Highlights Design

Images of various research projects at the IDE
Images of various research projects at the IDE

    «Pleasingly, many of our junior researchers were successful with their applications this year. In terms of external funding, the Institute for Design Research achieved its best result to date. However, the DDE research model also reached its capacity limits in 2020.»

    Prof. Dr. Martin Zimper, Interim Head of the Institute for Design Research (IDE) in 2020

        Scientific, Artistic and Creative Output and Impact

        In 2020, IDE researchers produced highly diverse output. Besides hosting online conferences, the team published several research papers and made its research approaches publicly accessible. Research topics included Care and Health Futures, Visual Culture Studies, Virtual Reality and Knowledge Transfer, Embodied Interaction, Game Studies and Media Technologies.

        → Overview «Scientific, Artistic and Creative Output and Impact»

          Promotion of Talents and Careers

          In 2020, the Junior Research in Design programme provided seed funding for nine projects. The twelve junior researchers include Bachelor’s and Master’s graduates as well as mid-tier staff. The submitted applications were selected and supervised by the R&D Council. The Institute also continued to develop its PhD programme in design.

          → Overview «Promotion of Talents and Careers»

            Cooperation and Internationality

            The IDE undertook numerous research collaborations with other universities of applied sciences, Swiss and international universities, as well as with project partners from the health and environmental sectors. Networking took place mainly in externally funded projects and through exchanges at international conferences, as well as through active involvement in panel discussions, juries or expert committees.

            → Overview «Cooperation and Internationality»

              External Funding

              IDE researchers acquired external funding worth just under CHF 1.4 million. Twelve applications were submitted to the Swiss National Science Foundation, Innosuisse, others foundations and an EU programme. Submissions included projects by young researchers (based on their outstanding Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis) or were initiated and conceived by IDE research associates.

              → Overview «Research Projects»

                Immersion

                Two IDE projects — «Expedition 2 Grad» and «ExerCube» — adopted an immersive approach to explore research questions on climate change and the playful fostering of physical activity. «Expedition 2 Grad» was awarded the German Federal Ecodesign Award while «ExerCube», developed by Sphery, a ZHdK spin-off, received the German Innovation Award.

                Agora project «Expedition 2 degrees» and the «ExerCube» of the ZHdK-SpinOff Sphery

                  Discovery

                  «Care Futures» is one of wide variety of IDE research topics. The newly launched «Heavy Mental» app addresses the altered aesthetics of psychological suffering among young people in the digital sphere.

                  Using an innovative and interdisciplinary approach, the research project «Sterbesettings» (Deathbed Settings) examines how our society deals with dying and with palliative care.

                  App «Heavy Mental» and objects of the research project «Sterbesettings»

                    Experience

                    Project Circleg won the prosthetic leg race at ETH Zurich’s CYBATHLON 2020. The event involves participants with disabilities competing against each other, supported by state-of-the-art technical assistance systems in solving tasks relevant to everyday life.

                    At the «Swiss Medtech Day» in Bern, the project «Tongue fitness training for sleep & speech therapy (TOFI)» won the audience prize for the best presentation at the 2020 Science Slam Award.

                    «Project Circleg» and the project «Tongue Fitness Training for Sleep & Speech Therapy (TOFI)»

                      Networking

                      The new publication tool «Cache» invites researchers to interlink their research topics and materials and to expand their exchange of ideas and knowledge sharing through blog-based replicas.

                      The Digital Library Space — an interdisciplinary laboratory operated jointly by University of Zurich Library, the UZH Faculty of Humanities and ZHdK — is intended to foster cooperation at the interface between science and design and to combine visual and digital skills.

                      Publication tool «Cache» and the «Digital Library Space» at the University of Zurich