PrefaceThis volume, entitled Intelligent Human Systems Integration, aims to provide a global forum for introducing and discussing novel approaches, design tools, methodologies, techniques, and solutions for integrating people with intelligent technologies, automation, and artificial cognitive systems in all areas of human endeavor in industry, economy, government, and education. Some of the notable areas of application include, but are not limited to, energy, transportation, urbanization and infrastructure development, digital manufacturing, social development, human health, sustainability, new generation of service systems, as well as developments in safety, risk assurance, and cybersecurity in both civilian and military contexts. Indeed, rapid progress in developments in the ambient intelligence, including cognitive computing, modeling, and simulation, as well as smart sensor technology, weaves together the human and artificial intelligence and will have a profound effect on the nature of their collaboration at both the individual and societal levels in the near future.As applications of artificial intelligence and cognitive computing become more prevalent in our daily lives, they also bring new social and economic challenges and opportunities that must be addressed at all levels of the contemporary society. Many of the traditional human jobs that require high levels of physical or cognitive abilities, including human motor skills, reasoning, and decision-making abilities, as well as training capacity, are now being automated. While such trends might boost the economic efficiency, they can also negatively impact the user experience and bring about many unintended social consequences and ethical concerns.The intelligent human systems integration is to a large extent affected by the forces shaping the nature of future computing and artificial system development. This book discusses the needs and requirements for the symbiotic collaboration between humans and artificially intelligent systems, with due consideration of the software and hardware characteristics allowing for such cooperation from the societal and human-centered design perspectives, with the focus on the design of intelligent products, systems, and services that will revolutionize human-technology interactions.v

Combining eco-sustainability and technological efficiency is one of the “hot” topics in the current construction and architectural sectors. In this work, recycled tire rubber aggregates and acoustically effective fractal cavities were combined in the design, modeling, and experimental characterization of lightweight concrete hollow bricks. After analyzing the structural and acoustic behavior of the brick models by finite element analysis as a function of the type of constituent concrete material (reference and rubberized cement mixes) and hollow inner geometry (circular- and fractal-shaped hollow designs), compressive tests and sound-absorption measurements were experimentally performed to evaluate the real performance of the developed prototypes. Compared to the traditional circular hollow pattern, fractal cavities improve the mechanical strength of the brick, its structural efficiency (strength-to-weight ratio), and the medium–high frequency noise damping. The use of ground waste tire rubber as a total concrete aggregate represents an eco-friendlier solution than the ordinary cementitious mix design, providing, at the same time, enhanced lightweight properties, mechanical ductility, and better sound attenuation. The near-compliance of rubber-concrete blocks with standard requirements and the value-added properties have demonstrated a good potential for incorporating waste rubber as aggregate for non-structural applications.

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This paper presents and advocates a method for teaching about materials in industrial design courses. The method has been developed by the authors in the academic sphere while teaching over the last six years on a number of degree courses-both the three-year basic programmes and the two-year specialist ones-at four Italian places of learning: the Politec-nico di Milano, Sapienza University of Rome, the University of Palermo and ISIA (the Higher Institute for Artistic Industries) in Florence, which is now recognized as being equivalent to a degree course. The research has a focus on a specifi c area of the design fi eld which has until now been undervalued, and not suffi ciently expanded upon by teaching programmes, as it has always been seen as something which is simply there to be exploited. However, it has become more prominent in recent years, thanks in part to rapid technical and scientifi c development and the access to numerous new materials with unprecedented capabilities. Resumo Este trabalho apresenta e defende um método de ensino so-bre materiais em cursos de desenho industrial. O método foi desenvolvido pelos autores no âmbito acadêmico, ao longo de seis anos durante o ensino em uma série de cursos de gra-duação-tanto em programas de três anos do básico como no de dois anos da especialização-em quatro lugares italianos de aprendizagem: o Politécnico di Milano, Universidade de Roma La Sapienza, da Universidade de Palermo e ISIA (Insti-tuto Superior de Industrias Artísticas), em Florença, que agora oferece curso de graduação. O foco específi co desta pesquisa inscreve-se no campo do design e envolve um aspecto que não é frequentemente tratado. No entanto, o estudo sobre materiais tornou-se mais proeminente nos últimos anos, em parte graças ao rápido desenvolvimento técnico e científi co e a entrada em cena de novos materiais que possibilitam recur-sos sem precedentes. Palavras-chave: design, materiais; criatividade; experi-mentação Teaching material design. Research on teaching methodology about materials in industrial design 1 Ensino de materiais para o design. Pesquisa sobre metodologia didática dos materiais em design e desenho industrial 1 The paper was written by the authors on the basis of mutual agreement and extensive discussions. Are related to the two authors jointly sections: Abstract, Introduction, Research methodology and Didactic Method. These paragraphs were written by M. Ferrara: The creative approach to technology, and Close-up on teaching in Italy: Results of the data analysis and remarks. These paragraphs were written by S. Lucibello: The state of the art of Italian materials research and teaching, and Refl ections on the Italian and international approaches to teaching about technology in the contemporary world.