ABB
ABB is a global leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. ABB Corporate Research Center in Sweden is located in Västerås, about 100 kilometers west of Stockholm. Together with colleagues in other R&D centers ABB Corporate Research develop technologies for future products and services for ABB's core businesses. Umeå Design Research Group has collaborated with ABB for almost 10 years, with a particular focus on interaction design for industrial environments.
Together with project partners Vinnova and Boliden AB, we now collaborate with ABB Corporate Research in a project aimed at bringing together the use of small mobile devices and large, collaborative screens in process industry settings.
http://www.abb.com
Volvo
The Volvo SET (Safe Effective Transport) research program was initiated in 1997 and has continually been supported by the Volvo Group. The program's main focus is on improving the working environment and situation of the truck operator, inside as well as outside of the vehicle. Within the SET collaboration, over 40 projects have been conducted since the start of the program. All of the published projects and results can be accessed by Volvo Group employees in the Volvo SET Project Bank.
In the Volvo SET collaboration, we approach the problem area from a multidisciplinary point of view. The main competence we bring to the collaboration is the design methodology and specific competences fromAdvanced Product Design, Interaction Design and Transportation Design.
http://www.volvo.se
Umeå Kommun
Umeå is the largest city in northern Sweden with a population of over 111 000. It is a thriving and young university town, offering world-class art, drama, films, industries, music and research. Umeå aims to attract more companies, break new construction records and, not least, become the European Capital of Culture in 2014.
Since 2003, Umeå Institute of Design collaborates with the municipality in the area of service design. We believe that it is possible to improve municipality service by applying a cross-organizational design methodology. The style of collaboration between Umeå Institute of Design and Umeå municipality is truly unique in the Swedish context. New ideas and requests for projects within the collaboration can come from people within the municipality, from the citizens of Umeå, as well as from students and researchers at Umeå Institute of Design.
We have carried out more than 20 different projects in the area of service design, ranging from short student projects to larger design research activities, having a direct impact on municipality services.
http://www.umea.se
Banverket
Banverket, Swedish Rail Administration, has overall responsibility for the rail transport system in Sweden. This sectoral responsibility covers not only conventional railways but also underground railways and lightrail systems. Banverket leads and follows developments in the rail sector and assists the Government and Parliament on issues that concern the entire rail transport system.
Together with Banverket, we are conducting work primarily in the area of inclusive design. Recently, we have conducted a large project resulting in a train information terminal, devised to allow as many users as possible access to departure and arrival information at train stations. We are very excited that no later than 2010, our work will be found in all train stations throughout Sweden.
http://www.banverket.se
VINNOVA
VINNOVA (Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems) is a State authority that aims to promote growth and prosperity throughout Sweden. Vinnova's particular area of responsibility comprises innovations linked to research and development, to fund the needs-driven research required by a competitive business and industrial sector and to strengthen university to industry networks.
We are currently involved in a number of projects and collaborations supported by Vinnova. First, our collaboration with ABB and Boliden AB is supported by a substantial research grant from Vinnova. Second, we are part of a large Swedish center focusing on creativity and collaboration called PIEp, which is being supported for ten years by Vinnova. Third, through our collaboration with UCIT, we are involved in the Process IT initiative backed by Vinnova.
http://www.vinnova.se
Umeå University
Umeå University was founded in 1965 and is Sweden's fifth oldest university. Today, Umeå University has a strong international and multicultural presence with students, teachers and researchers from all over the world. Our university has approximately 29,000 students and over 4,100 employees.
UCIT, Umeå Center for Interaction Technology, serves as a catalyst in bringing together different branches of technological science, cognitive science and human-related research, in the task of developing the concepts, theories, methods, technologies and tools that will facilitate the passage from industrial society to information society. UCIT is engaged in the whole chain of research and development from applied and use defined down to basic, theory and technology defined research and development.
http://www.ucit.umu.se
PIEp
PIEp (Product Innovation Engineering Program) is a Swedish national program supported by Vinnova with the purpose of strengthening innovative and creative product- and business development in Sweden.
PIEp sets out to encompass the entire field from theory to practice: from research in innovation systems to pro-active work to strengthen innovative development and reach a systematic change within research, education and development. PIEp will run for ten years, 2007-2016, engage several Swedish universities and research institutes involved in innovation and product development. PIEp is managed by KTH and initially developed in partnership with Lund University, Jönköping University, Umeå Institute of Design, Center for Technology, Medicine and Health, Luleå University of Technology, together with a number of companies and organizations.
http://www.piep.se
