What’s Happening?
Eye tracking technology
Powerful idea
to revolutionise the
for clean energy
design process
Claus with his working model of a solar updraft tower
power plant
Researchers from The Open University and the University of Leeds have been
awarded £195k from the Leverhulme Trust to develop an intuitive computer
aided design (CAD) system that could revolutionise the design process. They
will examine how eye tracking technology could recognise which parts of design
sketches the designer is interested in, and automatically suggest developments
of that element.
The research builds on a prototype CAD system funded through the
Designing for the 21st Century programme. The Design Synthesis and Shape An engineering student may have found the Holy
Generation project (DSSG) produced the world’s fi rst 3D shape grammar-based Grail of renewable energy as part of his fi nal
design system, which succeeded in overcoming a major limitation in current university project.
shape grammar-based systems – that of recognising ‘sub-shapes’ in early design Claus Volkening, 23, of the University of
sketches. Portsmouth, has designed and laboratory tested a
Alison McKay, Professor of Design Systems at the University of Leeds, solar energy storage design which can make clean,
explains: “Sub-shapes or emergent shapes are those created when two or cheap electricity, available to all, even at night.
more shapes intersect. For example, if two squares overlap diagonally, we see His working model of a solar updraft tower uses
a third square created in the middle. But in conventional CAD terms, this water storage tanks to solve the problem of existing
middle square doesn’t exist, because it has not been previously defi ned in the solar power plants which only generate electricity
programming and is therefore ignored by the CAD system for design purposes. when the sun shines.
But in real life, designers use such ambiguities within their sketches to inspire A prototype solar updraft tower was built in Spain
further design developments using their creativity and experience and we and later destroyed in a storm in 1989 but Claus is
succeeded in developing a system that could assist that process from the start.” the fi rst to build a working small-scale model that
The new project takes the DSSG software a radical step further by adding eye continues to generate electricity at night.
tracking capability into the mix. It’s a step that could ultimately see the designer He said: “The problem with existing solar power
and software working in complete creative harmony. generators is that the times of peak generation of
“When we’re interested in something or when part of a picture catches our energy – during the day – do not match with times
eye, our eyes are naturally drawn back to that part several times over. The eye of peak need at night.
tracking device could detect this interest and intuitively make suggestions to “I wanted to fi nd a way of generating solar power
inspire the design development without the designer having to interrupt his at night and found that by using water tanks to store
or her train of thought to instruct the computer to work on a certain part,” the sun’s energy through the day I could smooth out
Professor McKay continued. the energy available from a solar power plant. With
“The designer wouldn’t have to physically my model, even when night falls and temperatures
interact with the software – the drop, electricity is still available and reliable.”
software would already be in Claus’ scale model is based on a 1km high tower
tune, ready to support surrounded by glass or plastic above water tanks
the creative process across a 16km square area to recreate a greenhouse
by suggesting new effect. Existing solar updraft towers work by
ways of seeing collecting heat energy from the sun and sending
the possibilities the warm air up through the tower which houses
a shape can a turbine. When the turbine turns, it generates
offer.” electricity as long as the sun shines with zero
harmful emissions.
Claus said: “After sunset, the updraft drops and
the energy output effectively stops. In my model,
some of the solar energy is removed from the air
fl ow process to heat the water and this is then
released at night. This avoids a peak during the day
and smoothes the overall output.”
By using water to store some of the heat, the
amount of electricity generated at various times
of the day or night can be changed by adding or
removing water tanks.
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