Responding to SDM’s call, 13 companies and one university submitted 15 project themes relating to “Safe and Secure System Design”, the theme for 2010 Design Project ALPS (Active Learning Project Sequence).
Many of the submitted themes were related to behaviors to cope with disasters, such as immediate restoration of social systems after a major disaster, how port activity should be continued after a huge earthquake, and systems run by renewable energy, such as solar power, at the time of emergency. There were also themes relating to safety and security in daily life and business, such as a bicycle simulator design to reduce the risk of bicycle accidents, real-time chemical detection system, harmless plastic containers, and a mechanism to prevent industrial accidents. We also have a unique proposal how to instill a corporate image of a “safe and secure company”.
The kick-off meeting was held on May 8, and representatives from proposers, the organizations which submitted project themes, were invited to Hiyoshi Campus. Various themes relating to safety and security were presented and discussed.
The first 2010 ALPS workshop was held on May 14 and 15, and a professor from TU Delft in the Netherlands joined it for the first time, in addition to the regular professors from MIT, Stanford University, and Keio University.
A total of five workshops are scheduled this year from May to November, and 17 teams (composed of five students each) work on the themes in cooperation with their proposers and SDM instructors.