How smart is the Italian domestic environment? A quantitative study

The market for smart home products in Italy appears to be growing quicker than in other European countries. Continuous technological advances have lowered the price for entry products, allowing more families to acquire smart solutions. Meanwhile, after the Covid-19 pandemic, the importance of the domestic environment as a hybrid space where to conduct different activities that require smart and connected appliances has significantly grown. Ultimately, economic and social instability has produced a higher awareness of energy consumption, bringing many users to question their lifestyle choices and look for smarter and greener solutions. The evolution of living conditions through the growth of smart technology in houses and apartments must be explored by interaction designers, to provide effective user experiences of smart artifacts, that need to seamlessly connect with one another and function together, within a complex, multimodal environment. Considering this, the paper presents the results of a quantitative study carried out at the end of 2021, through an online survey that was completed by 135 respondents. Data are analysed by grouping the respondents in 3 categories: single tenants, couples or roommates (unrelated to each other), and families (at least one parent with their offspring). Different visualizations highlight which rooms are "smarter"-although Italian households appear to be less technological than expected. The main findings concern the relationship between wider technological ecosystems and larger groups of tenants living together, and how the ownership of a smart product leads to the acquisition of other products-thus building a complex network of non-human players

Connection Making: analogue-digital synapsis between fabrication hubs

The paper intends to apply the emerging theories on network science to the production chain of contemporary society, hyper-globalized and hyperconnected, to provide an alternative point of view aimed at the multilevel development of a given territory/context. The subject of discussion will be the Fab Labs, specifically those belonging to the Fab Charter, framing them not only as places of digital fabrication, experimentation and research, but, above all, as nodes of a network that in recent years has expanded to connect realities geographically very far from each other. With the analysis of case-studies we will investigate the dimension and importance of planning and designing these systemic processes to lead to the onset of an organizational culture oriented to \u2018sensemaking\u2019 and with the aim of optimizing collaborative processes of the Fab Lab network, demonstrating the social value of \u2018glocal\u2019 production

HCD methodologies and simulation for visual rehabilitator’s education in oMERO project

The work presented originates in the context of designing for individuals with visual impairment, in the specific target refers to children from two to seven years of age. The study was conducted with the contribution of the UniGe DAD (Department of Architecture and Design) research group as part of the oMERO project, an Erasmus+ project funded by the European Community (2020–2023), with the aim of creating a curriculum for training the profession of visual rehabilitator for children. The article illustrates a case study carried out using the simulation technique at the University of Genoa’s Center for Simulation and Advanced Training. The approach intended to be applied to this course is innovative, involving the immersive and experiential participation of students and the adoption of the most advanced training technologies in the field of simulation. Expert designers, physicians, ophthalmologists, psychologists and visual rehabilitators were involved to proceed with the implementation of the experiment, resulting in a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary study. The ultimate goal is to provide students with standardized criteria for assessing and appropriately intervening in the living spaces of the child with visual impairment. The preliminary phase involved the simulation of a home environment, specifically the setup of a child’s bedroom. The SimAv setup is based on a film set. Equipped with the most advanced technology, it allows the recording and creation of digital content and the configuration of environments, such as the arrangement and number of furnishings and the variation of ambient brightness, fundamental elements to ensure the autonomy of simple and basic actions, provided in the educational modules. Specifically, the bedroom was set up with standard elements, recreating a real context. The front door and a window were also simulated in the room. The placement of the various elements in the room was designed according to the needs of visually impaired and blind children, and the experimentation was divided into two moments characterized by two setups. The first set-up involved dazzling lighting and the selection of objects that were difficult to distinguish, then the environment was modified through the use of contrasting elements, visual markers, and appropriate lighting through dimmable lights. The experiment was carried out by students from different European countries who participated in the two courses wearing glasses to simulate visual impairment. In addition, students were asked to complete certain tasks during the experiment. At the end of each route, the participants filled out an accessibility evaluation form through which they defined the level of difficulty of the tasks and made suggestions to improve the existing layout in terms of placement or choice of furniture, materials, lighting, color contrasts, pathways and tactility. Through this experimentation, the data collected allowed the research team to understand the possible modifications to be made to the environment and to identify the elements that could make the experiment reproducible in different home settings in order to define a protocol for adapting the spaces to the needs of the target audience

