The New Parsons School of Design and Panasonic Corporation have teamed up to create wearable technology pieces and experiences that address wellness needs. Working together at Parsons, members of Game Changer Catapult – Panasonic’s innovation acceleration team composed of business leader, engineers and UX designer- and students from Parsons’ MFA Industrial Design, MFA Design and Technology, and BBA Strategic Design and Management programs are designing garments and services focusing on areas of sleep and social interaction. The projects, which will be debuted at SXSW Interactive in Austin, Texas, March 10-14, reflect Parsons’ and Panasonic’s dual commitment to addressing human needs through design, innovation, and collaboration.
«As embedded technology becomes more prevalent – stated Parsons Design Lab director Anu Malhotra – Parsons is training designers not only to leverage this technology, but also to use it for social good. Collaborating across disciplines – in this case, breaking down the boundaries between designers and technologists – and working with a leading technology company like Panasonic is an excellent way of advancing this approach.»
As part of this initiative, in May 2016, Panasonic established for the first time a system that encourages employees to submit new business ideas. Under the theme, “Game Changer Catapult,” which promotes a shift towards unconventional businesses, many innovative business ideas were submitted and finalists were selected on July 21, 2016. In the future, Panasonic will dedicate its resources and know-how to these new business ideas to get them rolling quickly.
