by the patient), 90% of successful recognition could be achieved. Less sEMG sensors significantly degraded the performance of the recognition algorithm as only 53.8% of successful recognition could be achieved. All experiments were conducted with the help of a patient with below-elbow amputation.

Keywords: Active prosthetic hand , Biomechatronic application , Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) , Pattern recognition , Rehabilitation robotics , sEMG signal processing

The design research and education landscapes are changing. The widespread development and use of technologies such as Mixed Reality (MR) and the diffusion of Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) available at low cost are causing a shift in design education toward the Metaverse. In this ever-changing scenario, there is a need to rethink design and teaching methods. However, scientific literature lacks the ability to provide contributions that include MR technology education in the industrial design program. We, therefore, present an innovative laboratory with an integrated multidisciplinary approach that starts from the fundamentals of interaction design and aims to teach students how to design next-generation MR interfaces for the Metaverse. The lab combines theory and practice within three courses: Information Design, Information Systems, and Virtual Design and Simulation. Industrial design students follow a precise multidisciplinary method consisting of five steps, from state-of-the-art analysis to the presentation of a final group design of an MR user interface. Thus, we introduce a class case study by presenting the outcomes of a semester project in the field of household appliances. Evaluation of the teaching method is conducted through a semi-structured questionnaire. Preliminary results show positive outcomes from students in terms of acceptance, effectiveness, usefulness, efficiency, and satisfaction with the teaching method adopted for the laboratory.

Keywords: industrial design , interaction design , metaverse , mixed reality , teaching method , user interface design

In situations requiring high levels of customization and limited production volumes, additive manufacturing (AM) is a frequently utilized technique with several benefits. To properly configure all the parameters required to produce final goods of the utmost quality, AM calls for qualified designers and experienced operators. This research demonstrates how, in this scenario, artificial intelligence (AI) could significantly enable designers and operators to enhance additive manufacturing. Thus, 48 papers have been selected from the comprehensive collection of research using a systematic literature review to assess the possibilities that AI may bring to AM. This review aims to better understand the current state of AI methodologies that can be applied to optimize AM technologies and the potential future developments and applications of AI algorithms in AM. Through a detailed discussion, it emerges that AI might increase the efficiency of the procedures associated with AM, from simulation optimization to in-process monitoring.

Keywords: Additive manufacturing , Artificial intelligence , Deep learning , Machine learning , Optimization , Review

No abstract available

Keywords: deductive , inductive , principle , publish or perish , research impact , research quality , rigor-or-relevance dilemma , trans-disciplinary research

Sustainable production and consumption consist of using goods and services that respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life without jeopardizing the needs of future generations. Over the last decades, this has become a topic of increasing importance for companies and consumers. Consequently, from one side methods and tools to assess and quantitatively measure the environmental burden of products and processes arose; from the other side, more and more consumers have raised their sensitivity concerning sustainability. However, consumer perceptions and objective data need to be aligned. The present paper addresses the topic of the discrepancy between the environmental sustainability of product lifecycles as perceived by consumers and actual results obtained with well-known and accepted methods and tools. The paper quantifies through Life Cycle Assessment the environmental burdens of three products for the textiles/apparel sector, particularly swimming sport: a pair of goggles, a pair of swimming pool slippers and a swimsuit. Those were subsequently compared with 102 responses to a questionnaire about environmental sustainability. The comparison was made between the qualitative expectation of the customers and the results of the Life Cycle Assessment for the Climate Change impact category, due to the higher awareness and sensitivity of the customers for this indicator, than others. Respondents belong to three distinguished groups: scholars, employees and students. According to the analysis of obtained results and discrepancies, three main recommendations are outlined by the authors to improve the environmental sustainability of apparel products: the need to promote the development of software tools and databases to support the integration of sustainability into products design; training on products sustainability in the academic world must be encouraged in order to provide future designers/product managers with the tools needed to cope with actual challenges; and consumers should be adequately informed. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].

