SMART Lab

"Smart products" are advanced, connected devices that leverage technologies like sensors, AI, and data analytics to offer enhanced functionality and personalized experiences. They adapt to changing needs, communicate with other devices, and continuously improve their performance, making them more intuitive and responsive than traditional products. However, as smart products replace their "dumb" predecessors, they contribute significantly to the growing e-waste stream—the fastest-growing domestic waste globally. This surge in e-waste is driven by planned obsolescence, increased consumption, and the limited repairability of these devices, raising important questions about the true impact of the rise of smart products.   

Our research explores the potential of computational design in creating more modular products addressing changing consumer needs. By integrating smart technologies as replaceable building blocks, we aim to enhance product interactions, making them more intuitive and adaptable across various contexts of use. We investigate the role of these design strategies in advancing digital manufacturing techniques that emphasize modularity and adaptability, promoting reuse and supporting circularity. Our vision is to redefine smart products not as static, disposable items, but as dynamic, collaborative, and upgradable systems that evolve over time—akin to the iterative nature of software development and platforms like GitHub. This approach challenges traditional ownership models, shifting from the idea of consumers owning products to a model where they access product functionality as a service, unlocking new possibilities for innovation and sustainability.

1. Modular and Circular products (focus on Sustainability)
   How can we design for modular product (architectures) that facilitate repairability and upgradability for electronic products?
   
   
2. Smart and Interactive products (focus on UX)
   How can we improve the overal user experience when designing connected (IoT) products and services?

We invite companies to collaborate with us by allowing our team to analyze and test our methods on their existing products. We can provide insights on your circular economy metrics (based on EU Repair Scoring System EN 45554  and the Digital Product Passport). Furthermore we can support in the redesign of your products to create more modular products that are easier to re-assemble for continous upgrades and repairs conform existing and upcoming standards/regulations and explore the potential of more circular business models.

• Technology Driven Design
• Master Thesis

Principal Investigators:

• ​Jelle Saldien​

This lab is also part of imec under the umbrella of mict, with complementary labs studying the interaction and relationships of humans with technology at mict-UGent.