Redesigning engineering courses by introducing digital ink technology

© 2013 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.We applied the How People Learn framework (HPLf) in two different higher education contexts. On one hand, a first-year core course on Computer Technology, taught at the Computer Engineering Degree Program at Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain. On the other hand, two Food Chemistry related courses, taught at Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Mexico, as part of food engineering undergraduate and food science graduate programs. The goal of these works was to redesign studied courses at both universities from a lecture-based format to a "challenge-based" format by using Tablet PCs and digital ink. In order to support the studied approach, different inkenabled software tools were utilized. Class sessions were enhanced through the usage of Classroom Presenter, a penbased interaction system that supports the sharing of digital ink on slides between instructors and students. InkSurvey also allowed teachers to pose questions, receive instantly digital ink responses, and provide real-time formative feedback. Some other tools such as PDF Annotator and Ardesia helped instructors to review coursework and assignments and provide formative feedback as well. We studied our approach over the two last academic years by observing classes at both universities, obtaining selected student achievement indicators and conducting surveys with students and instructors.We acknowledge financial support from HEWLETT-PACKARD (HP), through the HP Technology for Teaching Higher Education Grant Initiative for Latin America for the project "High-Quality Learning Environments for Engineering Design: Using Tablet PCs and Guidelines from Research on How People Learn" as well as through the HP Catalyst Grant Initiative for the project “Critical Support Systems to Enhance the Development of 21st Century Expertise in Engineering Students: Using Tablet PCs and Associated Technologies, the Framework for 21st Century Learning, and Guidelines from Research on How People Learn”. Similarly, UPV group received an HP Technology for Teaching High Education Grant Program for Europe, Middle East and Africa in 2008: “Improving effective learning in a first-year Computer Engineering course by using mobile Tablet PC technology”.Benlloch-Dualde, J.; Buendía García, F.; Lemus Zúñiga, LG.; Cano Escribá, JC.; Gutiérrez Cuba, JV.; López-Malo, A.; Palou, E. (2013). Redesigning engineering courses by introducing digital ink technology. IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2013.6684786

Redesigning chemical analysis: transducing information from chemical into digital

Aquesta tesi planteja que les xarxes distribuïdes de detecció de substàncies químiques serán eines beneficioses per aconseguir millors resultats de salut com a éssers humans, així com per a guiarnes en el nostre paper autodeterminat con a guardians en l'àmbit ecològic. Tot aixo, des de la perspectiva d’introduir elements de disseny en les eines analítiques. El treball comença amb una introducció a la visió de com els sensors químics s'adapten als contextos més grans de la biologia, la història i la tecnologia. El segon capítol ofereix una base de coneixements sobre els mètodes i principis científics i tecnològics subjacents sobre els quals es basa aquest treball. A continuació, es fa una revisió crítica dels avenços acadèmics cap als sensors electroquímics distribuïts, que divideixen el problema en tres aspectes: rendiment adequat, usabilitat intuïtiva i assequibilitat. Entre aquests, la usabilitat s'identifica com el coll d'ampolla principal en l'adopció generalitzada de sensors químics centrats en l'usuari. Els capítols posteriors ofereixen algunes respostes als reptes, en forma de treball experimental original. Encara que aquest treball es basa en l'electroquímica analítica, s'aborda des d’una metodologia de disseny, amb iteracions d'anàlisi i síntesi incrustades en el procés d'ideació. Les declaracions finals reflexionen sobre el treball com una petita part en una creixent revolució de l'edat de la informació química; com una petita esquerda a la presa que contenia una allau de dades químiques de diagnòstic amb conseqüències imprevisibles, però positives i revolucionàries.Esta tesis postula que las redes distribuidas de detección química serán herramientas beneficiosas para alcanzar mejores resultados de salud como seres humanos, así como para guiarnos en nuestro papel autodeterminado como guardianes en la esfera ecológica. Todo esto desde una perspectiva de introducir elementos de diseño en herramientas analíticas. El trabajo comienza con una introducción a la visión de cómo los sensores químicos se ajustan a los contextos más amplios de la biología, la historia y la tecnología. El segundo capítulo proporciona algunos antecedentes de los métodos y principios científicos y tecnológicos subyacentes en los que se basa este trabajo. Esto es seguido por una revisión crítica de los avances académicos hacia sensores electroquímicos distribuidos, que divide el problema en tres aspectos: rendimiento apropiado, usabilidad intuitiva y asequibilidad. Entre estos, la usabilidad se identifica como el cuello de botella principal en la adopción generalizada de sensores químicos centrados en el usuario. Los siguientes capítulos ofrecen algunas respuestas a los desafíos, en forma de trabajo experimental original. Mientras que este trabajo se arraiga en la electroquímica analítica, se aborda desde una metodología de diseño, con iteraciones de análisis y síntesis integradas en el proceso de ideación. Las declaraciones finales reflejan el trabajo como una pequeña parte en una floreciente revolución de la era de la información química; como una pequeña grieta en la presa que contiene una avalancha de datos químicos de diagnóstico con consecuencias imprevisibles, pero positivas y revolucionarias.This thesis posits that distributed chemical sensing networks will be beneficial tools towards our greater health outcomes as humans, as well as in guiding us in our self-determined role as custodians over the ecological sphere. A perspective of infusing design elements and approaches into analytical tools is shared. The work begins with an introduction presenting a vision of how chemical sensors fit within the greater contexts of biology, history, and technology. The second chapter provides some background to the underlying scientific and technological methods and principles on which this work stands. This is followed by a critical review of the academic advances towards distributed electrochemical sensors, which divides the problem into three aspects of appropriate performance, intuitive usability, and affordability. Amongst these, usability is identified as the principal bottleneck in the widespread adoption of user-centered chemical sensors. The subsequent chapters offer some responses to the challenges, in the form of original experimental work. While rooted in analytical electrochemistry, the work is approached with a design methodology, with iterations of analysis and synthesis embedded in the ideation process. Concluding statements reflect on the work as a small part in a burgeoning revolution of the chemical information age; as a minor crack in the dam holding back a flood of diagnostic chemical data with unforeseeable, yet positive and revolutionary consequences

