Ryan Ruvald

Ryan Ruvald is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Karlskrona, Sweden. His academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the California Maritime Academy, where he gained extensive hands-on training on ships and power plants. Prior to academia, he worked in the solar industry building utility-scale solar power plants for First Solar in Phoenix, Arizona, and served in commercial shipping on container ships, tankers, and deep-sea drillships.

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, California Maritime Academy
• Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering with emphasis on Sustainable Product Service System Innovation (MSPI program), Blekinge Institute of Technology

Ruvald's research centers on product development, with particular focus on developing methods to generate data for data-driven design in scenarios where knowledge about both machine and environment is sparse or non-existent. His current research focuses on addressing the human element in autonomous system design through experiential prototyping platforms developed in partnership with Volvo CE. These platforms simulate user scenarios to guide empathic design of systems and human-machine interactions. His work spans across Knowledge Management, Design Decision Rationale, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, and Internet of Things, with strong emphasis on Product-Service Systems (PSS) innovation.

His publication record reveals a consistent trajectory in PSS design methodologies, with increasing integration of AI and autonomous systems in recent years. Early work focused on prototyping techniques and PSS implementation in construction equipment, while his most recent publications explore AI-driven approaches to predictive maintenance, autonomous equipment behavior comprehension, and data mining through experience prototyping. This evolution demonstrates a clear progression from traditional product-service system design toward intelligent, data-driven approaches that incorporate human factors in autonomous systems.

Ruvald collaborates extensively with industry partners, most notably Volvo CE, to develop experiential prototyping platforms that bridge theoretical research with practical applications. His work has significant implications for the construction equipment industry and autonomous vehicle development, focusing on how humans interact with increasingly autonomous systems in real-world environments.