Research

Emily Seifert is a Ph.D.Human Factors & Ergonomics student with a bachelor in science and Masters in Apparel Design from the UMN. She has around eight years of experience working as a researcher in various industries, and currently working in Human Dimension lab at UMN. Emily's research supports workspace, wearable product, and medical product design innovation through mixed methods research approaches to provide safer, more equitable environments and products.

Keywords: 3Dscanner, Hand, Feet, Anthropometric survey Landmark

Methods and Tools for 3D Measurement of Hands and Feet

This was a collaborative research led by Associate Professor Dr. Linsey Griffin in the Human Dimensioning lab aimed to develop a reliable method for collecting data on 3D scans of different human body parts such as heads, torsos, and hands. To achieve this, digital software was utilized to gather various measurements including linear, surface, and space dimensions from the scans. The project was to collaborate with a manufacturing facility to provide them with information on hand clearance spaces (i.e., the required space for the hand to work safely).

Keywords: 3Dscanner, Hand, Feet, Anthropometricsurvey Landmark

Published: AHFE International Conference on Interdisciplinary Practice in Industrial Design (AHFE 2018).

Paper

Stephanie Heidorn is a Ph.D. Graphic Design student with a media art degree from Bethany Lutheran College and an MFA in Graphic Design from the UMN. She is a former Digital Arts educator in Minnesota and worldwide. Stephanie seeks to design better ways to help students generate creative ideas and develop the technical skills needed to construct them. She is interested in researching creativity, education, and design, and how these areas interact with each other.

Keywords: Creativity, education, design, creative problem solving, Kids education, creative thinking

Creative Problem Solving for Kids

Stephanie’s thesis research highlighted the increasing importance of teaching creative thinking skills, which can enhance student motivation, engagement, and academic achievement. However, teachers face challenges in implementing recommended theories and techniques due to a lack of practical resources. To address this issue, this thesis and accompanying book, Creative Problem Solving for Kids, were developed based on current research and a qualitative study of nine third and fourth-grade teachers in Minnesota.

Keywords: Creativity, education, design, creative problem solving, Kids education, creative thinking

Presentation: 2023 College of Design Research & Creative Scholarship Showcase.

Book (p 88-89)

Presentation

Chukwuma Nweje Udezeh is a Ph.D. Apparel Studies student with a bachelor of science in Fashion and Apparel design from Thomas Jefferson University and an MA in Museology and Museum Studies from CUNY School of Professional Studies. He has around three years of experience working as a designer and is currently working as a Research Graduate Intern for the Minnesota Historical Society. Chukwuma’s research focuses on exploring the use of adaptive and inclusive clothing co-design processes and its products as empowering practices for neurodevelopmentally disabled/tactile defensive individuals.

Keywords: Adaptive clothing, Inclusive clothing, Self-efficacy design, Tactile Defensiveness, disabled, co-design processes, neurodevelopmentally disabled.

Healing While Designing Clothes: Improving Well-being in ADHD & ASD Individuals

This research details Chukwuma’s dissertation research proposal to incorporate textile-based arts-in-healing practices while engaging in the co-design of adaptive and inclusive clothing alongside tactile defensive individuals. He aims to promote empowerment by enabling tactile defensive individuals to regain control over their lives.

Keywords: Adaptive & inclusive clothing, Disability studies, Artmaking-in-healing

Presentation: AATA, Conference.

Presentation

Swetha Anand is a Ph.D. Graphic Design student with a bachelor’s in engineering from India and a master’s in Graphic Design from the UIC School of Design, US. She has six years of experience working as a UI/UX designer in various industries, from games to audio platforms in startups. Swetha has published three papers at conferences, and her research interests include healthcare education using serious game design and other technologies.

Keywords: Serious game design, interdisciplinary education, design education, game education, internal and external motivation.

The Role of Design Education in Electronic Waste Management

This was a collaborative research led by Assistant Professor Dr. Cecilia X. Wang aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of the environmental impact of electronic waste. Technology's rapid advancement has led to increased electronics consumption and improper recycling can cause environmental and human health problems. To tackle this problem, one proposed solution was to educate the younger generation on the importance of responsible e-waste recycling and encourage the development of sustainable habits.

Keywords: Design education, Interdisciplinary education, Electronic waste education, Design, driven E, Waste Education

Published: 14th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE 2023).

Paper

Presentation

Eric Beaudette is a Ph.D. Human Factors & Ergonomics student with a bachelor’s and master’s in Fiber Science from Cornell University. He has around 12 years of experience working as a researcher and designer, including co funding Cornell Wearable Tech. Eric research concentrates on further on-body strain sensor characterization through the lens of fit and sizing for lower limb medical wearable applications. He develops strategies for wearable device developers to have best-guess approaches and assessments for sizing inclusion and solutions holistically compliant with patients.