Beyond personas. Machine Learning to personalise the project

The paper deals with some problems linked to Human-Centred Design (HCD) methods, namely Personas, that may mislead the designers to create distorted and stereotypical representations of users. These archetypal models of ‘human’ are questioned in favour of a data processing approach, that better responds to the needs of the projects contextualised in our hyperconnected society. The core value of this approach is the ability to adapt, based on algorithms capable of matching the product to the activity of each user. These considerations aim to balance the important benefits of the HCD design methods with necessary caution on the introduction of new tools still in verification. The integration of the well-established HCD methods with the new possibilities given by datafication originates a design process integrating the two aspects and that is presented at the end of the paper

Spazi Comuni. Scenari universitari per il ritorno alla a-normalità

L’idea di ricerca consiste nella mappatura e valutazione comparativa di ipotesi progettuali per il riavvio delle attività in ambito universitario, che prevedono la convivenza di esperienze in presenza e da remoto. Lo studio propone di esplorare le azioni quotidiane che caratterizzano gli spazi fisici universitari attraverso l’approccio user journey map al fine di progettare la comunicazione e la fruizione avvalendosi di aggiornate tecniche hcd e ux

More than Artificial. Una convivenza da progettare: metodi e azioni per lo studio dell’interazione Uomo - Tecnologia

