On this site you find the fruit of off-hours labor. Some posted on previous – discontinued – sites such as Brusino.com, difred.ch or 3toys.ch. The good bits of these sites found a new home here, but you may still find some traces of their previous locations inside the various PDF. Enjoy.

 


Book: Project Management & the Fine Art of baking Dutch Apple pie

Through the lens of baking a Dutch apple pie, the book delves into the intricacies of project management, examining systemic views and approaches as effective tools for addressing these challenges. At the very least, readers can expect to acquire the skill of baking a delicious Dutch Apple pie.

Read an introductionary summary here, or about how this book came to be

Get a copy: Amazon – $9.90


Book: Fred & John, Pondering the Non-linear Dynamics of Experience

The Fred & John cartoons freely explore life, the universe, and everything, mainly pondering the non-linear dynamics of experience. From the physics of space-time to the source of inspiration and the minutiae of daily experiences, our comics invite contemplation on the ever-evolving, unpredictable nature of existence, aiming to spark curiosity and reflection on the complexities that define our journey through our vast, ever-changing, and interconnected lives.

Also in this, John Flach is my invaluable partner in crime. He possesses boundless knowledge and insights into ecological psychology, non-linear dynamics, and control theory, able to always offer relevant and insightful comments for every cartoon I come up with. This has not only fueled the creation of more cartoons, and many interesting discussions between us, but also sparked fabulous posts and conversations on LinkedIn.

In preparation. Expected to be Available on Amazon autumn 2024


Book: A Meaning Processing Approach to Cognition: What Matters?

A cognitive psychologist (John Flach) and an industrial design engineer (Fred) draw from their experiences trying to make technology work for people to reflect on the foundations of Cognitive Science and Product Design, inspired by Pirsig’s Metaphysics of Quality described in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. This book takes the reader on a journey beyond ‘information processing’ and the computer metaphor, toward ‘meaning creation’ as inspired by recent discoveries in dynamics and selforganizing systems, beyond the conventional dichotomy of mind and matter to explore a world of ‘what matters’.  

Available on Routledge

Available on Amazon at $150


Book: Workshop on Design Thinking & Expressive Design

Exploring Design thinking (2013). This is the companion to a workshop for industrial Design students on expressive product design, exploring human perception, usability testing and basically following design thinking and lean start-up methodologies. The workshop to which this was a companion basically was a design sprint, from initial ideation up to prototyping, testing and evaluating.

Download a PDF version, or mail me to request a free hard copy.


PhD Thesis: Affording Action: Implementing Perception Action coupling for Laparoscopy

Taking a Design Thinking approach and building on ideas from Ecological Perception to improve the situational awareness fo the surgeon during laparoscopic operation, specifically spatial perception.

The thesis explores the application of the so-called Delft Virtual Window System [DVWS, App. I, Smets 1995b, Overbeeke et al. 1988, using viewpoint parallax to create 3D/provide spatial information] for laparoscopy. The DVWS allows users to explore a remote space by linking the camera motions to the user’s head movements, restoring the perception/action coupling and allowing to pick-up spatial information in a way that is (action related) meaningful to the user.

Final result is working prototype of a ‘robot arm‘, implemented and successfully tested in a laboratory environment demonstrating test subjects’/surgeon’s ability to perform spatial manipulation tasks better (more accurately, more confident) and without needing a human assistant to control the camera/laparoscope.

Download a PDF version the the PhD thesis; “Affording Action: Implementing Perception Action coupling for Laparoscopy” (1998), or mail me for a hardcopy.


On System Thinking


Download: 2CV in Papercraft (300+ models)

Available on AMAZON

A short description of the history of the famous car illustrated with a selection of key models are combined in the book “The Citroën 2CV | in papercraft“. It gives a complete overview of the evolution of the 2CV through 15 models, starting from the TPV, the 1950’s 2CV, all the way up to the last one produced, including also special verions such as the 2CV 4×4, the Ami6, the Dyane, and the AK250.

Pixar’s Cars in Papercraft






@Work

More cartoons from @Work here

Wooden toys to assemble (previously: 3Toys.ch)

(slightly) More information previously found on 3Toys.ch and some even on Etsy. If you have a laser cutter yourself, you can find some of the patters on Thinginverse. Otherwise, simply contact me if you do not find what you are looking for.

Download Cartoons (pdf)

The Brusino Monster – Part one. A strange sound, disappearing fish, and a network of tunnels and caves leads to an incredible discovery. Based on real events, well the sound and the fish. The Monster still is an unconfirmed rumour.  

Originally, back in 2006, color-printed as small A5 booklet and distributed to the children of the primary school in Brusino Arsizio

The Brusino Monster – Part two. A mysterious bible in the old church of Morcote shows reference to the bruising monster. What is the relation and why is the monk hiding it?  

… more short Cartoons (pdf, free to download)

 
New opportunity?

Return a book?

Pirates

Dashboards!

Muddling through

Confessions

A night in the lab