Arlindo Silva | Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) (original) (raw)

Papers by Arlindo Silva

Diid. Disegno industriale industrial design, May 29, 2023

This qualitative research advocates for prioritizing Critical and Creative Thinking in profession... more This qualitative research advocates for prioritizing Critical and Creative Thinking in professional design over empathy. The study involved 74 undergraduate Product Design and Engineering students from Brazil, Portugal, and India to explore the relationship between these thinking skills and sustainability. The students' Critical and Creative Thinking levels were evaluated using rubrics developed by Shively et al. (2018) and a multi-level framework developed by Ceschin & Gaziulusoy (2019) was applied to identify sustainable innovation levels. The research highlights the need to enhance tertiary students' skills in addressing wicked problems, a concern recognized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development for the 21st-century workplace. This research contributes to the ongoing debate on the significance of Critical and Creative Thinking in professional design practice and emphasizes the importance of integrating sustainability considerations into design education.

e-Journal of Nondestructive Testing, Dec 1, 2022

Carbon-fibre reinforced composites (CFRP) and glass-fibre reinforced composites (GFRP) has seen w... more Carbon-fibre reinforced composites (CFRP) and glass-fibre reinforced composites (GFRP) has seen widespread usage in various industries, from aerospace to utilities. With the 'the green shift' and the sustainability movement gaining momentum, there is an increased pressure for sustainable / natural materials to be used. Natural materials such as flax fibre can be used as a substitute for glass fibers. With the expectation that these composites will see increased usage, there is a need to develop inspection technologies. In this paper, single element immersion ultrasonic testing is used to inspect the flax fibre composites. The initial step involved inspection optimization to obtain ideal input parameters. The raw results had no clear detection of the seeded delamination (using Teflon sheets). An advanced post-processing technique used for fibre waviness detection in CFRP was applied to the data. This post-processing technique included frequency analysis, bandwidth analysis and amplitude analysis. The three types of data were separated from the raw data and visualized using a C-scan. Using this post-processing method, the seeded delamination could be detected. As a follow-up, more samples of various thicknesses and varying values of fibre waviness were fabricated to understand the limitation of inspection of flax fibers composites. This was achieved by having different thicknesses of Teflon sheets. The aim is to eventually have an inspection technique for a natural composite. This inspection technique and post-processing techniques has the potential to be applied onto the composite fabrication process, to aid in the manufacturing, optimization, and validation process.

CAADRIA proceedings, 2023

Urban agricultural systems will be configured over the following years to respond to increasing c... more Urban agricultural systems will be configured over the following years to respond to increasing climate change, urbanisation, and population growth. Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is an increasing trend since it can be easily integrated into the built environment. However, this food production system requires intensive capital and energy resources, with artificial lighting as the primary contributor to its high operational impacts. New methods and tools for planning and design can provide innovative solutions for shifting urban agriculture toward sustainability. This paper addresses the food security challenge in cities by introducing a sunlight-based computational approach for indicating the agricultural possibilities of three-dimensional urban surfaces according to crop-centric environmental suitability. The procedure aims to improve CEA efficiency through a passive natural lighting optimisation strategy, indicating the sunlight thresholds for various crop species. The methodology interconnects solar radiation values measured through sunlight simulations with crops' daily light integrals, using Singapore and Chennai (India) as case studies. The results suggest that urban areas with high solar radiation levels possess large degrees of yearround harvesting potential. This methodology can assist designers (architects, urban planners, and engineers) and local governments in strategizing urban agriculture developments and provide decisionmaking support for crop harvesting initiatives in cities.

Elastic and plastic properties of various materials, generally measured by dedicated testing mach... more Elastic and plastic properties of various materials, generally measured by dedicated testing machines, constitute an important area of engineering education. It is therefore desirable that students understand this topic, not only numerically, but also experientially. Classic research has shown that the ratio of Young's modulus and yield strength relates to so called springback phenomena in long and thin objects. This topic is the basis for the development of a kit for classroom activities, including different metal wires and bending templates, a card and two arbores. Students bend wires by hand, using the templates, and use individual moments applied to the wires to investigate springback. In this paper, the result of a collaboration involving experimental equipment design, engineering educators and software developers is described. It outlines the theoretical background, experimental procedure and equipment needed as well as how to compare lab results to data in visual Ashby charts for increased understanding.