In un mondo in cui la tecnologia si sviluppa sempre più velocemente, raggiungendo e superando traguardi sconvolgenti dal punto di vista dell’intelligenza e della capacità di interagire socialmente dei nostri artefatti, il progettista è chiamato a rispondere a sfide complesse. Mentre il design pone il soggetto umano al centro delle dinamiche progettuali già dalla fine del secolo scorso (Norman, 1996), rimangono aperte numerose questioni riguardanti l’inclusione e l’ottimizzazione del rapporto tra persone e tecnologie, in particolare per quanto riguarda artefatti e sistemi rivolti alla cura e al benessere degli utenti, che instaurano con esse veri e propri rapporti sociali di collaborazione e addirittura convivenza, specialmente nell’ambiente domestico. A livello macro, la tesi si inserisce dunque nel campo di studio della Human – Technology Interaction (HTI), un settore ampio e complesso che viene approcciato da diversi punti di vista, con l’obiettivo di inquadrare e far confluire sinergicamente nuovi approcci del design contemporaneo, ottimizzando in ultimo il processo di ricerca e progettazione di artefatti tecnologici, rendendoli accettabili e funzionali per le persone che li utilizzeranno. Nello specifico, le problematiche alla base della ricerca riguardano la disparità tra il livello di ubiquità della tecnologia nella vita di tutti i giorni e il quoziente tecnologico della maggior parte della popolazione (Nosta, 2017), che si assesta a gradi considerevolmente più bassi di quello dei progettisti, tecnici e non, che spesso faticano a comprendere il punto di vista e le necessità degli utenti per cui lavorano (Nielsen, 2016). In questo contesto si inseriscono problematiche di carattere sistemico, legate alla consapevolezza che la progettazione non può e non deve più essere meramente rivolta a un singolo target group, ma deve prendere in considerazione il contesto sociale e ambientale in cui un artefatto viene implementato, considerando l’impatto sull’intero sistema, caratterizzato dalla convivenza di persone con necessità e specificità diverse, soggetti non-umani, ecosistemi ambientali e altre tecnologie che devono operare in sinergia (Forlano, 2017). Per rispondere a queste problematiche, sono stati presi in considerazione alcuni approcci contemporanei, le cui metodologie si compenetrano e favoriscono la definizione sistematizzata di un processo progettuale efficiente riguardo al campo identificato. Tra questi, il trend sempre più consolidato della massiva produzione di dati riguardanti il comportamento umano (Cukier e Mayer-Schoenberger, 2014) rappresenta il motore dell’evoluzione del processo di design secondo modalità che propongono una progettualità sempre meno fondata sull’intuizione e l’estro del designer, ma piuttosto mirata sulla risposta puntuale a necessità evidenziate da dati raccolti con modalità diverse, sia di tipo qualitativo che quantitativo. Tale modo di operare non è privo di pericoli, legati a bias intrinsechi ai dati o interpretazioni errate, che possono portare più danni che benefici al progetto (Holmes, 2020). Per questo motivo, la progettazione con i dati viene legata in questa tesi al concetto di user involvement, con la proposta di mediare tra i due approcci nelle diverse fasi del processo progettuale – esemplificato dal modello double diamond. La prima parte della tesi presenta una panoramica metodologica che fa chiarezza sulle tematiche fin qui accennate, supportata da una mappatura di metodi che coinvolgono gli utenti secondo tre livelli di interazione, così definiti: ascoltare, osservare, abilitare (Sanders, 2005). A conclusione dell’analisi teorica sono presentate alcune sperimentazioni (cap. 4.3) condotte dal team di ricerca sul sottoinsieme specifico dell’HTI definito Human – Robot Interaction (HRI); la progettazione di robot socialmente interattivi è esemplificativa delle sfide che si presentano al designer nel progettare il rapporto con la tecnologia, e le sperimentazioni descritte sono state utili per applicare i metodi studiati ed osservare criticamente i risultati ottenuti. La seconda parte della tesi mira a sintetizzare le convergenze tra i diversi approcci studiati, ponendo le basi per un processo progettuale delle tecnologie rivolte al benessere e alla cura più inclusivo ed efficiente. A questo fine viene discussa l’importanza di contestualizzare le attività di ricerca e progettazione all’interno di spazi fisici di sperimentazione; vengono presi in esame due tipologie di casi studio, i Living Lab, basati sul modello Human Centered Design (HCD) e i laboratori di simulazione, diffusi nel settore sanitario con il principale obiettivo di formare professionisti dell’assistenza. Riconoscendo il valore della tecnica simulatoria nelle attività che coinvolgono gli utenti nella progettualità di tecnologie con cui sono chiamati a interagire, viene proposto l’output progettuale della tesi dottorale: il laboratorio Living Hub, con sede presso il Centro di Servizi di ateneo di Simulazione e Formazione Avanzata (SimAv) dell’Università di Genova. Il Living Hub riproduce un ambiente domestico di circa 70 mq, dove condurre attività di ricerca, sperimentazione e formazione rivolte al benessere della persona, con particolare riferimento alla vita domiciliare assistita da tecnologie quali robotica, sensoristica, internet of things, dispositivi indossabili per monitoraggio. Grazie all’implementazione di un sistema per le riprese audio/video e un sistema di sensoristica per registrare i movimenti delle persone in tale spazio, il laboratorio è specificamente progettato per condurre attività sperimentali strutturate e in grado di generare dati validi a supporto della progettazione. In ultimo, il lavoro di ricerca ha l’obiettivo di strutturare metodi e azioni volti a ottimizzare la raccolta di dati e la cooperazione con gli utenti nella produzione di artefatti tecnologici interattivi in grado di inserirsi positivamente nella vita delle persone, creando con queste ultime rapporti di convivenza proficui in grado di aumentarne il benessere e supportarle nel mantenimento di uno stile di vita autonomo anche in condizioni di fragilità e invecchiamento.While design has placed the human subject at the center of design dynamics since the end of the last century (Norman, 1996), numerous questions remain regarding the inclusion and optimization of the relationship between people and technologies, in particular regarding artifacts and systems aimed at the care and well-being of users, who establish real social relationships of collaboration and even coexistence with tech, especially in the home environment. At a macro level, the thesis is therefore part of the field of study of Human - Technology Interaction (HTI), a broad and complex sector that is approached from different points of view, with the aim of framing and bringing together new design approaches, ultimately optimizing the research and design process of technological artifacts, making them acceptable and functional for the people who will use them. Specifically, the issues underlying the research concern the disparity between the level of ubiquity of technology in everyday life and the technological quotient of the majority of the population (Nosta, 2017), which settles in degrees considerably lower than that of designers, who often struggle to understand the point of view and needs of the users they work for (Nielsen, 2016). In this context, systemic problems arise, linked to the awareness that design cannot be merely aimed at a single target group, but must take into consideration the social and environmental context in which an artefact is implemented, considering the impact on the entire system, characterised by the coexistence of people with different needs, non-human subjects, environmental ecosystems and other technologies that must operate in synergy (Forlano, 2017). To respond to these problems, some contemporary approaches have been taken into consideration, whose methodologies interpenetrate and favor the systematized definition of an efficient design process with regard to the identified field. Among these, the increasingly consolidated trend of the massive production of data concerning human behavior (Cukier and Mayer-Schoenberger, 2014) represents the engine of the evolution of the design process, proposing projects that are less and less based on intuition and creativity of the designer, but rather focused on the timely response to needs highlighted by data collected in different ways, both qualitative and quantitative. This way of operating is not without dangers, linked to intrinsic bias to the data or incorrect interpretations, which can bring more harm than good to the project (Holmes, 2020). For this reason, design with data is linked in this thesis to the concept of user involvement, with the proposal to mediate between the two approaches in the different phases of the design process - exemplified by the double diamond model. The first part of the thesis presents a methodological overview that sheds light on the issues mentioned so far, supported by a map of methods that involve users according to three levels of interaction, defined as follows: listening, observing, enabling (Sanders, 2005). At the conclusion of the theoretical analysis, some experiments conducted by the research team on the specific subset of the HTI defined Human - Robot Interaction (HRI) are presented; the design of socially interactive robots is an example of the challenges faced by the designer in building the relationship with technology, and the experiments described have been useful for applying the methods studied and critically observing the results obtained. The second part of the thesis aims to summarize the convergences between the different approaches studied, laying the foundations for a more inclusive and efficient design process of technologies aimed at well-being and care. To this end, the importance of contextualizing research and design activities within physical experimentation spaces is discussed; Two types of case studies are examined, Living Labs, based on the Human Centered Design (HCD) model and simulation laboratories, widespread in the healthcare sector with the main objective of training care professionals. Recognising the value of the simulation technique in activities that involve users in the design of technologies with which they are called to interact, the design output of the doctoral thesis is proposed: the Living Hub laboratory, based at the University Service Center for Simulation and Advanced Training (SimAv) of the University of Genoa. The Living Hub reproduces a home environment of about 70 square meters, where research, experimentation and training activities aimed at the well-being of the person can be conducted, with particular reference to home life assisted by technologies such as robotics, sensors, internet of things, wearable devices for monitoring. Thanks to the implementation of a system for audio/video shooting and a sensor system to record the movements of people in this space, the laboratory is specifically designed to conduct structured experimental activities capable of generating valid data to support the design. Ultimately, the research proposes to structure methods and actions aimed at optimizing data collection and cooperation with users in the production of interactive technological artifacts capable of positively inserting themselves into people's lives, creating relationships of profitable coexistence, increasing their well-being and supporting them in maintaining an independent lifestyle even in conditions of fragility and aging

