Jinsop Lee is an incredible speaker, full of energy and great ideas.
In his TED Talk, Design for all 5 senses, Lee presents a set of ideas that are hard to get out of your head. He's frustrated that human beings are blessed with five senses yet most products and experiences only allow us to use one or two at the most.
http://images.ted.com/images/ted/19c23133ab92d6789c50759e48b43798a96a83b6_240x180.jpg
First shown are clock redesigns done during his college days. His frenemy Chris designed a brilliant clock that combined light, glass and oil to use scents to tell time. Lee knew this was better than his own sunflower clock project, but had a difficult time quantifying why.
Over time Jinsop developed his 5 Senses theory, and the graph that plots each of the senses vs the level of enjoyment.
http://tedconfblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/five-senses-video-games.jpg?w=900&h=499
He spent years graphing his activities and working to get others to help him to gather their own personal data. Boosting the intensity of any one of the five senses brings the user a completely new experience.
The talk ends with new spins on a toothbrush, and iron, and a remote control. Each new idea brings a completely new experience to a very standard product.
http://www.ted.com/talks/jinsop_lee_design_for_all_5_senses.html
As a design engineer it's impossible not to be inspired by this talk. When designing automotive components for ten years, noticeable sounds and smells were always discouraged. But creating pleasant sounds, smells and textures opens a new realm of possibility.