A product form design and evaluation model are proposed. In this method, the forms can be evaluated by three sub-evaluation models which can help designers to grasp consumers’ preferences. In the process, the overall shape is first disassembled into several shape elements, and a morphological chart is constructed. Then, the priority of shape elements is analyzed through the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process, and several required combinations are selected from a morphological chart. Moreover, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (I), preference questionnaire (II), and quadratic curvature entropy (III) of the selected combinations are analyzed. Finally, the results of I, II, and III are compared. In conclusion, the three sub-evaluation systems are consistent, which confirms the applicability of the proposed model.

With the spread of COVID-19 worldwide, various travel restrictions are becoming a significant trigger for anxiety. Although healing products could relieve anxiety, few scholars have proposed a practical design strategy. Therefore, we offer a design strategy for healing products that includes three phases: preparation, analysis, and verification. In Phase 1, 20 people with moderate or high anxiety are invited to rate 100 samples. Then, FCM is used to obtain representative samples. In Phase 2, a three-layer diagram (incl. the upper, middle, and lower layers) of healing products is obtained using the evaluation grid method. Subsequently, the middle layer is considered evaluation criteria. Additionally, 18 items in the lower layer are considered design guidelines. In Phase 3, we invite two teams to develop innovative designs based on design guidelines and personal experience, generating four alternatives. Finally, four alternatives and four healing commodities are evaluated using grey relation analysis and perceptual questionnaires. The consistency of both evaluations could confirm the validity of the evaluation criteria. The alternatives generated based on the design guidelines are better than other alternatives, demonstrating the effectiveness of the design guidelines. The design strategy is beneficial for developing and evaluating healing products to alleviate people’s anxiety during COVID-19.

City bicycles have become popular worldwide because they play an essential role in releasing urban traffic congestion and are environmentally friendly. Since wheelsets are the most prominent shape element in a bicycle, this research explores the influence of various wheel types on the visual image of a city bicycle. First, 10 wheelsets with a high market share in China were selected as the research samples. Meanwhile, vocabularies suitable for describing wheelsets were chosen from many vocabularies. Then, all vocabularies were summarized into six adjectives using factor analysis, and consumers were invited to evaluate all samples using the grouped adjectives. Finally, triangular fuzzy numbers were used to obtain the evaluation scores of 10 wheelsets on six adjectives, and the 10 wheelsets were divided into four groups based on the evaluation scores. The results show that the visual imagery evaluation of the 10 wheelsets had a significant difference in the “trimmed and stable”, “superior and presentable”, and “holistic and balanced” groups, but a slight difference in “novel and individualized”, “rhythmic and metrical”, and “mechanical and ordered.” The research results could serve as a reference for city bicycle operators and help improve product development efficiency, thereby promoting the sustainable development of city bicycles.

The rise in generative large models has gradually influenced traditional product design processes, with AI-generated content (AIGC) playing an increasingly significant role. Globally, tourism IP cultural products are crucial for promoting sustainable tourism development. However, there is a lack of practical design methodologies incorporating generative large models for tourism IP cultural products. Therefore, this study proposes a methodology for the color matching and shape design of tourism IP cultural products using multimodal generative large models. The process includes four phases, as follows: (1) GPT-4o is used to explore visitors’ emotional needs and identify target imagery; (2) Midjourney generates shape options that align with the target imagery, and the optimal shape is selected through quadratic curvature entropy method based on shape curves; (3) Midjourney generates colored images reflecting the target imagery, and representative colors are selected using AHP and OpenCV; and (4) color harmony calculations are used to identify the best color combination. These alternatives are evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively using a color-matching aesthetic measurement formula and a sensibility questionnaire. The effectiveness of the methodology is demonstrated through a case study on the harbor seal, showing a strong correlation between quantitative and qualitative evaluations, confirming its effectiveness in tourism IP product design.

Form aesthetic principles represent an aesthetic consciousness developed through long-term human labor practices, which are crucial for the design and evaluation of product form. The equilibrium aesthetic principle is a vital component of the form aesthetic principles, significantly influencing other form aesthetic principles. This study introduces a method for product form design and evaluation using an improved equilibrium measurement formula that incorporates the number of form elements and is structured in three phases: design (phase 1), evaluation (phase 2), and analysis (phase 3). In phase 1, the primary functional units (form elements) of the target product are identified, and its potential spatial arrangements are analyzed. Clay models, 2D wireframes, and 3D models are constructed based on spatial layout schemes, yielding several alternatives. In phase 2, the original equilibrium measurement formula (E_I), the improved equilibrium measurement formula (E_II), and expert perceptual questionnaires (E_III) are applied to evaluate the alternatives, obtaining their respective rankings. In phase 3, a Pearson correlation analysis is conducted on the three evaluation results, followed by a discussion of the research findings. The results show a significant correlation between E_II and E_III, with a correlation coefficient of 0.986, enabling the selection of the optimal design solution based on their rankings. The findings indicate that incorporating the number of form elements as a new parameter in the measurement formula enhances the accuracy and effectiveness of form aesthetic measurement. This paper uses the bladeless fan as an example to demonstrate the proposed method, offering product designers a novel approach to enhance form aesthetic measurement.