Alessandra Tursi

XXVII Cycle - (A.A. 2011-2013)

Architecture Technology
Home Institution: University of Ferrara

Scholarship (bound research topic)
Curriculum: Architecture (ICAR13)
Research Topic: Ankle Foot Orthoses
Tutor DA-UNIFE: Giuseppe Mincolelli
Nationality: Italian

Email: alessandra.tursi@unife.it

Profile

Biography
Alessandra Tursi is a Software Designer and Tests Manager at Leica Geosystems in the Mobile Laser Scanner M3D Division and a Professor of Multimodal Design at the Master of Innovation Design, of the Universities of UNIMORE and UNIFE, Italy. She’s software engineer for the Leica M3D and manager for the testing and documentation materials. Post Doc at the Dep. of Computer Engineering of the University of Berkeley in 2017. MBA in 2016 as a Fulbright scholar at Santa Clara University, (SF - USA). PhD with honors in 2014 at the Doctoral School in Technology of Architecture at the University of Ferrara, with a thesis “DESIGN FOR PEOPLE AFFECTED BY DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DISTROPHY. Proposal for a new type of night AFO, Ankle Foot Orthosis, based on 3D indirect survey and 3D printing.”, currently patent pending. In 2012 was assignee of Young researchers grant to promote International Research Programs in India and she conducted several activities between Gujarat and Rajasthan. Graduated with honors on September 2010 in Architecture at the University of Firenze.

Research skills
Design | Design Thinking | Laser Scanner | Survey | Body Survey

Scientific activities

ORCID ID:
0000-0000-0000-0000

IRIS UNIFE ID:
rp00000

Doctoral research

DESIGN FOR PEOPLE AFFECTED BY DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DISTROPHY. Proposal for a new type of night AFO, Ankle Foot Orthosis, based on 3D indirect survey and 3D printing

The PhD investigates night Ankle Foot Orthoses [AFO], commonly prescribed to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy [DMD] patients, to understand if there are margins to increase their comfort, aesthetic customization and psychological acceptance, but also to improve their manufacturing process and to reduce costs. Firstly, a market analysis on the lower limb orthoses available on Italian, European and North American market conducted to an interactive database that scheduled more than 700 different types of AFOs. Then the research focused on methodological approaches in the design of the AFO. After an overview on theories as User Centered Design, Universal Design and Design for disabilities, a Quality Function Deployment process translated theories into design directives, relating user needs, technical requirements and comparison with the competitors. The scheme provided the guidelines for the design of an innovative dorsal night AFO for DMD patients, which takes advantage of the most innovative technologies of indirect surveys, parametric design and 3D printing. The adopted solutions prove to achieve interesting results thanks to an automated technique of production that reflects in a reduction of time of manufacturing and in an enlarged possibility of customization on demand. Summarizing, the main topics where: - Design for Disabilities and User Centered Approach; - Quality Functional Deployment method for the analysis of competitors, individuation of design goals and evaluation of the phases of the project; - Skills in body survey with laser scanner and Image-Based-Modelling; - Parametric design software’s application; - Management of the process of 3D printing in thermoplastic.

Keywords
Duchenne | Ankle Foot Orthosis | Laser Scanner Survey | Parametric Design | 3D printing