James Turnell once said, “Design today is likely to provide an experience not merely a product. The NatoStation does exactly that. Nelson Ayala created a device, which stimulates the experience of a fetus in a womb. The machine sits you in a chair which positions as if you were in a fetus. The user wears a helmet, which emits mega brain strobe lights that change the brain frequencies to 8 HZ low alpha waves, creating a state of deep relaxation. The helmet also scans your initial brain waves, which determine, the level, speed and intensity of the stimulation with video technology.
When I first saw this article I really had no interest in the product. Who would buy something that just relaxes you and costs a fortune? I mean the idea of going back in to the womb doesn’t really appeal to me at all. But looking back in to my notes I came across a quote, which hit me. Jack Turnell tells us it’s the experience, which matters even more than the product itself. That quote defines design. Design is about how it influences and effects society. The NatoStation gives society a rare experience only felt during the beginning of ones life. Who knows what the use of the NatoStation will be? But ideas like this help the world of design move forward.