This paper deals with the transmission of materials knowledge in ways that recognize the broader ... more This paper deals with the transmission of materials knowledge in ways that recognize the broader technical, economic, environmental and social (TEES) conditions in which it takes place. A Materials education today must balance both depth, leading to expertise in the subject, and breadth, allowing material issues to be judged in the light of contemporary TEES concerns of the present and the future. This is consistent with the increasingly integrated nature of technical education with society’s need for engineers that can make things happen. Materials teaching already encompasses a great deal. At one time metallurgy, polymer science, and glass and ceramic technology were taught in different departments, even at different universities; today they are generally merged into a single program under the heading of Materials Science or Engineering Materials. There is now a move beyond this, towards what we will call Materials Systems and Design, integrating broader TEES issues with the skills necessary to make an effective engineer. This framework will encompass all the implications of, and trade-offs in, the adoption of materials in innovative design: not just the technical implications such as cost, strength or manufacturability, but also environmental impact, social awareness or material scarcity. Students will also be equipped to take advantage of new information technologies and learning opportunities throughout their careers: this is particularly important for a career that will probably span five decades into the future. Lastly, their educational experiences will prepare them to effectively work in teams in the companies of the future.

Small, Jun 1, 2023

Recently, stretchable micro‐supercapacitors (MSCs) that can be easily integrated into electronic ... more Recently, stretchable micro‐supercapacitors (MSCs) that can be easily integrated into electronic devices have attracted research and industrial attentions. In this work, three‐dimensional (3D) stretchable MSCs with an octet‐truss electrode (OTE) design have been demonstrated by a rapid digital light processing (DLP) process. The 3D‐printed electrode structure is beneficial for electrode‐electrolyte interface formation and consequently increases the number of ions adsorbed on the electrode surface. The designed MSCs can achieve a high capacitance as ≈74.76 mF cm−3 under 1 mA cm−3 at room temperature even under a high mechanical deformation, and can achieve 19.53 mF cm−3 under 0.1 mA cm−3 at a low temperature (−30 °C). Moreover, finite element analysis (FEA) reveals the OTE structure provides 8 times more contact area per unit volume at the electrode‐electrolyte interface compared to the traditional interdigital electrode (IDE). This work combines structural design and 3D printing techniques, which provides new insights into highly stretchable MSCs for next‐generation electronic devices.

JSEE annual conference international session proceedings, Aug 23, 2012

Materials Today: Proceedings, 2022

Small, Feb 2, 2023

Carbon Neutralization

A low‐cost and feasible method to fabricate three‐dimensional (3D) hierarchical composites compos... more A low‐cost and feasible method to fabricate three‐dimensional (3D) hierarchical composites composed of CoSe2 nanoparticles embedded in rice‐derived hard carbon (HC) interconnected with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is devised in this study. The deployment of CoSe2 in the elecrode has provided a very high rate capacity, which is crucial for sodium‐ion commercialization. The deployment of HC with CNTs further provides a 3D hierarchical structure effective in shortening the diffusion paths of both electrons and Na+ ions, offering abundance of active sodium storage sites. Consequently, the CoSe2 acted as an active material with the carbonaceous template, a commonly utilized sodium‐ion battery anode material, which exhibited a superior reversible capacity of 550 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1, outstanding rate performance (451 mAh g−1 at 20 A g−1) and excellent cycling performance (~100% capacity retention over 2500 cycles at 20 A g−1 after electrochemical stabilization).

IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing

Anais do VIII SDS 2021, 2021

Design for Tomorrow—Volume 2, 2021

Design thinking has been gaining importance in training and education worldwide, but mostly in th... more Design thinking has been gaining importance in training and education worldwide, but mostly in the form of short courses and executive education initiatives. Although there is enormous value in short courses and executive education, they often lack the depth required to effectively practice the tools and methods learned and thus to realize design as a strategic investment for both companies and countries. The particular focus of this paper is Singapore. At the Singapore University of Technology and Design, a new Master of Engineering (MEng) program has been set up to address this perceived gap in education. The MEng program in Innovation by Design (MIbD) is a research-based program that takes design thinking and design innovation to the level of other post-graduate programs in other areas worldwide. The organization allows practitioners to participate part-time. Three terms into the program, the balance is extremely positive. The program has been very well received in several presen...

Technological and Organizational Perspectives