Toshiharu Taura

Application of evolutionary programming to shape design

Designing the shapes of products is the primary activity of the design process. In this paper, we propose a new model representing free form shape features with the aim of making the system capable of holding and manipulating the shape features after synthesis in order to support the designer early in the design process. The key concept of this study is the shape feature generating process model (SFGP model) which consists of numerous sets of rules using the classifier system (CS). Finally, a computer program was developed to evaluate the model by combining two existing shapes to verify that the shape features of each shape are preserved in the combined shape. It was demonstrated that the model can produce a variety of combined shapes with original, often exaggerated, features.

Constructive simulation of creative concept generation process in design: a research method for difficult-to-observe design-thinking processes

In this study, we conduct a computer simulation in order to capture characteristics or patterns in the concept generation process, which may lead to the generation of a creative design idea. This approach employs a research framework called ‘constructive simulation’, which may be effective for investigating a process that is difficult to observe both internally and externally. The simulation was conducted in four phases. In Phase 1, the virtual concept generation process was constructed on a semantic network. In Phase 2, the relevance of the process was confirmed using network theory. In Phase 3, the simulation was validated using ‘synthetic verification’ which confirms the relevance of the process with another real-life phenomenon, as well as the feasibility of creating more creative design ideas. In Phase 4, the characteristics or patterns in the actual concept generation process were inferred from those of the virtual concept generation process. The results suggest that thinking patterns in which explicit and ‘inexplicit’ concepts are continuously intertwined lead to creative design ideas.

Perspectives on design creativity and innovation research

The aim of this extended editorial is to offer a perspective on design creativity and innovation research on the occasion of launching the International Journal of Design Creativity and Innovation. Thirty six members of the editorial board present their expectations, views, or opinions on the topics of the journal. All of these articles are presented in Section 2. In Section 3, summaries of the 36 articles are consolidated. This editorial also analyzes keywords from each of the articles, and the results are visualized in Section 4. The keyword analysis covers not only those words taken directly from each of the articles but also the implicit keywords that are suggested by the explicit ones. We believe this extended editorial will help the researchers, in particular young researchers, comprehend the essence of design creativity and innovation research and obtain a clue to tackle the new discipline.The aim of this extended editorial is to offer a perspective on design creativity and innovation research on the occasion of launching the International Journal of Design Creativity and Innovation. Thirty six members of the editorial board present their expectations, views, or opinions on the topics of the journal. All of these articles are presented in Section 2. In Section 3, summaries of the 36 articles are consolidated. This editorial also analyzes keywords from each of the articles, and the results are visualized in Section 4. The keyword analysis covers not only those words taken directly from each of the articles but also the implicit keywords that are suggested by the explicit ones. We believe this extended editorial will help the researchers, in particular young researchers, comprehend the essence of design creativity and innovation research and obtain a clue to tackle the new discipline.

Discussion on Direction of Design Creativity Research (Part 1) - New Definition of Design and Creativity: Beyond the Problem-Solving Paradigm

This article discusses the meanings of “design” and “creativity.” First, the authors provide a historical review of the terminologies of “design” and “creativity” used in the field of design research. On the basis of this review, they aim to formulate a fundamental perspective of design for our future society that does not focus on the notion of efficiency and is not restricted by the framework of a problem-solving process. Next, they redefine design as the process of composing a desirable figure toward the future on the basis of their classifications of design as drawing, problem solving, and pursuit of the ideal. Finally, they identify the meanings of such a new definition of design in order to find the essential areas of research for design in the future postindustrial society.

Virtual Impression Networks for Capturing Deep Impressions

In this study, we focus on deep impressions, which are defined as the impressions that are related to deep feelings towards a product and lie under surface impressions. In order to capture the nature of deep impressions, we developed a method for constructing “virtual impression networks,” which involve the notions of “structure” and “inexplicit impressions”, using a semantic network. This paper, in particular, aims at understanding the manner in which people form impressions of preference. Our results indicated that it is possible to explain the difference between feelings of “like” and “dislike” using several indicators in the network theory of virtual impression networks. The process of forming the impressions of “like” is shown to differ from that of “dislike” at a deep impression level.