Keywords: Consumer awareness , LCA , Product Sustainability , Questionnaire survey , Swimming product

A fundamental outcome of bone tissue engineering is the regeneration of bone defects presenting large dimensions. A promising solution in biomedical practice is the implantation of biomimetic scaffolds, i.e. porous structures mimicking the natural shapes of healthy bone tissues, which are colonized by mesenchymal stem cells and that support the growth of the regenerating tissues, until the complete healing process is realized. This work presented a workflow for the geometrical modeling and the mechanical design of beam-based, bilayered, and conformal scaffolds, mimicking the human cortico-cancellous bone structure for filling a large dimension defect in the mandibular bone of an injured patient. An isotropic Voronoi topology built on a refined point set generated by a high-quality meshing algorithm was adopted for lattice generation, which led to an open-cell architecture characterized by full connectivity and uniform cell size. Such geometrical and structural features represent crucially important requirements for maximizing the osteointegration and the vascularization of the implanted scaffold. An irregular scaffold was modelled, including a cortical and a sponge layer. The beam radii of both layers were determined by matching the elastic properties of the corresponding bone tissues, thus minimizing the stress shielding effects. Interestingly, several scaffold properties deriving from the proposed procedure, such as the porosity and the pore size, were in good agreement with those reported in the literature.

Keywords: Biomimetic scaffolds , Bone tissue engineering , CAD modeling , Lattice structures , Mechanical simulation

This chapter presents selected case studies showcasing the design and testing of user experiences through prototypes created with eXtended Reality (XR) technologies. These case studies were developed by students participating in the Virtual and Physical Prototyping course at the School of Design, Politecnico di Milano. The projects assigned to student teams aimed to create prototypes prioritizing user interaction and experience, such as apps connecting young people with nature or aiding language learning. The students followed a simplified product development process, starting with defining the target audience and requirements, followed by concept development and design execution, and appropriate XR technologies selection for the implementation. The chapter presents a set of guidelines that outline this simplified product development process for crafting XR application prototypes. Subsequent chapters showcase how these guidelines were applied by the students in their respective case studies.

Keywords: Product design , Product development , Software prototyping

The industry's interest in Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR and AR) technologies started from the beginning of their appearance in the research world. Over the years, scholars observed ups and downs, to which various factors contributed. In recent years these technologies, now known as eXtended Reality (XR), have returned to fascinate the industrial world, mainly because most of the related enabling technologies have improved to the point of pushing companies to re-invest in them. The introduction of approaches such as the digital twin one and the recent hype on the metaverse is also a push in this direction. A few questions arise: what are the benefits of such technologies in the industry today, and what are the unexplored possibilities? Starting from a systematic literature review and exploring the practical implications of integrating technologies in the industrial field, the paper tries to answer these questions. The paper is not intended as a technological forecast but as a stimulus for future research.

Keywords: Industry 4.0 , Training , Virtual reality

Among the main features of Industry 4.0, digitization and the evolution of the human-machine interaction occupy a central role. These concepts are transferring even in the health domain, moving toward Healthcare 4.0. The new concept of Industry 5.0 further promotes the human-centric perspective focusing on the consideration of human factors. In this context, training for workers, both in the industry and in the healthcare sectors, needs to be strongly human-centred to be efficient and effective. This paper refers to simulation-based training and aims to provide a transdisciplinary framework for the simulation assessment from the learners' perspective. The final scope is to outline a set of data-driven guidelines for the simulation optimization and redesign, throughout a human-centred approach, aiming to improve the workers' performance and the overall learning process, considering the physical, cognitive, and emotional conditions. The proposed method is suitable for each kind of training (both traditional and with the use of virtual reality/augmented reality systems) and relevant for every sector. Two different use cases are presented, respectively referring to the healthcare and industry fields, proposing a unique assessment protocol. The healthcare use case considered the low-fidelity simulation of lumbar puncture, while the industrial use case referred to the replacement of the engine oil filter on tractors. Although the great differences between the content of the use cases, the results obtained about performance as well as cognitive and emotional states are close enough to define a common set of guidelines to redesign and optimize the simulation-based training.

Keywords: Design optimization , Ergonomics , Healthcare 4.0 , Human Factors , Industry 4.0 , Simulation-based training

The population aging phenomenon has been increasing in the last years and will become prevailing in the future ones. In the era of Healthcare 4.0, the application of information and communication technologies (ICT) is the main enabler for the health and social care sectors, advancing user-centered care and preventing or delaying frailty conditions. This work focuses on a preliminary usability and user experience (UX) assessment regarding a self-monitoring device, smartphone, and tablet, with a 5-users sample. The user interface layout and content of smartphone and tablet have been previously simplified according to the human-computer interaction principles, to hinder the digital divide inherent to the Silver Generation. Structured and semi-structured interviews have been conducted to evaluate users' expectations, familiarity, and acceptance of ICT devices. A specific assessment protocol has been designed to evaluate the usability of devices. Preliminary results show that all participants were able to complete the test with few committed errors. However, even if a good inclination toward the use of smart technologies emerged, the need for digital mediation and individual training sessions is undisputed.

