Education guide 'Eindhoven designs' - Technische Universiteit ...

Eindhoven designs / volume two
57
enables students to describe relationships
between parameters resulting in systems
behaviour. The next step is mathematical
modelling to describe this behaviour in
mathematical relationships. For engineers,
understanding and learning mathematical
models is the foundation for simulation and
optimisation. These enable exploration of
the desired and undesired capabilities of
technological mediation that occurs in the
complex interplay between user and artefact,
as explained in chapter two. Instead of using
trial and error methods, students need to
explore systematically and get insight: what
are the crucial properties of especially highly
dynamic and intelligent systems and products
that benefit from mathematical modelling?
During the design process the results of these
types of modelling can be compared with
prototype tests and analyses.
Integrating Technology
Being competent in integrating
technology means being able to explore,
visualise, create and demonstrate
innovative concepts and experiences
using technology, as well as analysing
the technical and economic feasibility
of complex designs in which technology
is integrated. Moreover, one needs to
understand scientific writings and be
able to communicate with engineers and
researchers of another discipline.
Designing interactive and intelligent systems,
and building prototypes requires training
in choosing sensors and actuators, objectoriented
design, algorithms, circuits and
mechanisms, and integrating them in the
overall competency of designing. Next to
synthesising and concretising, developing
one’s analytical and abstraction skills to
determine the technical and economic
feasibility of a design can be done through
informed judgements through calculations,
maths items and appropriate math tools, as
well as generating sufficient knowledge that
enables you to read further and go into depth
on technological, design-related issues.
Designers typically work in multi-disciplinary
teams. This, and the fact that intelligent
systems can overstretch at some point the
skills and knowledge of Industrial Design
students, requires students to understand
scientific writings and be able to communicate
with engineers and researchers of another
discipline. Thus understanding E, I and W as
disciplines and being able to cooperate with
the E, I and W engineers, which may require
reading specifications and datasheets,
documenting hardware and software, and
finally awareness of computer science and
artificial intelligence.
Ideas and Concepts
Develop visions, innovative ideas and
concepts through creativity techniques,
experimentations and the translation of
research.
Ideas and concepts are initiated through
different ways of doing and thinking
according to your attitude, influences and
experiences such as: empathic thinking
(concerned with feeling and sensing your way),
associative thinking (compares and makes
connections with different objects, places and
experiences), thinking with your body and