Hyperfresh is a courier delivery network for local, fresh produce in the Los Angeles Area. It maximizes the benefits of the commuting journey by connecting unused space inside of vehicles and existing routines for better serving farm to restaurants transportation.

This research looks into encouraging millennials in the Greater Los Angeles Area to lead a more sustainable and low-carbon lifestyle focusing specifically on their transportation choices. A major change in the status quo is required to enable that which involves both the People and the System. Through providing incentives to millennials for exhibiting sustainable behavior and decisions , peoples’ preferences can be influenced and changed which in turn can influence the larger system.

The research mostly draws from primary sources such as field visits, observational research, interviews, quantitative analysis, and from secondary research tools available which help in understanding the socio-cultural context of Los Angeles.

Novel approaches to encouraging and incentivizing sustainable behavior are explored. Using ‘Gamification’ as a tool, the research looks into developing a compelling concept that resonates with the target user base and also provides them alternative modes of transportation to driving alone.

KNITT was incepted out of a profound curiosity to understand why there was a sudden rise of Bus Rapid Transit systems (BRTs) in Indian cities, are such formal transportation systems relevant to the organic urban fabric of Indian context. Traditionally, the dominant form of public transportation in major cities of India has been the informal three wheeled Auto-rickshaw (tuk-tuk), can such formal systems like BRTs replace the Auto-rickshaw ?

The project starts on different aspects of transportation planning but in order to investigate the relevance of formal transportation systems from an end user’s perspective, the project is addressed using core design thinking and research methodologies. After synthesizing the initial research findings, a set of hypothetical scenarios was drafted which can potentially revitalize or replace the BRTs for a more organic solution better suited for the Indian context. These hypothetical scenarios were simulated using a traffic simulation software PTV Vissim and the results from the primary research as well as the simulations highlight the need of a cohesive system design approach for the Indian context and formed the basis of the big idea to create an integrated mobility system KNITT.

KNITT is a transportation ecosystem which seamlessly integrates the available form of shared/public transportation systems on a common platform to deliver a seamless user experience. This platform creates a transit economy which can span across the low income groups of people to high income groups while providing essential mobility for all. KNITT ecosystem highlights the positives of multi modal journey without compromising the user convenience factor and adding value to the existing transportation systems. In order to achieve this, KNITT thrives on creating public private partnerships between Auto-rickshaw, Taxis/Cabs, Transportation Network Companies and Local Governments on a common platform creating meaningful user experiences. The KNITT ecosystem re tunes the end user expectations towards a cohesive shared economy while also creating a base for the upcoming Autonomous future.

The thesis outlines a development of a cybernetic platform for urban professionals. It incorporates location awareness and social meet-up, to collect data from participatory sensing systems, citizen projects, social media, web use, GPS, online social networks and other socially generated data in the notion of Data oriented urban transportation planning.

Additionally, the rapid growth of gig economy implicates a possible business for unstructured data that can benefit urban planning
and transformation of transportation in modern society. It also affects the social interaction in both geographical and spatial aspect. It became significant to increase the link among those system components, which includes software, network, cyber architecture and individuals.

Therefore, I initiate this SHINRAI project and organize a team to accomplish it. The team applied the strategy of “Lean Startup Creation” by Eric Ries, went through four major cycles of building prototypes, field-testing and gathering feedback, and then revising business model and validating it throughout entire concept development process.

Kinship is service system that provides students and campus communities the ability to fluidly access housing and transportation at their fingertips. It is an online management tool that facilitates the coordination of housing and transportation services tailor-made for the user's needs. Through this service system, students will benefit with convenient, reliable housing and transportation in time efficient ways when they are in the new city.

The research looks into the transportation problems faced by millennials in New Delhi, India, in terms of lack of reliable information and proper journey planning tools. Moreover their socio-economic effects on the lives on the independent drivers such as auto-rickshaw drivers, rickshaw drivers etc. due to inclusion of new ride-sharing and ride hailing services in the context, as well as the problems hence for the transportation planners in planning and regulating these services.
The research draws mostly from primary sources such as field visits, observational research, interviews, quantitative analysis, and from published research papers and studies on the transportation system in Delhi.
Through the understanding and insights gathered from these resources, the paper designs and proposes a solution to solve the major problems through an umbrella service that functions as a transportation service marketplace to gather data for transportation planners while enhancing experience for users and improving lives of the drivers.

The airHOUND is an autonomous system for search and rescue personnel to locate, diagnose and maintain contact with individuals lost or stranded. This keeps rescuers out of harm's way and increases the probability of evacuating victims in enough time to save lives.

This thesis project provides insight into why autonomous search and rescue can be a topic of consideration in the field of design due to the many challenges it faces, while also offering a multitude of opportunities that can be manifested and applied to search and rescue in other fields such as urban search and rescue and sea search and rescue.

This thesis compares the commercial and artistic uses of photography in the United States and Hong Kong.