Systems for pervasive electronics and interfaces

Energy Harvesting Active Networked Tags (EnHANTs) are a new type of wireless device in the domain between RFIDs and sensor networks. Future EnHANTs will be small, flexible, and self-powered devices that can be attached to everyday objects that are traditionally not networked to enable "Internet of Things" applications. This work describes the design and development of the EnHANT prototypes and testbed. The current prototypes use thin-film photovoltaics optimized for indoor light harvesting, form multihop networks using ultra-low-power Ultra-Wideband Impulse Radio (UWB-IR) transceivers, and implement energy harvesting adaptive networking protocols. The current testbed enables the evaluation of different algorithms by exposing individual prototypes to repeatable light conditions based on real-world irradiance data. New approaches to characterizing the energy available to energy harvesting devices were explored. A mobile data-logger was used to record the intensity of ambient light, determine the light source, and record the acceleration from motion during different real world activities. These traces were used to model the behavior of photovoltaic and inertial energy harvesters in real world deployments and can be replayed in the EnHANTs testbed. In addition, new techniques to evaluate the efficiency of different photovoltaic technologies under indoor illumination were developed. A proof-of-concept system was built to characterize photovoltaics under a standardized set of conditions in which the radiant intensity and spectral composition of the light source were systematically varied. Techniques to structure student research projects within the EnHANTs project were developed. Project-based learning approaches were implemented to engage students using real-world system development constraints. A survey of the students showed that this approach is an effective method for developing technical, professional, and soft skills. Open source hardware was also applied to EnHANTs project and extended into other domains. A laboratory-based class in flat panel display technology was developed. The course introduces fundamental concepts of display systems and reinforces these concepts through the fabrication of three display devices. A lab kit platform was developed to enable remote students to use low-cost, course specific hardware to complete the lab exercises remotely. This platform was also applied to external projects targeted at non-university students. A workshop was developed to teach artists, designers, and hobbyists how to design and build custom user interfaces using thin-film electronics and rapid prototyping tools. Surveys of the students and workshop participants showed that this platform is an effective teaching tool and can be easily adapted and expanded

