Product design

These pages hold legacy content of completed research. Our most recent research in this area can now be found on the research pages for the School of Architecture and Design.

For a list of all university research groups and centres, visit the University of Brighton's page on organisational research units.

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The Product Design research and enterprise group undertakes research activities that lead to good design. In particular, much of our research is directed towards design that delivers a benefit to society. The group has been responsible for generating knowledge, understanding, methods and tools that contribute to the better design of products. The design research conducted within this group span all aspects of the design spectrum, but has particular expertise in, human factors design, design process improvement, product development and, creativity and innovation.

We conduct research at varying levels from small-scale development work, through to large scale UK and European funded research projects. Our research activities are both academic and applied, as we regularly undertake Knowledge Transfer Partnerships with industry to apply/disseminate our knowledge. Recent work includes understanding semiotic languages within global cultures, developing creative knowledge, sports training shoes and medical product functions.

We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with industrial and academic partners on design research related activities. We are also keen to receive enquiries from prospective researchers wishing to expand the boundaries of knowledge through doctoral study.

Human factors design

The research conducted within the area of human factors design focuses on optimising design for human use. In particular, our research in this area spans the disciplines of design and human factors. Our work focuses on both obtaining a thorough understanding of user requirements and behaviours, and creating appropriate solutions.

We also focus heavily around the theme of life-long health and wellbeing, with a particular focus on increasing independence and reducing exclusion as a result of ageing.

Human-Factors-2

Human Factors study: Measuring the driver demand.

Bicycle design and engineering

Our research into bicycle design includes quantifying the influence of key design features on the physical performance of the bicycle. Ultimately, we’re aiming to establish a set of useful design guides and technical documentation that will support engineers, designers and frame builders in the design process. Starting with the frame itself, we’ve been looking at frame geometries and material inputs for standard tube designs in steel, aluminium, titanium.

We're also interested in the dynamic behaviour of bicycles, in particular the design and setup of suspension systems for mountain bikes. Our work in this area forms part of the International Bicycle Engineering Research Group, an international collaboration with colleagues in Canada, Australia, Germany, Belgium and the UK to promote the technical aspects of bicycle engineering and to provide a collaborative environment for generating and disseminating new knowledge in the field of bicycle engineering and technology.

Bicycle design research projects

Parametric finite element analysis of bicycle frame geometries

Quantifying the vertical compliance and lateral stiffness characteristics of bicycle frames.

Parametric finite element analysis of steel bicycle frames

Investigating the influence of tube selection on frame stiffness

Functionally graded structures for 3D printing, additive manufacturing

Functionally graded structures vary in composition and structure gradually over a volume, resulting in corresponding changes in the properties of the part or material. These structures are particularly well suited to high end product applications such as in medicine, sport and aerospace but are also being utilised in other areas of design such as furniture design, architecture and packaging. Our research in this field involves a number of projects relating to the design and production of functionally grade cellular and scaffold structures for use with 3D printing and additive manufacturing technologies.

Traditionally, design for manufacturing involved the specification of a part's external shape or boundary representation (B-rep), with no regard for the internal architecture of the part since these parts would tend to be solid. With the explosion of 3D printing technologies which enable intricate and complex internal architectures to be produced, there is a need to develop design tools which allow us to design such internal structures.

Development

Example of a Computer Aided Design

Creativity and innovation consultancy services

Creativity and innovation have increasingly been the key drivers behind successful business and economic success but these important concepts are still widely misunderstood. Our research into creativity includes the £3.5m government-funded Brighton Creativity Centre and Centre of Excellence in Creativity projects, and PhD examinations of the role of visualisation, memory and culture in the creative process. Our deployment of creative practice and tools includes the South East Knowledge Exchange (£300,000), Zero Emissions furniture design project (£132,000), and significant industrial consultancy.

Research team

PhD students

Bashayer Alhay

Ella Hodder

Tobias Mulling

Bahar Esfahani

Cathy Grundy

Bahar Esfahani

Madeleine Conaghan

Abdi-hakim Bokah

Output

Elton, Edward, Johnson, D., Nicolle, C. and Clift, L. (2013) Supporting the development of inclusive products: the effects of everyday ambient illumination levels and contrast on older adults’ near visual acuity Ergonomics, 56 (5). pp. 803-817. ISSN 0014-0139

Grundy, Catherine, Pemberton, Lyn and Morris, Richard (2012) Characters, fun and Games: creating common ground between students and children as co-design partners In: International conference on engineering and product design education, Artesis University College, Antwerp, Belgium, 6-7th September 2012.

Milne, Mark, Morris, Richard, Covill, Derek and Katz, Tim (2012) Assessing the 3D visualisation skills of engineering students and developing techniques for supportIn: Proceedings of the 14th international conference on engineering and product design education (E&PDE 12): design education for future wellbeing, Antwerp, Belgium 6-7th September, 2012.

Morris, Richard, Covill, Derek, Katz, Tim and Milne, Mark (2012) Evaluating learning dynamics within a landscape of student centred learning In: UNSPECIFIED, Artesis University College, Antwerp, Belgium 6-7th September, 2012.

Grundy, Catherine, Pemberton, Lyn and Morris, Richard (2012) Characters as agents for the co-design process In: Proceedings of the 11th international conference on interaction design and children, University of Bremen, Germany, 12-15 June, 2012.

Katz, Tim, Gill, Deshinder, Morris, Richard and Covill, Derek (2010) Embedding ethics into the engineering and product design curriculum: a view from the UK In: International conference on engineering and product design education, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Trondheim, Norway.

Baha, B. and Katz, Tim (2010) The effect of partnerships on engineering education in Afghanistan In: International Symposium for Engineering (ISEE 2010), University College Cork, Ireland.

Morris, Richard (2010) Designing a creative learning space In: Martin, P., ed. Making space for creativity. University of Brighton, Brighton, UK, pp. 57-61. ISBN 9781905593125

Morris, Richard (2010) Making space for creativity

Sources/links

Collaborations

Funding

Awards, recognition, impact