Rationalizing virtual reality based on manufacturing paradigms

Comparing the evolvement of the manufacturing industry of the last century to the way virtual reality is used nowadays some remarkable similarities come to light. Current virtual reality equipment requires a high level of craftsmanship to achieve the maximum results, and often equipment is specially build for a dedicated process or project. While the technical revolution in the manufacturing industry led to a turnaround in which more generic production equipment were used in a structured configuration. The goal is to prevent the pitfalls already encountered in the last century in process planning, and convert the advantages of a reconfigurable manufacturing system to the way virtual reality is used

Tools and techniques for product design

For product designers, tools and techniques are essential in driving the design cycle. Nevertheless, their employment usually is implicit, while passing over e.g. the design and project environments empowering their adequate use. This publication presents an overview of approaches in structuring and using tools/techniques, based on the effectuation of creativity and decision-making in the design environment. In elaborating on characteristics of tools/techniques and ensuing ways of selecting them, the designer's portfolio of tools/techniques is characterised. Representative problems of tool/technique usage are depicted and contextualised by illustrating their industrial application. Prospects for future developments are also reviewe