Miyako’s Mood Board: Discovering littleBits

April 14, 2014

Every Monday, MM.LaFleur’s designer Miyako Nakamura ruminates on what’s inspiring her this week.

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When it comes to the concept of “open source” (which I discussed last week), there are so many inspiring examples out there. But my recent obsession is littleBits: small, simple, intuitive blocks that allow you to create and experiment with electronic circuits.

A friend of mine works at the company, but when I first heard about littleBits, the verbal description made no sense to me. Their product is so out-of-the-box that no description does it justice, and there is no comparable product. We might say it’s a modern-day LEGO.

After I watched this TED talk, I got it. What a product! This little kit contains a huge number of possibilities, and the concept itself is simply mind-blowing. It opens up our thinking and encourages us to invent and share information.

Sometimes I worry that technology has become so sophisticated that humans are losing touch with reality, tangible things, and the beauty of handcrafts. We are losing our patience. I agonize about the fact that we don’t really have a choice—this is the world we have to live in. But when I experience a new type of technology that liberates the human being, I can’t help but be grateful that I get to experience the world as it exists today.

Ultimately, everything depends on use and perspective. When it comes to technology, the most important thing is to understand priorities. What I use to “make” my life is up to me. Technology gives us choices.

So I’m excited to play with this advanced toy, and to experience a new kind of “mind exercise” that I didn’t have access to until now. Hopefully, it will bring me a whole new level of inspiration.

littleBits makes me think: I wish I could always have the flexibility to make my own choices and invent my own way.

– Miyako