Keywords: Elderly , healthy ageing , self-monitoring , telemedicine , usability , user experience

Approximately 10% of hospitalized patients develops decubitus ulcers that quickly degenerates into chronic illness that reduces the quality of life and requires expensive clinical management. The use of an anti-decubitus active mattress, that automatically redistributes the pressure loads, reduces the occurrence of new lesions and promotes the healing of the pre-existing ones. The aim of this work is to design and develop two tools to support the design of an anti-decubitus active mattress. Almost all the systems found in literature are based on the classification of pressure maps through machine learning and are difficultly usable in the design context. This work proposes a pressure map Classifier and an Interactive Simulator of the mattress, based on a simpler logic, by integrating image processing techniques and functioning simulations. The Classifier can recognize the patient's pressure maps and classify them according to six reference sleep postures. The Interactive Simulator allows to understand the operating mechanisms of the mattress and to test the controller and the various control logics in the absence of a physical prototype.

Keywords: Active Anti-decubitus Mattress , Images Classifier , New product development , Simulation , User centred design

The realization of a specific REMote HAndling Test and Training Facility (REMHAT) is necessary for the development and optimization of the Remote Handling (RH) system, to demonstrate the fulfilment of all its design requirements, for testing and validation of the RH maintenance procedures, for the qualification and acceptance testing of RH equipment and tooling. Furthermore, it provides training and certification to the RH maintenance operators, by making available to operators the knowledge, instructions and experiencing of the Virtual Simulator platform, the control room devices, the robots and tooling to be used for RH tasks. In this work, the preliminary architecture of the DTT REMHAT facility is described, with a focus on the added value of the adoption of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies enabling real-time alignment of virtual robots' configuration with the real ones (Digital Twin). A first approach to the facility design is proposed, starting from the technical requirements: Environmental, Design, Physical, Functional, Operational, Human Factors and Product assurance and safety. The proposed logical architecture consists of four Sub-Systems (S/S): building and auxiliaries, mock-ups, robots and Control Room. In the present work, a particular attention is paid on the last one. The idea is to create a digital twin of the RH equipment mock-ups to be coupled with software of real-time structural simulation, in order to have at disposition and show in VR environment real-time additional information about the real environment, like robots' deflections and/or vibrations, clearances and possible collisions detection. These data could be crucial for the operator's decision-making process about a sudden intervention on the RH system, further to their employment for future studies and optimization. Therefore, for each subsystem of the facility, the components identification and a description of the software and hardware aspects are provided. In conclusion, an overview of the critical issues of such complex system is presented, in order to prepare the ground for future research works.

Keywords: Digital twin , DTT , Remote handling system , Test and training facility , irtual reality

Academic institutions are increasingly required to prepare future practitioners to face complex sustainability challenges. The need to foster the development of different skills, attitudes, and multidisciplinary collaboration raised the interest in alternative learning approaches. Game-based learning can be a tool to achieve a variety of desirable learning outcomes, including sustainability and collaborative attitudes change. We present a pilot study investigating the potential of a board game on sustainability risks and opportunities in product development and life cycle, performing a test with different student audiences. The paper discusses our results of the experiment, including a survey following the game, qualitative analysis of students' feedback, and observations during the game sessions. Additionally, we relate insights from students' reflections to CDIO learning objectives. We then illustrate lessons learned and the potential advantages of using the game compared to other teaching approaches and as a complementary tool. Finally, we propose future directions and recommendations for the use of the board game and game-based learning in sustainability education with different student audiences.

Keywords: Early design phases , Education , Game Based Learning , Serious Game , Sustainability

Machine learning (ML) is a well-established research topic in Industry 4.0 is boosting its adoption. ML is also used for manufacturing cost estimation during design. Such approaches are commonly used to estimate the cost of mass-produced parts. Many consolidated historical data are available for training the regression models. Unfortunately, very often, such a database of data is not available. The paper defines an ML approach for parametric cost estimation of axisymmetric components. The data for training the ML model derives from automatic software for analytically estimating the manufacturing cost. With a proper set of simulations, the tool can generate a large amount of data for training. The paper presents the steps for developing a parametric cost model using ML. The approach is based on CRoss Industry Standard Process for Data Mining method. The proposed method was used to develop one cost model (to estimate the total cost that considered raw material and manufacturing cost). The obtained Relative Error is 23.52% ± 1.37%, coherent with E2516 - 11, Standard Classification for Cost Estimate Classification System.

Keywords: Big data , Conceptual design , Design costing , Machine learning