Browsing by Subject "Mechanical design"
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Item The analysis and development of a mechanical breadboard structure(2006-12) Mikes, James Andrew; Wood, Kristin L.This thesis introduces the mechanical breadboard as a learning development tool and details the creation of one concept. It begins with a review of the state of the art for mechanical breadboards to include commercial and academic developments and products. It defines what a mechanical breadboard is for this research, what the customer needs are, and what critical functions the breadboard should be able to prototype. Following this analysis, a development team created a new novel structural system for a mechanical breadboard as the research indicated these components were both important to the overall system and had a great opportunity for innovation and improvement. The solution developed is based on node and frame member structural system that allows multiple degrees of freedom in the structural layout. The node is the key component of the structural system and utilizes a three section design to give multiple degrees of freedom and attachment points.Item An empirical study of the effectiveness of empathic experience design(2012-05) Johnson, Daniel Glenn; Seepersad, Carolyn C.; Crawford, Richard H.Engineers recognize the need for innovation in product design, and many methods are available for creating more innovative products and better satisfying customer needs. Empathic Experience Design (EED) is one such method. The EED method exposes the designer to empathic experiences, which are intended to help the designer empathize with customers who use the product under a variety of non-ideal conditions and then transfer that enhanced understanding to an ensuing concept generation activity. This thesis studies the effectiveness of the EED methodology when used in conjunction with three types of empathic experiences: sensory, physical, and cognitive. Experiments were conducted over the course of two years, in which students were asked to develop concepts for a next-generation alarm clock or litter collection device; the resulting concepts were analyzed to determine the originality and technical quality of each concept. The subject group concepts, which were developed after participating in empathic experiences, were compared with the control group concepts, which were developed without empathic experiences. The subject group concepts demonstrated significantly higher originality than the control group concepts, without measurable sacrifices in technical quality, as well as significant increases in innovative features related to user interactions. The method has been shown to be effective for enhancing innovation when the empathic experiences are aimed at sensory and kinematic priming activities that challenge a user’s sensory or physical capabilities.Item Ethics in structural design and mechanical design for live entertainment scenery(2014-05) Vieira, David Vincent; Dawson, Kathryn; Cloyes, Rusty; Dawson, Kathryn M.; Cloyes, RustyScenic construction requires a strong understanding of a range of principles related to construction including: materials strength properties, mechanical components, electrical motor systems, fluid power systems, and finishing techniques. A manager of scenic construction, or a Technical Director (TD), is required to take artistic designs and ideas and create magical elements on stage that are safe for performers, installers, operators, and audiences. In order to create these onstage spectacles, a great deal of planning, engineering, and careful fabrication must take place. There are several ways for a Technical Director to gain the knowledge required to effectively work at any level of entertainment production. This mixed-methods research study asks: what are the ethical standards that guide how a TD’s work is completed? The thesis begins with a review of the job of the Technical Director in Live Entertainment and data from a survey conducted of professionals in scenic technology. Results from the survey were analyzed to provide both quantitative data, in the form of statistics, and qualitative response data. Additional discussion addresses a sample of the resources for structural design support available currently to the field, as well as challenges that some professionals confront in their typical practice. The thesis concludes a review of literature around engineering ethics and liability in engineering practice and recommendations for the incorporation of new ethical standards in live entertainment scenic production.