Researcher

Kristof Vaes

Research Expertise:- 1996 - 2010 - Experience at design agencies and companies: Bulo office furniture ,Achilles Design, TYCO Electronics and Studio Dott. - Expertise and interest in the human side of product design - Specialization in Inclusive Design: Optimizing products & services for the full spectrum of human needs and abilities. Embracing a process that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, health and wellbeing, and social participation. Keywords: inclusive health, design for wellbeing, social participation, design for health, design & emotion, design for behavior change, empathic design. - Stigma-free design: social acceptance of products and services - Human augmentation: Human augmentation is a thriving, interdisciplinary research field that aims to amplify human abilities through the development of physical or cognitive improvements as an integral part of the human body. - Products and proxemics: The study of human use of space and the effects on behavior, communication, and social human-product interaction: space theory, product-related stigma & social distance experiments - Specialization in human-product interactions: from usability to pleasurability - Fruitful research cooperation with social sciences, psychology, marketing research, bio engineering and others.

Keywords:PRODUCT-SERVICE SYSTEMS, DESIGN, STIGMA-FREE DESIGN, ENGINEERING, DESIGN FOR INTERACTION, INCLUSIVE DESIGN, DESIGN RESEARCH, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN AUGMENTATION, DESIGN EDUCATION, Other technical sciences

Disciplines:Automotive engineering, Design theories and methods, Manufacturing engineering, Mechanics, Mechatronics and robotics, Other mechanical and manufacturing engineering, Biological system engineering, Biomaterials engineering, Biomechanical engineering, Medical biotechnology, Other (bio)medical engineering, Environmental engineering and biotechnology, Industrial biotechnology, Other biotechnology, bio-engineering and biosystem engineering, Product development, Safety engineering, Other engineering and technology

Research techniques:INCLUSIVE DESIGN LAB / Empathy & simulation tools: - Empathy gloves can simulate a user with arthritis: these gloves limit the range of motion, freedom of movement, strength and dexterity (dexterity) of fingers and hand. (Cambridge Simulation gloves) - Empathy glasses simulate various limitations in vision. Stacking multiple lenses further reduces vision.(Cambridge Simulation Glasses) - GERT age simulation suit consisting of a series of separate components. Reductions in sensory motor skills associated with old age can be simulated. (1 fully equipped GERonTologic simulator suit) - Tremor simulator gloves MEASURING EQUIPMENT: - Eye-tracking research: capturing human attention in relation to products, assistive aids, prototypes, etc. Equipment: Pupillabs eye-tracker - Capturing Physiological parameters related to stress and emotion – or integration of sensors that can inform augmented technology: Equipment: Biosignalsplux 4 Channel Hub with 4 sensors: EEG sensor / EMG headband; GSR (Galvanic Skin Response) / Temperature sensor / EKG Sensor (2 sets) - Product and proxemics: Social distance experiments related to product acceptance or rejection (with ultrasonic sensors). - Research through Design

Users of research expertise:- Inclusive design experts & developers / Belgian Design for All Network - Social Sciences / Social psychology - Marketing research - Human computer interaction (HCI) - Usability experts & developers - Design researchers / Research through design