Taking to the rails, 20 designers from Ideo Japan, Sony, Toshiba, and a dozen other companies set out to reengineer that humble commuter tool: the subway train strap. As part of the 2001 Without Thought workshop led by Ideo Japan's Naoto Fukasawa, the designers were told to think beyond point-of-sale seduction and to "look for ideas grounded in the unconscious, day-to-day behavior of people," says Fukasawa. The concept products that resulted include a handle that delivers news and station information on an LED display. One strap lights up when you grab it, another holds your newspaper, and another monitors your heart. And then there's the train strap that riders would really fight for: the air conditioner.
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