22 July 2009

Mathieu Lehanneur at TEDGlobal 2009: Running notes from Session 4

Mathieu Lehanneur is a designer who is fascinated with science, and it shows. He explains that his fascination is quite unique in his field, as rules of marketing say he should simplify but science embraces complexity. He’s impressed by science’s ability to investigate the human being; after all, he designs for the human being.

Then, Lehanneur begins showing us images of his designs. He’s created a product called dB, a white ball that emits white noise and interacts with us to improve our concentration, without alienating us from the people around us. Then he delves into his medical designs — an antibiotic course that comes in peel-and-eat layers, encouraging patients to finish it successfully; a living plant system to filter air called ANDREA; and LOCAL RIVER, an indoor system for growing plants and farming fish (for the ultimate locavore). His designs are fascinating, sleek and useful, a rather unusual combination.

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