Using AI To Design Products With Strong Consumer Appeal @engineeringdotcom

Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

What does it take to design appealing consumer products? For decades, manufacturers of everything from motor vehicles to laundry detergent have used market research tools such as focus groups to discover what consumers want. And it’s always been an expensive and uncertain tool for product designers.

Yale School of Management Professor Alex Burnap thinks that this area is ripe for the deployment of machine learning, and has co-authored a paper describing an AI path forward for aesthetic design. Dr. Burnap previously worked in product research at General Motors, completed a postdoc at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and holds a doctorate and MS in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan.

He spoke about the paper, and the future, with engineering.com’s Jim Anderton.

Read Dr. Burnap and co-author's paper: pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/mksc.2022.1429

* * *
STEM GAMES:
Play some fun engineering-based STEM games on engineering.com:
engineering.com/resources/games

* * *
ENGINEERING.COM TV:
Watch in-depth engineering videos made for the engineering professional and found exclusively on engineering.com TV:
For the Design Engineer: engineering.com/viewAll?category=designing-the-future
For the Manufacturing Engineer: engineering.com/viewAll?category=manufacturing-the-future

* * *
#aidesign #automotivedesign #yale

Using AI To Design Products With Strong Consumer Appeal

TRAILER: An AI crystal ball for the future of innovation

$EVs Are Starting to Kill the Auto Parts Industry Internal combustion engine valves, or poppet valves, are conceptually simple components that have been around for well over a century. Producing them in mass quantities is done with special-purpose machine tools and interesting friction welding technology to meet stem with head. But as internal combustion engine demand is predicted to flatline and eventually fall with the advance of electric vehicles, the science and art of valve making would appear to be on the way out. A recent auction of the assets of a technical valve making facility in Germany chose special-purpose machine tools for valve making on the block at prices a tiny fraction of what they cost new. Valves may be on the way out, but more significantly, the concept of highly specialized, single-purpose machine tools for mass production is on the block as well. *ABOUT END OF THE LINE:* Manufacturing veteran James Anderton expresses his compelling and unique opinions about the state of the manufacturing sector and the engineering industry more broadly. He shares his thoughts and insights to help engineering and manufacturing professionals navigate through the challenges of world events, the blending old with new technologies, evolving processes, gaps in skilled labour, in an effort to help maximize productivity of their daily operations. Occasionally, he just likes to vent. James is a former editor of trade publications in the automotive, metalworking and plastics industries with contributions to a wide range of print and on-line publications. He also brings prior industry experience in quality and manufacturing for a Tier One automotive supplier. * * * *JOIN ENGINEERING.COM:* Easy, free. Join and get access to more stories, videos, white papers, research reports made for the engineering professional. Customize your profile to follow topics you care about and engage with the global engineering community. https://engineering.com * * * *STEM GAMES:* Play some fun engineering-based STEM games on engineering.com: https://www.engineering.com/resources/games * * * *ENGINEERING.COM TV:* Watch in-depth engineering videos made for the engineering professional and found exclusively on engineering.com TV: Panel Expert Roundtables: https://www.engineering.com/viewAll?category=roundtables For the Design Engineer: https://www.engineering.com/viewAll?category=designing-the-future For the Manufacturing Engineer: https://www.engineering.com/viewAll?category=manufacturing-the-future * * * #poppetvalve #internalcombustionengine #automotiveindustry$

JetZeros blended wing: demonstrator flight in jeopardy?

Will SpaceX Take Over the NASA Space Launch System?

The most important part of a product isnt the product

From idea to impact: Accelerating the engineering workflows

Ford is slashing production of the F-150 Lightning electric pickup. Why is demand down?

The Human Machine Interface: Critical for Product Development Success

This Brilliant Valve is in Millions of Washing Machines Around the World

New materials for safer, better surgical procedures

Excessive complexity is killing the auto industry