Designs

Designs publishes Special Issues to create collections of papers on specific topics, with the aim of building a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are led by Guest Editors, who are experts on the topic and all Special Issue submissions follow MDPI's standard editorial process. The journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or designated Editorial Board Member will oversee Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, checking their content for relevance and ensuring the suitability of the material for the journal. The papers published in a Special Issue will be collected and displayed on a dedicated page of the journal’s website. Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies and Guest Editor responsibilities can be found here. For any inquiries related to a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.

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Design and Applications of Positive Energy Districts

edited by

Tony Castillo-Calzadilla

and

Carlos Quesada Granja

submission deadline 31 Aug 2025 | 8 articles | Viewed by 24963 | Submission Open

Keywords: Positive Energy Districts (PEDs); PED design; IA application to PED design; PED standardization; PED methodologies; PED planning; PED modeling; PED simulation; PED deployment; PED replication; Zero energy districts; Sustainable urbanization

(This special issue belongs to the Section Energy System Design)

Sustainable Construction: Innovations in Design, Engineering, and the Circular Economy

edited by

Aziz Ahmed

submission deadline 31 Aug 2025 | 11 articles | Viewed by 16869 | Submission Open

Keywords: sustainable engineering; sustainable design; circular economy; construction engineering; sustainable built environment

(This special issue belongs to the Section Civil Engineering Design)

Advancements in Robotic Design, Manufacturing, and the Action-Perception Loop

edited by

Roveda Loris

and Roberto Meattini

submission deadline 31 Aug 2025 | 5 articles | Viewed by 11925 | Submission Open

Keywords: robotics; robotic manipulation; robotic perception; automation; machine learning; human– robot collaboration; deformable objects

Application of Artificial Intelligence in Smart Factories: From Sensor Networks to Large Language Models

edited by

Jia Uddin

and Mahe Zabin

submission deadline 31 Oct 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 4829 | Submission Open

Keywords: artificial intelligence (AI); machine learning; modeling and simulation; digital twins; computer-aided design (CAD); LLM; AI systems

(This special issue belongs to the Section Smart Manufacturing System Design)

Innovative Approaches in Infrastructure Design, Resilience, and Maintenance

edited by

Xu-Yang Cao

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 11 articles | Viewed by 14668 | Submission Open

Keywords: infrastructure resilience; structural rehabilitation; remote monitoring; risk assessment; seismic performance; life cycle analysis

(This special issue belongs to the Section Civil Engineering Design)

Post-Manufacturing Testing and Characterization of Materials

edited by

Obeidi Muhannad

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 8 articles | Viewed by 12575 | Submission Open

Keywords: additive manufacturing; 3D printing; defect evaluation; mechanical stresses; deformation; simulation; material characterization; process control; post-manufacturing

(This special issue belongs to the Section Smart Manufacturing System Design)

Intelligent Design and Optimization of Distributed Energy Systems and Smart Infrastructure

edited by

Saher Javaid

and

Yuto Lim

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 78 | Submission Open

Keywords: distributed energy systems; smart infrastructure; intelligent optimization; energy management systems; AI and machine learning in energy systems; multi-agent control; cyber– physical systems; smart cities and digital twins; renewable energy integration; infrastructure resilience

(This special issue belongs to the Section Energy System Design)

Advanced Design Methodologies for Additive Manufacturing in Patient-Specific Medical Solutions

edited by

Giulia Pascoletti

and

Arianna Rossi

submission deadline 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 103 | Submission Open

Keywords: design optimization; bioinspired design; generative design; process design; topology optimization; customized devices; biomedical devices; medical devices regulations; additive manufacturing; bioprinting

(This special issue belongs to the Section Bioengineering Design)

Mixture of Human and Machine Intelligence in Digital Manufacturing, 2nd Edition

edited by

Yang Lu

Ming Zhang

and

Ziwei Wang

submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 40 | Submission Open

Keywords: human– machine interface; human– robot collaboration; human-in-the-loop (HITL); human-centered design; human factors: intent; gaze; emotion; and sensation; ergonomics and muscle activation analysis; gamification in manufacturing; machine/computer intelligence; optimization; virtual reality; augmented reality; and mixed reality; resilience; sustainability; and digitalization; deep learning; machine learning; and artificial intelligence; cyber– physical systems; trustworthy autonomous systems

(This special issue belongs to the Section Smart Manufacturing System Design)

RFID and Applications of RF/Microwave Circuits and Systems

edited by

Augustine O. Nwajana

submission deadline 3 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 73 | Submission Open

Keywords: radiofrequency identification (RFID); wireless sensors and system design; smart healthcare and wearables; RFID data fusion and processing; RF and microwave circuits and devices; localization and tracking systems; neural networks in system design; nonlinear circuit design for RFID

(This special issue belongs to the Section Smart Manufacturing System Design)

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