AIGA Conference Day 2

Day 2 started with a presentation titled “Brainstorming with Belugas: Biomimicry and the Art of Well-adapted Design” by biologist Janine Benyus. This was a remarkable insight into the biomimicry field where industrial design takes influences and cues from nature. Benyus described to us how studying the edges of whales fins has created more efficient and quieter fans for air conditioning and how Daimler-Chrysler have designed an ultra low emission and very aerodynamic car based on a puffer fish.

Benyus also showed us how, by studying butterfly wings, scientists at Qualcomm have developed a sunlight readable PDA screen and how the clever bods at Teijin have developed Morphotex – a pigmentless film coating that reflects light (making colour) which is four times brighter than pigment based surfaces. So, in the not to distant future you should be able to change the colour of your car or clothes on a whim or, for the psychedelic, let it change in accordance to the atmospheric light.

Check it out here and have a look at what Janine Benyus is doing at the Biomimicry Institute.

After the feel good factor we had visual wake-up by way of the the founder of Kidrobot, Paul Budnitz. Now this guy has fun with his business. If you aren’t familiar with Kidrobot go check out their site. We heard some great insight into Kidrobots process and history and also what’s coming next in this industry.

There has been so much good stuff here that I’ve been glued to projections furiously taking notes – there simply isn’t time to blog as you go. Everything I have seen has been hugely inspiring and I see many areas in which Marker can bring some of this thinking to our clients.

Have also been catching up with an old friend and colleague from London days, Patrick Cox – the Creative Director at Wolff Ollins. Will report later on what he has to say about his groundbreaking identity for London 2012…