Adaptive-growth-type 3D representation for configuration design

In this paper, the design of geometrical shapes of function carriers and their layout in given space is called configuration design. The constraint satisfaction problem in configuration design may be difficult to solve due to the lack of tight constraints and the countless combinations of the layout; a diversity of solutions that satisfy the constraints should be allowed. Therefore, to allow such diversity, we directed our attention to developmental processes in biology and proposed an adaptive-growth-type 3D representation based on evolutionary algorithms. Here, the adaptive-growth-type means the shape expressed in the process, which develops through interaction with an outside environment, like shape generation of a living organism in the natural world. The usefulness of the representation was verified by applying it to the component layout problem in the early stage of satellite design.

METHOD OF DESIGN THROUGH STRUCTURING OF MEANINGS

This research shows a new approach and development of a design methodology, based on the perspective of meanings. In this study the design process is explored as a development of the structure of meanings. The processes of search and evaluation of meanings form the foundations of developing this structure. In order to facilitate the use and operation of the meanings, the WordNet lexical database and an existing visualization of WordNet — Visuwords — is used for the process of meaning search. The basic tool used for evaluation process is the WordNet::Similarity software, measuring the relatedness of meanings in the database. In this way it is measuring the degree of interconnections between different meanings. This kind of search and evaluation techniques are later on incorporated into our methodology of the structure of meanings to support the design process. The measures of relatedness of meanings are developed as convergence criteria for application in the processes of evaluation. Further on, the methodology for the structure of meanings developed here is used to construct meanings in a verification of product design. The steps of the design methodology, including the search and evaluation processes involved in developing the structure of the meanings, are elucidated. The choices, made by the designer in terms of meanings are supported by consequent searches and evaluations of meanings to be implemented in the designed product. In conclusion, the paper presents directions for developing and further extensions of the proposed design methodology.

A case study: a network system for knowledge amplification in the product development process

Future product development is expected to evolve from the current stage, where the final commercial product is most important aspect of production, to the stage where the knowledge required for product development is of greatest significance. This study aims to construct an engineering management information system applicable to this new age of knowledge. Approaches are formulated from the standpoint of knowledge amplification in the engineering process. First, Sonys current product development process which is based on event management, product planning, and the subsequent design processes are analyzed to clarify the sequence of knowledge amplification. Then the sequence of knowledge amplification of individual engineers and that of the organization groups are analyzed, and a new network system supporting the product development process is proposed.

Study of gazing points in design situation: A proposal and practice of an analytical method based on the explanation of design activities

Abstract In this paper, a model of design information that can take into account various information such as that of the environment around a designer and the past experiences is proposed. The authors believe that design models based on a framework of problem solving do not explicitly describe all design activities. In order to compensate for this insufficiency, the authors propose the concept of a gazing point in the design situation which is clarified by the designers explanation of his/her problem-solving processes. The gazing point controlling process is the design activities that play a role in extracting the designers unique information from all the information that the designer can recognize in a design. The method of design experiments that consist of two sessions (design session and explanation session) is proposed and the experiment is carried out. Besides the design session, which is the same as in the past standard experiments, in the explanation session, the authors acquire an explanation of design activities, which was recorded in the design session, by means of questions and answers while showing the designer the design process on video. The results confirm the validity of the concept of the gazing point in the design situation.

Effective information provision for relieving traffic congestion

An indirect control method is a useful tool for guiding group dynamics to the desired one without ignoring each individuals decision, and information provision is one such indirect control method. However, there are few discussions regarding systematic ways to provide such information. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate effective ways to provide information for relieving traffic congestion. An agent-based simulation for representing complex traffic phenomena is introduced and some ways to provide information are discussed. The results of this study are then summarized.