‘Creativity and Artificial Intelligence’
As part of STEM Week, a themed event called A-ART & AI DAY was held on the topic of ‘Creativity and Artificial Intelligence’.
The event marked yet another meeting with a distinguished speaker – Robert Barnhoorn, founder and director of the Dutch innovation company Spark Design & Innovation, a stakeholder at Delft University of Technology, and a trusted partner and long-standing friend of the WUNU Education and Research Centre for Communications.
Participants: the academic staff of the Department of Economic Cybernetics and Informatics and the Department of Computer Science at WUNU.
During the meeting, the speaker outlined his team’s approach to creating innovative products and shaping a vision for the future to the university’s lecturers. Particular emphasis was placed on the human-centred nature of technology, as, according to Robert Barnhoorn, any technological solutions must be designed first and foremost to meet human needs.
In its work, the Spark Design & Innovation team adheres to a ‘no limits’ philosophy, enabling it to transform ideas from basic concepts into high-tech innovations. The company’s integrated design approach combines strategy, creativity, industrial design, user needs analysis, as well as electronics and mechanics.
Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of a comprehensive approach to product development, which includes research, market analysis, prototyping and testing. The speaker emphasised that the development process is cyclical and involves continuous product improvement. Participants at the event had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the company’s innovative developments, in particular the Lea medical robot, which helps improve the mobility of people with various conditions and is an example of the practical application of modern technologies in the healthcare sector.
A practical approach to product development was also presented, based on the principle: ‘See, think, build’. It involves developing several product variants, followed by an analysis of their effectiveness and the selection of the optimal solution.
The meeting with Robert Barnhoorn highlighted the importance of integrating creative thinking and modern technologies into the process of developing innovative products. The experience he shared demonstrated that effective development is based on a human-centred approach, interdisciplinary collaboration and the continuous refinement of solutions through prototyping and testing.