The impact of printed electronics on product design

Printed electronics (PE) is a disruptive but growing technology that is beginning to integrate its way into viable applications for product design. However, the potential for future impact of the technology on product design and the designer s role and contribution to this has yet to be established. Interest is increasing in the potential for product designers to explore and exploit this technology. Technologies can be seen as being disruptive from both a business, and an adoption point of view. For a business, changing from one technology to another or incorporating a new technology and its production processes can be difficult if they already have their suppliers established and existing relationships in place. Understanding and adopting a new technology can be challenging for a business and individuals working within an established industry as it can cause many questions to be raised around its performance, and direct comparison with the technology they already have in place. However, there have been many technologies that could be seen as disruptive in the past, as they offered an alternative way of working or method of manufacture, such as Bluetooth, 3D printing, and automation (manufacturing/assembly/finishing), etc., and their success has been dictated by individual s perception and adoption of the technology, with their ability to see the worth and potential in the technology. Cost comparison is also an important aspect for a business to consider when choosing whether to change to a new technology or to remain with their existing technology, as changing can disrupt the manufacturing line assembly of a product, and direct cost comparisons of components themselves, such as the cost of buying silicon components in bulk verses printing the components. The new technology needs to offer something different to a product to be worth implementing it in a product, such as its flexible form or lightweight properties of printed electronics being of benefit to the product over what a silicon electronic component/circuit could offer (restricted to rigid circuit boards), the functionality/performance of the components themselves also need to be considered. Performance, availability and maturity of the technology are some of the essential aspects to consider when incorporating a new technology into a product and these can be evaluated using a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale. Interest in the stage of development for a technology lies not only with designers; industry and academia also contribute to knowledge by playing a central role in the process of determining a TRL scale that is universally recognised. However, a TRL separation issue occurs between academia (often the technology only reaching an experimental proof of concept stage, a lower number on the TRL scale indicating that the technology is at an early stage of development) and industry (not considering technology for commercialisation until it reaches a stage where there is a demonstration of pre-production capability validated on economic runs, a much higher number on the TRL scale - indicating that the technology is at a much more advanced stage of development). The aim of this doctoral research was to explore the contribution of PE to product design. The researcher experienced the scientific development of the technology first-hand, and undertook a literature review that covered three main topics: 1) printed electronics (the technology itself), 2) impact (approaches to assessing impact and methods of judging new technology) because together they will identify the state of the art of printed electronics technology, and 3) education - educational theories/methods for designers - studying how designers learn, explore different methods in educating them about new technologies, and start to find appropriate methods for educating them about printed electronics technology. A knowledge framework for PE technology was generated and utilised to produce a taxonomy and TRL scale for PE and confirmed by PE expert interview. Existing case studies in which PE technology had been presented to student designers were investigated through interviews with participants from academia and industry to solicit perception and opinions on approaches for the effective communication of PE knowledge to student designers within an educational environment. The findings were interpreted using thematic analysis and, after comparing the data, three main themes identified: technical constraints, designer s perspective, and what a designer is required to do. The findings from the research were combined to create an educational approach for knowledge transfer aimed specifically at meeting the needs of product designers. This resulted in the need for PE technology to be translated into both a visual and written format to create structure and direct links between the technological elements and their form and function in order to facilitate understanding by designers. Conclusions from the research indicate that the translation of this technology into an appropriate design language will equip designers with accessible fundamental knowledge on PE technology (i.e. electrical components: form, function, and area of the technology), which will allow informed decisions to be made about how PE can be used and to utilise its benefits in the design of products. The capabilities and properties of this technology, when paired with product design practice, has the capacity to transform the designs of future products in terms of form/functionality and prevailing/views towards design approaches with electronics. If exposed to a variety of PE elements ranging across different TRLs, designers have the capacity to bridge the TRL separation issue (the gap between academia and industry) through their ability to create design solutions for an end user and provide a commercial application for the technology

Defect characteristics using automated fiber plasement

Automated fiber placement (AFP) is an advanced manufacturing method for composites, which is especially suitable for large-scale composite components. However, some manufacturing defects inevitably appear in the AFP process, which can affect the mechanical properties of composites. These defects are the main limitation of the technology and can be hard to categorize or define in many situations. This paper provides a thorough definition and classification of all AFP defects. This effort constitutes a comprehensive and extensive library relevant to AFP defects. The defects selected and defined in this work are based on understanding and experience from the manufacture and research of advanced composite structure. Keywords: automated fiber placement, manufacturing defects, mechanical properties, composites, manufactur