Ric is a Postgraduate Researcher in the final year of his PhD with the Design and Manufacturing Futures Lab. His research is focused on the applications of remanufacture to product prototyping.
Ric was awarded a Master’s by Research, MSc(Res), in General Engineering for research into the development of a Cryogenic healthcare device, and holds an undergraduate degree in Engineering Product Design (BSc).
Ric’s interests are in Philosophy, Cognition, Generative Design, and Artificial Intelligence with relevant publications in these fields. His works during the pandemic received international acclaim for contributions to the Open-Source Ventilator Project, and PPE recycling initiatives. Outside of the office he is the founder of the Generative Machine open source self-generating machines project and start-up.
Ric is a Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Ambassador.
Projects
Project Clean Access – COVID-19 initiative funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Publications
- The prototype taxonomised: Towards the capture, curation, and integration of physical models in new product development
- Maker communities and the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal analysis of Thingiverse’s response to supply shortages
- Knowledge dimensions in prototyping: investigating the what, when and how of knowledge generation during product development
- How do Prototypes Change? Characterising Quantitative and Qualitative Change Between Prototype Iterations
- HOW DO PROTOTYPES CHANGE? CHARACTERISING QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE CHANGES BETWEEN PROTOTYPE ITERATIONS
- Dimensions of Prototyping Knowledge: Characterising Prototype Evaluation Methods and Their Contributions to Design Knowledge
- Exploring the Benefits of Remanufacture During Product Prototyping: A Cost and Time Based Analysis
- Virtually Hosted Hackathons for Design Research: Lessons Learned from the International Design Engineering Annual (IDEA) Challenge 2021
- Dimensions of Knowledge in Prototyping: A Review and Characterisation of Prototyping Methods and their Contributions to Design Knowledge
- Distinguishing Artefacts: Evaluating the Saturation Point of Convolutional Neural Networks
Recent Posts
- Injection Moulding Plastic LFD Cases with Recycled Facemasks – In a recent announcement from the Department of Health and Social Care Health Minister Edward Argar discussed government plans to explore the recycling of pandemic-related PPE plastic waste into new products, ranging from curtains and mattress covers, to the many other healthcare products used daily across hospitals and clinics in… Read More
- Coupling Remanufacture with Generative Design – With the development of tools and methodologies for remanufacture becoming more prominent in the field of Engineering Design research, the capability to pick up and directly modify many of the products physically embodied around us is taking shape beyond the set of a sci-fi movie. Where in the past to… Read More
- Facemask to Filament: 3D Printing with Recycled Facemasks – Photography courtesy of Peter Rosso As a first line of defence against the spread of COVID-19 the facemask, a simple covering worn to reduce the spread of infectious agents, has affected the lives of billions across the globe. An estimated 129 billion facemasks are used every month, of which, most… Read More
- Social Distancing Glasses – Introduced as a measure to prevent the transmission of contagious disease, social distancing, or the act of maintaining a physical distance from others has inadvertently remained a restriction on society throughout this COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst many have followed guidance such as keeping 2m apart or complying with new and occasionally… Read More
- Clean Access Challenge 4: Hackspaces – Problem The Hackspace, once exclusively synonymous with electronics and model airplane enthusiasts, has grown to become a globally acknowledged hub for social innovation and enterprise. Appealing to an emergent cultural ethos of autonomy and shared knowledge, pop-up hackspaces have taken shape over the past decade in everything from railway arches… Read More
- The USB-Pen Interface – Building on the USB interface, the design can be extended to also allow a pen (standard biro) or pencil to be used. This extends the “upcycle” mantra associated with the USB design, but comes with the penalty of not having any depth control due to the uncertainty surrounding the pen… Read More
- The Upcycled USB – A simple adapter has been developed, that can be rapdily printed using FFF and SLA technologies, to allow someone to use a USB stick to open doors and operate simple mechaisms and break transmission paths of COVID-19. The simple design, that takes less than 15 minutes to print on our… Read More
- Rapid Manufacturing: open-source prototype low cost emergency ventilator – In recent weeks the fight against Covid-19 has seen both an exponential demand for key medical equipment and an array of restrictions imposed on global manufacturing and supply chains, resulting in a debilitating shortage of necessary healthcare provisions; inhibiting the capacity of health services to treat patients with potentially catastrophic… Read More