An Affordance-Based Product Shape Design Method

Product shape is the key information carrier in the communication between consumer and product. To investigate shape characteristics and user´s function judgment to the product and meet the requirements for functionality and aesthetic of product shape, an affordance-based product shape design method is proposed. Based on the analysis on the relationship among functionality, component, shape and affordance, a hierarchical model of product shape design property is presented, an affordance-based product shape vaccine abstraction method is proposed, and the adaptive immune genetic algorithm is used to build innovative design. According to this method, a Computer-Aided Intelligent Product Design System (CAIPDS) was implemented as a prototype. By applying it to the design of the cup, the affordance and its corresponding vaccines are constructed, and the shape design could be generated and evaluated rapidly. The result of design is satisfying and the proposed affordance-based product shape design method was verified.