Mapping Memory Routes: A multisensory interface for sensorial urbanism and critical heritage studies

This demonstration offers the opportunity to explore a multisensory digital interface as part of the wider research project 'Mapping Memory Routes: Eliciting Culturally Diverse Memes for Digital Archives'. The interface is conceived as a tool for capturing memes rooted in the rich intangible heritage of culturally diverse communities in London, opening up a space for intercultural exchange to be used in meaningful urban design. Based on a model developed by artist and researcher Alda Terracciano for her multisensory installation 'Streets of...7 cities in 7 minutes', the interface is used to explore new design methods to elicit cultural memories through the use of multisensory technology. The tool aims to stimulate collective curatorial practices aimed at democratising decision-making processes in critical heritage studies and urban planning

Investigating the effects of odour integration in reading and learning experiences

Books are the tools used for reading novels and stories, but also for educational purposes. Conventional books have undergone a radical transformation in recent years due to the use of new technologies. However, even today the technological devices used for reading e-books are still poorly exploited, despite the fact that they represent a fundamental tool to make the reading experience more immersive by using a complete multisensory approach. In this perspective, one sense that represents an important element of human perception is the sense of smell. Consequently, authors make the hypothesis that the introduction of odours during reading sessions could increase the user experience and the learning performances. In order to demonstrate these hypotheses, the authors have defined and carried out several experimental testing sessions. The analysis of the collected data proved that the introduction of odour does not disturb the reader during reading activities but, on the contrary, can actually make the experience more immersive. Similarly, odours do not disturb studying activities, but they can instead increase the level of concentration and people's learning performance

Continuous Surface Rendering, Passing from CAD to Physical Representation

This paper describes a desktop‐mechatronic interface that has been conceived to support designers in the evaluation of aesthetic virtual shapes. This device allows a continuous and smooth free hand contact interaction on a real and developable plastic tape actuated by a servo‐controlled mechanism. The objective in designing this device is to reproduce a virtual surface with a consistent physical rendering well adapted to designers' needs. The desktop‐mechatronic interface consists in a servo‐actuated plastic strip that has been devised and implemented using seven interpolation points. In fact, by using the MEC (Minimal Energy Curve) Spline approach, a developable real surface is rendered taking into account the CAD geometry of the virtual shapes. In this paper, we describe the working principles of the interface by using both absolute and relative approaches to control the position on each single control point on the MEC spline. Then, we describe the methodology that has been implemented, passing from the CAD geometry, linked to VisualNastran in order to maintain the parametric properties of the virtual shape. Then, we present the co‐ simulation between VisualNastran and MATLAB/Simulink used for achieving this goal and controlling the system and finally, we present the results of the subsequent testing session specifically carried out to evaluate the accuracy and the effectiveness of the mechatronic device

Design of an Intrinsically Motivating AR Experience for Environmental Awareness

Augmented Reality seems a promising tool to provide engaging and effective educational experiences, thanks to its potentiality in stimulating intrinsic motivation, that could influence the learning process and the attitude of the users towards behaviours. This paper presents the Resized Plastic Augmented Reality learning experience, designed on the basis of Dunleavy's framework to provide a systemic overview of the microplastics issue to allow users to understand its mechanisms, educate them about their role in the system and help them to connect this information to their everyday actions

Analysis of autonomic indexes on drivers' workload to assess the effect of visual ADAS on user experience and driving performance in different driving conditions

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADASs) allow information provision through visual, auditory, and haptic signals to achieve multidimensional goals of mobility. However, processing information from ADAS requires operating expenses of mental workload that drivers incur from their limited attentional resources. The change in driving condition can modulate drivers' workload and potentially impair drivers' interaction with ADAS. This paper shows how the measure of cardiac activity (heart rate and the indexes of autonomic nervous system (ANS)) could discriminate the influence of different driving conditions on drivers' workload associated with attentional resources engaged while driving with ADAS. Fourteen drivers performed a car-following task with visual ADAS in a simulated driving. Drivers' workload was manipulated in two driving conditions: one in monotonous condition (constant speed) and another in more active condition (variable speed). Results showed that drivers' workload was similarly affected, but the amount of attentional resources allocation was slightly distinct between both conditions. The analysis of main effect of time demonstrated that drivers' workload increased over time without the alterations in autonomic indexes regardless of driving condition. However, the main effect of driving condition produced a higher level of sympathetic activation on variable speed driving compared to driving with constant speed. Variable speed driving requires more adjustment of steering wheel movement (SWM) to maintain lane-keeping performance, which led to higher level of task involvement and increased task engagement. The proposed measures appear promising to help designing new adaptive working modalities for ADAS on the account of variation in driving condition

A novel educational model based on "knowing how to do" paradigm implemented in an academic makerspace

The design discipline is faced with radical changes related to new technologies and to an increasingly globalized world with more and more competitive markets. These factors are profoundly influencing methods and processes of design, and the knowledge and skills related to the designer's role. Consequently, the design educational models are radically changing. Today, one of the most impacting evolutions is related to rapid prototyping techniques, which are bringing design practice closer to the auto-production. This emerging trend cannot be anymore supported with traditional didactic approaches, but it is necessary to create spaces for allowing students to learn, design and experiment in a shared way. This paper presents the Polifactory Lab at Politecnico di Milano, an innovative makerspace established with the aim of creating a new research and teaching space. In this paper, the authors present the Polifactory Lab, its theoretical purposes, and some examples of didactic activities carried out in the lab

Print-in-place of Interconnected Deformable and Rigid Parts of Articulated Systems

Abstract One of the most fascinating possibilities of Additive Manufacturing technologies is their capability to realize objects that include various types of joints and moving parts. The research presented in this paper proposes to embed elastic elements in these joints in order to control their compliance. Two applications are also presented, in order to demonstrate, firstly, the practical feasibility of this innovative joint, and, secondly, the possibility to control joint elastic behavior in order to force the connected parts to automatically return to their initial positions when the actuating load is removed

Micro-Scale Analysis and Simulation on the behavior of a component in Al-6061during ballistic impact: 3D acquisition and FE model

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