Next UPPS - Ultra-Personalised Products and Services

Products designed for mass production often do not align well with individual needs, sometimes requiring an exact and personalized fit. Emerging digital technologies such as 3D scanners, cloud services, and advanced manufacturing make true 'mass customization' more feasible, consequently increasing demand. An example of this is a concept for a personalized ventilator mask for children, produced through 3D printing based on a 3D scan of the child's face (see image).

Within the NWO project Next UPPS, an integrated design methodology is being developed for Ultra-Personalized Products and Services (UPPS), leading to valuable solutions for complex digital design workflows. In a unique interdisciplinary collaboration with the Dutch manufacturing industry and consultants, the transfer of knowledge and tools from the lab to production is taking place. The project started in 2018 and runs until October 2023.

In early 2023, we spoke with Prof. Ir. Daan van Eijk. Daan is a professor of Applied Ergonomics and Design at TU Delft and project leader for both the Next UPPS project and the Fieldlab UPPS, supporting companies and organizations in setting up the (re)design process and production of personalized products.

Collaboration

Within the Next UPPS project, three Technical Universities have joined forces: TU/e, TU Delft, and the University of Twente. Daan explains the collaboration. “TU Eindhoven focuses on the research on the design aspect of ‘what the user wants.’ This process turned out to be more extensive than initially thought. Not everyone agreed to scans or providing their measurements. There were also questions about the use and safety of data,” Daan shares. TU Delft deals with translating design desires into actual engineering, based on the data, especially through 3D scanning, from the design phase. TU Twente primarily explores possibilities for automated products in relation to the production phase.

Additionally, collaboration takes place with three larger (production) companies, where researchers develop a specific method for designing UPPS. These case studies involve:

• Philips: products in the field of breastfeeding
• Bata Industrials: safety shoes
• Havep: protective workwear

Additionally, three consultants from the user community (Berenschot, nSize, and by-wire.net) are involved, along with several PhD candidates, graduates, and a Postdoc.

Interaction between Human, Product, and Technology

An interesting aspect of UPPS is the relationship with the user. Users are much more involved in the process and the product. This is true during the design phase but also later, during the maintenance phase. UPPS goes beyond producing variants in material and color. “You have someone who wants something, and how do you ensure that it comes to that person's liking at the right time? When you buy a car, you can't just order it 2 centimeters shorter or longer. With UPPS, we take that step, with always a change in form,” Daan adds. “Putting the user at the center means a lot for the data flow,” Daan continues. “You encounter questions like: how do you reach the user every time you make something? How do you communicate the expected end result? The user also becomes a kind of designer because a product is tailored specifically to someone's body. In the design part, you already introduce variation. How do you, as a designer and a company, deal with that? What do you do if the result is disappointing and the customer refrains from purchase?”

Fieldlab UPPS

The opportunities for Ultra-Personalization of products and services are significant, but they are still not well-known to the majority of Dutch entrepreneurs and designers. Therefore, alongside the Next UPPS project, a so-called Fieldlab UPPS has been established. This initiative, supported by CLICKNL (Top Institute for the Creative Industry), originated from curiosity: there are new possibilities in this area, but knowledge is still mainly concentrated within companies,” Daan explains. In the field lab, entrepreneurs/companies and researchers collaborate in setting up the design process for ultra-personalized products or services, using 3D scanning techniques, developing size systems, parametric design, and flexible production techniques (such as 3D printing). Within the field lab, products are designed in four domains: health, safety, fashion, and sports. This results in a diverse range of products, such as a custom hearing aid or a special ankle brace to prevent ankle sprains during sports. But also, custom-knit sweaters. “We noticed that creating these products led to new questions. On the one hand, it's a technological question, but there's also a clear human aspect. Someone needs to understand what the user wants and apply that to create a desired overall user experience.

Experimentation and Knowledge Sharing

Both UPPS projects provide us with new insights into design processes. Adjusting unique, personalized products is expensive, so we are looking at how we can develop technology to make the process cheaper and more accessible to more people. More is being produced, but it is a relatively slow process.” To discover what the next step could be for a new generation of personalized products, companies and professionals can receive advice on personalized design and explanations of all that entails. Also, 3D datasets that have become available can be used to achieve results more quickly. “In addition, knowledge sharing is an important topic. We are part of the national smart industry field lab and are connected with other universities and colleges. This gives rise to new projects, and we can exchange knowledge and also link it back into our education. This collaboration with practice is therefore particularly instructive.”