Prompt my prototype: NaiVE Framework for Artificial Intelligence use in Engineering Product Development

Abstract

Through this paper we present a framework aimed into helping educators to incorporate the Artificial Intelligence in their classes, particularly focused in Engineering Product Development. As students become more acquainted with the possibilities of Artificial Intelligence, it brings challenges in the way they learn, research and analyze the information supplied by the A.I. systems. This NaiVE framework puts emphasis in the students' use of their technical expertise and critical thinking by explicitly requesting to follow a set of steps that will guide them through obtaining the best out of the Artificial Intelligence outputs. The framework was validated with three different case studies including students from different engineering majors, seniorities and courses carrying out a 5-week project with an industrial partner: the first one being "Dynamical Design" for mechanical engineers in their sophomore year, who used generative design with Autodesk Fusion360 to propose new solutions for an All-Terrain Vehicle; the second one, "Mechatronic Design", was a course for Mechatronic Engineers in their junior year, who had to come up with an innovative proposal for warehouse logistics and provide a Product Requirements Document (PRD), some Product Design Specifications (PDS), and a prototype of their solution (for this, they were instructed in the correct use of ChatGPT and Teachable Machine); the third course, named "Technological Entrepreneurship", was an optative course for senior year undergraduate students of the robotic, mechatronic, mechanic, computer science, chemical, biotechnology, nanotechnology and data science majors working together with senior marketing students of a course in Analytics and Advanced Market Intelligence: the project consisted in developing a technological solution to raise brand awareness for a Civil Association amongst younger generations, and the use of Mid journey was the AI tool used to adapt the proposal to the aesthethics of the training partner and generate eye-catching results.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Higher Education, New Product Development, Educative Innovation, Design Framework

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1004652