Innovation and Product Realisation
MDU's research in Innovation and Product Realisation endeavours to underpin and stimulate innovative power and creativity to produce new products, services and production methods.
Almost everything we see, hear and experience is the result of the ideas of human beings. Innovations and efficient solutions to both new and old problems are what is driving societal development forwards. Here problems are considered from a broad and interdisciplinary perspective where change processes, product realisation and information design are taken into account. In this way the researchers want to create the conditions and working tools to produce sustainable and competitive products and services.
Collaboration a natural part
Collaboration with companies is a natural part of this research specialisation. Included among the partners are ABB, Bombardier Transportation, AB Volvo and Scania CV.
The researchers within this specialisation collaborate in several academic networks, for example the Design Society, Svenska Produktionsakademien, Weschool, Arbetsplatsnära Forskning och Utveckling (AFoU, Scientific Work for Industrial Use) and the Swedish Quality Management Academy (SQMA).
Third-cycle studies
Innovation and Product Realisation have two Research Education Subjects: Innovation and Design, and Industrial Systems.
Innovation and Design
Innovation and Design is a subject with an interdisciplinary focus on development processes based on the needs of individuals and groups in different situations and contexts. It concerns societal development to meet current and future needs for change in organisations, companies and public authorities. Examples of applications can be communication processes, information processes, and innovation, which are relevant to society at large and with a people-centered focus. In the Innovation and Design subject, aspects of information design and innovation technology are included. Creative approaches are practiced in the subject as facilitators to combine different perspectives and skills in the creation of artefacts and services, as well as in processes and systems, based on the individuals who are involved. It is common to apply collaborative user-centered methods that engage different levels of stakeholders in the design and innovation processes.
Industrial Systems
Research in Industrial Systems concerns the development of sustainable products, production systems, services and associated digital technologies. Industrial Systems research requires interdisciplinary skills and competences, including elements from both computer science and product and production engineering. The research has an engineering perspective and is concerned with investigating opportunities, challenges, and solutions related to the adaptation, integration and implementation of technologies as well as organizational and management issues within industrial systems. The subject includes the development of approaches, methods, models, techniques, and tools related to the industrial systems.
Research areas
Digital and Circular Industrial Services
The research group focuses on the initiation, development, and operations of digital and circular industrial services, considering ongoing shifts and issues related to firm and ecosystem levels.
Read more about Digital and Circular Industrial ServicesInnovationsledning
In the context of global phenomena such as the emergence of new digital technologies and the need to achieve a sustainable world, innovation is at the core of many organizations today.
Read more about InnovationsledningInformation Design
The group of Information Design research focuses on information and communication processes while analysing and interpreting representations in the form of images, spaces and texts in a design context.
Read more about Information DesignIndustrial AI Systems
The Industrial AI Systems (IAIS) research group focuses on integrating AI solutions into industrial systems to reinforce their operations with greater efficiency, resiliency, flexibility, and agility. Particular emphasis on self-optimizablility, self-configurability, and self-adjustability for autonomous Cyber-Physical Production Systems (CPPS).
Read more about Industrial AI SystemsProduct and Production Development
The Product and Production Development research group creates knowledge on the renewal and development of products and production systems. The research is based on an integrated development where many stakeholders' and time perspectives are balanced.
Read more about Product and Production DevelopmentValue-driven Innovation and Foresight
The Value-driven Innovation and Foresight group focuses on how innovation is expressed from a value-creating service perspective, using broad inclusion and democratisation through Responsibility Research & Innovation Tools. The group also considers requirements to understand future needs, linking foresight and world analysis with the development of future business models.
Read more about Value-driven Innovation and ForesightResearch projects within Innovation and Product Realisation
Information about ongoing and finished research projects within Innovation and Product Realisation
Collaboration platform
MDH Living Lab - methods for collaboration
MDH Living Lab is an arena for method development that strengthens collaboration between MDH, companies and the public sector. Through the development of methods for co-production, opportunities for increased efficiency, creativity and innovativeness are created. The vision is to contribute, through collaboration, towards a sustainable society from a holistic perspective.
More information about Innovation and Product Realisation
Fore more information about Innovation and Product reaisation, please contact the Head of Research.
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Ongoing research projects
The aim of the project is to understand which automating technologies, such as AI and algorithmic technologies, are used in the financial sector, and how they affect the work envrionment of white-collar workers.
Project manager at MDU: Inti Lammi
Main financing: AFA Försäkring
The project will develop and mature the concept of machines with an integrated battery replacement system, where the battery replacement units are common to several different machine types.
Project manager at MDU: Koteshwar Chirumalla
Main financing: Energimyndigheten
The project's goal is to develop an innovative education program in industrial production, tailored to meet Volvo CE's needs and thereby strengthen MDU's educational offerings.
Project manager at MDU: Jessica Bruch
Main financing: Volvo CE
Focusing on resilient energy ecosystems as the study object, this project aims to provide an in-depth understanding of resilient energy systems from a socio-technical point of view and specifically how ecosystem dynamics and the anticipation of exogeneous events and trends affects the energy systems ability to become resilient. Based on this new knowledge the project also aims to develop a framework and guideline for new practises of orchestration to support the transition into resilient energy systems.
Project manager at MDU: Peter E Johansson
Main financing: Energimyndigheten
MDU has launched a project to strengthen Sweden’s battery industry by focusing on the industrialization and production of batteries. This initiative aims to address the lack of expertise and education in the sector. challenges. By recruiting industry experts and studying the latest technologies and methods, MDU aims to build a strong knowledge center. Ultimately, the project aims to contribute to more sustainable and competitive battery manufacturing in Sweden.
Project manager at MDU: Jessica Bruch
Main financing: The Knowledge Foundation
ShiftLabs is an organization dedicated to supporting the adoption and integration of new digital technologies among small and medium-sized manufacturing companies.
Project manager at MDU: Johan Kostela
Main financing: Digital Europe (EU kommissionen)
The main goal of the SmartCircle project is to maximize the implementation of circularity and circular economy principles within the Swedish manufacturing companies by leveraging advanced digital technologies.
Project manager at MDU: Koteshwar Chirumalla
Main financing: Vinnova FFI Circularity
The project aims to be the next step toward digital representation, simulation, and optimization in the off-road industry through simulation models that can mirror the physical world from system to site level
Project manager at MDU: Anas Fattouh
Main financing: Vinnova
The project aims to contribute to research in Innovation Management and developing improved innovation support for innovation advisors.
Project manager at MDU: Mikael Johnsson
Main financing: KK-Stiftelsen