Institutional-Repository, University of Moratuwa
Welcome to the University of Moratuwa Digital Repository, which houses postgraduate theses and dissertations, research articles presented at conferences by faculties and departments, university-published journal articles and research publications authored by academic staff. This online repository stores, preserves and distributes the University's scholarly work. This service allows University members to share their research with a larger audience.
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Recent Submissions
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Exploring the impact of user-centered design on quality enhancement in coffee processing in Sri Lanka
(Integrated Design Research, Department of Integrated Design, University of Moratuwa, 2025-11) Konara, D; Jayasinghe, S; Samarawickrama, S
The quality of Sri Lankan coffee production depends largely on post-harvest processing methods, where small-scale farmers play a vital role. This study explores how User-Centered Design (UCD) principles can help improve the quality of coffee while reducing the physical strain faced by small-scale farmers. Field research was carried out in Maskeliya (Hatton) and Galkanda (Nuwara Eliya), involving ten farmers who practice both wet and dry processing methods. Data were collected through observations and semi-structured interviews during processing activities. The study identified recurring issues such as repetitive manual work, poor ergonomic conditions, and outdated equipment that affect both farmer well-being and coffee quality. A comparison between wet and dry processing revealed that wet processing results in better coffee quality but requires more physical effort. The paper suggests that integrating UCD principles can improve tool design, reduce manual effort, and enhance workflow efficiency, ultimately supporting higher-quality production. This research highlights the potential for participatory and ergonomic design approaches to strengthen Sri Lanka’s coffee industry through improved farmer experience and sustainable processing practices.
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Adaptation of global wordmark logos to Sinhala script
(Integrated Design Research, Department of Integrated Design, University of Moratuwa, 2025-11) Vimukthi, S; Samarawickrama, S; Samarawickrama, S
Global brands increasingly engage diverse audiences through bilingual branding, yet adaptation of wordmark logos into non-Latin scripts remains limited in Sri Lanka. Examine how multinational companies use bilingual wordmarks as a brand. In the international context, especially China and Middle East countries using bilingual wordmarks is a common site yet, in Sri Lanka it shows a void in numbers and is limited to selected brands. Nevertheless, this research was conducted to understand the visual adaptation of multilingual logos (Latin) to the native scripts of Sri Lanka (special focus to Sinhala script). This study was conducted using the visual survey method by comparing the visual content of multinational logos (Latin representation) with its locally adopted Sinhala logo. Using a visual survey methodology, logos were documented through photography, scanning, and digital recreation, then examined comparatively across Latin and Sinhala versions. Results indicate that while typographic adaptations vary, consistent use of color, layout, and structural elements ensures recognition and cultural relevance. The selection of logotypes is limited to wordmarks, to analyze their visual elements and anatomy of letterforms as the main parameter in both scripts. This is discussed through three case studies: Signal, Marmite and Sunlight, owned by Unilever PLC to identify how selected visual elements are incorporated in the Sinhala wordmarks to communicate visual harmony and uniformity. The survey revealed that certain wordmarks incorporate both the typographic and visual elements as one unit yet, most wordmarks do not. In conclusion, it was evident that the visual adaptation process of wordmarks requires visual harmony to gain uniformity. This research was conducted to explore and document the application of the visual elements within a wordmark in multi script required to adapt multinational wordmark logos into bilingual formats by incorporating Sinhala script, ensuring consistency with the brand's global visual identity while addressing the cultural and linguistic needs of the Sri Lankan market.
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Human-centred tool design for domestic cashew cutting: a case study from North Central and North Western Provinces, Sri Lanka
(Integrated Design Research, Department of Integrated Design, University of Moratuwa, 2025-11) Bandara MVRKW; Perera WPSG; Samarawickrama, S
Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is both an economic crop and a culturally significant ingredient in Sri Lanka, particularly valued in home-cooked dishes. However, traditional household-level cashew processing is in decline due to health risks, time intensity, and ergonomic challenges. This study employed a Human-Centred Design (HCD) approach, guided by IDEO.org (2015), to investigate these challenges and propose context-sensitive design interventions. Data were collected through the Observation, Engagement and Interview, involving 34 purposely selected housewives from Sri Lanka’s North Central and North Western Provinces. Participants were observed and interviewed in their natural environments, supported by tools such as card sorting, empathy mapping, and user journey mapping. Thematic analysis revealed three core barriers: physical strain from manual processing, exposure to hazardous cashew nut shell liquid, and the inadequacy of existing tools. Despite these issues, strong cultural and emotional ties to cashew preparation remain evident. The study concludes with design recommendations for safer, more efficient, and ergonomically improved tools that preserve traditional practices while addressing modern household needs. These findings aim to bridge the gap between tradition and practical usability, ensuring the continued relevance of cashew in domestic lifestyle and the broader Sri Lankan culture.
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Non-humanoid robotic communication: a cube’s expressive movements
(Integrated Design Research, Department of Integrated Design, University of Moratuwa, 2025-11) Perera BKP; Wasala K; Samarawickrama, S
This study investigates how a simple cubic robot conveys basic human emotions through motion, offering insights into emotion expression in abstract robotic design. The study builds on the six basic emotions as proposed by Ekman, which include happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, and surprise. The research examines how movements and their movement characteristics, such as direction, rhythm, and speed, contribute to emotional perception in human-robot interaction (HRI). Thirty undergraduate participants engaged in an exploratory, mixed-methods study where cube movement patterns were created and interpreted in a controlled setting. Results revealed that emotions such as happiness, anger, and sadness were more easily recognised. At the same time, fear, disgust, and surprise showed lower clarity scores, indicating challenges in conveying complex emotions through a geometric form. The study highlights the role of perceptual ambiguity and symbolic neutrality in fostering creative motion strategies and underscores the value of combining quantitative and qualitative insights. Findings suggest that basic geometric forms, such as cubes, can support emotional communication in robotics. However, different shapes and motion semantics may require further attention in future studies to explore them properly, thereby making the communication of simple forms more expressive.
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Design ethnography of parental disengagement in low-income urban Sri Lanka: a participatory study in Siribara Manikepura
(Integrated Design Research, Department of Integrated Design, University of Moratuwa, 2025-11) Prasadi YRG; Wasala K; Samarawickrama, S
Siribara Manikepura, a low-income urban community in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, faces severe poverty and overcrowding. Residents live in cramped homes with limited outdoor space for children, contributing to social issues like drug abuse and school dropouts. These conditions deeply affect family dynamics and child development. The study employed qualitative methods, including direct observation, informal conversations, semi-structured interviews, and contextual immersion over multiple visits. Daily routines, living conditions, and parent–child interactions were documented. A total of 32 participants from 14 households were interviewed. Particular attention was given to the physical environment, parenting practices, and children’s behavior. Using a participatory design approach, parents and children were engaged as active participants in identifying challenges and co-imagining solutions suited to their cultural and social realities. Constructivism guided the study, emphasizing how meaning and learning are co-created through social interaction and lived experience. Findings reveal a troubling pattern of disengaged parenting, even in households where one parent is unemployed. Children are often unsupervised, unclean, and disconnected from structured education or discipline. Parents, burdened by economic instability, focus on immediate survival rather than long-term wellbeing. Drug use among teenage boys, alcohol abuse among adult males, and early employment among girls form a common trajectory, largely unaddressed within the community. The research highlights an urgent need for culturally rooted, space-conscious, and empathetic interventions—through design, education, or policy—to strengthen parent–child relationships and break these cycles.