Mind Stretch: Desiging a World without Gravity

As a former Associate Professor of Industrial Design I’ve set many interesting design challenges for my students over the years. These have often been based upon new materials, engineering innovations or unique needs conveyed by corporate partners. They range from the interesting (design new applications for Toro’s improved battery technology) to futuristic (design personal technology devices for Royal Philips Electronics) to real mind benders (design engaging play toys for dophins at the Minnesota zoo).

Last year I wrote a series for the South Korean online news service OhmyNews on what changes might come about in transportation, architecture, manufacturing, etc. if claims by one inventor about an antigravity device were found to be true. The articles just set the stage for what future opportunities a design school might tackle faced with such a unique example of “creative destruction”.

Stretch your mind.

Part 1 - Designing a World without Gravity

Part 2 - Where’s My Flying Car?

Part 3 - Living in Airspace: Room with a View

Part 4 - Pervasive Lensing: Just Your Everyday Antigravity

Part 5 - Negative Outcomes: Gravitational Terrorism?