LegoCAD: Improving the design process through a Lego-inspired tangible interface

虽然CAD系统非常有益，但它们需要专业知识和专业知识才能操作，特别是在使用高级建模，模拟和分析（虚拟原型）的情况下。这一要求，再加上对2D数字交互的依赖，限制了用户的参与度，限制了设计过程活动并限制了设计性能。这包括设计团队内部与用户和更广泛的利益相关者的协作和共同创造的性质和水平;虚拟原型工具的可访问性，包括快速原型;以及设计（团队）在执行任务时的效率，如构思，设计开发，评估和DfX活动。为了克服这些限制，乐高启发有形的CAD，虚拟原型（VP）和快速原型（RP）接口的概念进行了研究。相应的研究方案包括两个相互关联的研究流。第一个解决了与创建实时物理到数字模型集成和用户在环数字到物理模型集成相关的技术和HCI挑战。这两个主题本身就提供了重要的未来研究机会。第二个研究流涉及调查的启示，互补性（与VP工具）和乐高启发的有形界面的局限性，以提高合作/共同创造，设计性能和访问VP和RP。鉴于研究的探索性，将考虑三个工程领域：工业设计（辅助技术），专用机械和建筑。

While CAD systems have been immensely beneficial they require specialist knowledge and expertise for their operation, particularly where advanced modelling, simulation and analysis (virtual prototyping) is to be used. This requirement, combined with their dependence upon 2D digital interaction limits user engagement, constrains design process activities and restricts design performance. This includes the nature and level of collaboration and co-creation within design teams, with users and wider stakeholders; the accessibility of virtual prototyping tools including rapid prototyping; and the efficacy of the design (team) when undertaking tasks, such as ideation, design development, evaluation and DfX activities. To overcome these restrictions, the concept of a Lego-inspired tangible interface for CAD, virtual prototyping (VP) and rapid prototyping (RP) is to be investigated. The corresponding research programme comprises two interrelated research streams. The first addresses the technical and HCI challenges associated with the creation of real-time physical-to-digital model integration and user-in-the-loop digital-to-physical model integration. Both of these topics offer significant future research opportunities in their own right. The second research stream concerns investigation of the affordances, complementarity (with VP tools) and limitations of a Lego-inspired tangible interface for improving collaboration/co-creation, design performance and accessibility to VP and RP. Given the exploratory nature of the research three engineering domains will be considered: industrial design (assistive technology), special purpose machinery and construction.