AR Site Specific Design = Percepire la città aumentata

Our streets are filled with information. Advertising posters, bus shelters, screens that project news, artistic displays, temporary events. Cities, especially from this perspective, are constantly changing and accelerating, in line with the contemporary trend of input overload and consequent reduction in the amount of attention we pay to each of them. In this scenario, the evolution of Augmented, Virtual or Mixed Reality technologies allows the opening of a range of new possibilities and interactions with spaces. We tend to refer to these technologies in their application to confined environments, such as private houses or museums. However, open and public spaces offer a possibility of interaction and experimentation that is increasingly being taken into consideration by designers and artists who make these technologies their expressive channel. If we expected to find ourselves wearing articulated headsets and futuristic glasses 24 hours a day, we were disappointed. Smartphones, however, are the means, the window through which our reality merges with its digital counterpart, giving shape to new immersive experiences that have the power to radically transform our perception of what surrounds us. This type of site-specific installations is attracting the attention of many artists but also of companies such as Apple, which is preparing to launch a series of temporary virtual reality installations near its stores in major US cities. An equally interesting experience concerns a Google initiative, carried out in collaboration with the well-known Milanese data visualization studio Accurat: Building Hopes is a free application that allows each of us to create and leave around our cities permanently virtual “totems” that represent our expectations and hopes represented as colored “balancing rocks”. The paper aims to analyze these innovative forms of expression reflecting on their potential to change the perception of public places and to favor new and unexpected uses, with the support of an approach to design open to immersion and interaction with end users, that become an integral part of these experiences and their output on the territory