Keywords: Wearable technology, strain sensing, fit and sizing, human factors, medical devices, healthcare

Sensing layer and b) the combined sensing and hybrid SMA-pneumatic actuating garment.

Technical sketches for the a) front and back view of the soft exoskeleton system, b) adjustable arm bands with snapping distal SMA endpoint connections, and c) pneumatic bladder and housing unit.

Design of a Hybrid SMA-Pneumatic based Wearable Upper Limb Exoskeleton

This was a collaborative research led by Professor Dr. Lucy Dunne in the Wearable Technology lab aimed at developing wearable technologies to measure and assist upper-limb movements in children with mobility impairments. Erics mainly worked on Biomechanics Testing and Soft Systems Prototyping. He Designed and fabricated complex soft prototypes incorporating sensing with hybrid actuating components.

Keywords: Biomechanical Degrees Of Freedom, Upper-limb Exoskeletons, Supplementary Motor Area, Architecture Description Languages

Published: International Symposium on Wearable Computers Design Exhibition, 2021.

Paper

Terry Haekyung Kim is a Ph.D. Apparel Studies student with a bachelor of science and master's degree in Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design from Seoul National University, Korea. Terry’s research interests are retail merchandising and consumer behavior, specifically sustainable consumption and digital retailing. Her work has been published in international refereed journals such as the Journal of Consumer Behaviour and Fashion and Textiles.

Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, resale

market, secondhand fashion

consumption, consumer

motivations.

Believing in change: The role of implicit theory on consumer's perception of the brand's corporate social responsibility message

This collaborative research led by Assistant Professor Dr. Naeun Kim aimed to examine how the brand type (e.g., fast vs. slow business model) influences the relationships among CSR-brand fit, authenticity, and skepticism, thus improving attitudes toward the brand. The findings demonstrate that an incremental mindset is a powerful consumer characteristic in evaluating a brand’s CSR activities that are less congruent with the brand’s established business model.

Keywords: Corporate social responsibility, Implicit theory, Fit, Authenticity, Skepticism

Published: Journal of Consumer Behaviour.

Paper

Minji Yu is a Ph.D. Apparel Studies student with a bachelor's and master’s in Clothing and Textile from the Ewha Womans University. She worked as a research scientist intern at Meta Reality Labs, where she researched the fit and wearability of VR wearable products. Minji’s research focuses on advanced wearable product development with the integration of technologies such as 3D body scanning, virtual simulation, and 3D CAD.

Keywords: VR/AR wearables, medical and protective wearable product development, smart clothing, anthropometry, 3D body scanning, 3D apparel visualization, fit, wearability

Design considerations for protective mask development: A remote mask usability evaluation

This was collaborative research led by Assistant Professor Dr. Linsey Griffin aimed to study was to develop a holistic model to guide mask design improvement. The design of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) continues to pose usability concerns for healthcare workers, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Design components of nose wire and head/neck bands were the most problematic, while conditions of skin irritation and tight/loose fit created an unfavorable wear experience. To consider healthcare workers' needs in improving the usability of protective masks, a model was presented to consider characteristics of fit, comfort, material, and design.

Keywords: COVID-19; Healthcare workers; Holistic mask design approach; Mask design improvement; N95 filtering facepiece respirators; Remote usability.

Published: 14th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE 2023)

Paper

Neda Barbazi is a Ph.D. Product Design student with a M.Arch at The University of British Columbia from Canada. She has ten years of experience working as a designer and a cofounder of two startups in Canada. Nada is engaged in interdisciplinary research that intersects with pediatric cardiology. She is working on transforming Octo, an educational toy prototype for children with congenital heart disease (CHD).

Keywords: Design, UI/UX/VUI, Visual Communication, HI (Health Informatics), Healthcare Delivery, HCI (Human-Computer Interaction)

Perceiving Through Colors: Visual Supports for Children with Autism

This was a collaborative research led by Assistant Professor Dr. Cecilia X. Wang explores the significance of color in these visual resources as it influences the behavior of autistic children. Previous research has shown that different colors have varying effects on children with ASD, impacting both their physiological and psychological responses. Our study examines whether color perception is atypical in these children, identifies autism-friendly colors, and highlights how specific colors can enhance their interaction skills and attention span in diverse settings.

Keywords: Autism, Visual support, Color, Need finding

Published: 14th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE 2023).

Paper

Presentation

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