Kevin Nørby Andersen
I design products and tools
across bits and atoms
that
extend human ability
to think and create.
selected work below
Present
2023 -
I currently serve as a freelance designer through my one-person operation, Super Ultra. I help companies go from 0 → 1 and explore new ways of using technology to create new ways of thinking and doing. Get in touch if you could use a helping hand.
Always curious about what comes next and finding new ways of interacting with technology, I run a blog of personal projects and experiments
Next to this work, I am writing a book. Tentatively titled "Tools & Interactions", it's about how tool design can enable designers and engineers to create radically new interactions and mental models.
I built a working prototype of an Adventure Writer that uses OpenAI's GPT model to help people write.
Bang & Olufsen
2021 - 2022
I was hired to be part of the leadership team in Bang & Olufsen's first full-service Design team. I founded the Tools & Interactions team, focused on building new interfaces and interactions for a new generation of audiovisual product.
Our group also built new internal design tools for exploring spatial and multi-modal interactions. The products and technologies I worked on are still confidential, and some have the potential to redefine their category.
I brought in an approach of learning through making, sketching with technology and working with technology as a material across the physical and digital domain.
- Led and managed 5 designers and daily design work
- Designed a new generation of products
- Patented new interfaces and interactions
- Developed technology sketching tools
- Coached designers to grow and deliver
- Built a rapid prototyping workshop
Media Lab x LEGO
2018 - 2020
I led LEGO's efforts to adopt the Scratch visual programming language. LEGO saw even more potential in the collaboration and offered me a position with the Lifelong Kindergarten group at MIT Media Lab in Boston to collaborate on new concepts for play, creativity and learning through technology.
An example of the work I did while at the Media Lab is the LEGO BOOST extension for Scratch. It enables people to use their LEGO BOOST robotics set with Scratch. I designed the blocks together with the Scratch Team and developed the production code.
LEGO Super Mario
2020
LEGO Super Mario is a collaboration between Nintendo and the LEGO Group. It delivers a physical gaming and play experience never seen before.
I served as an interaction designer for the physical, interactive Mario figure. As the project transitioned from raw concept to designing for manufacturing, I worked at the intersection between the LEGO concept and engineering teams, and the Nintendo team.
- Designed tag and color sensor
- Created proof of concept prototypes
- Reduced cost of manufacturing
- Developed a parametric display generator
LEGO SPIKE Prime
2019
LEGO Education SPIKE Prime is the latest generation of LEGO robotics products. It uses LEGO elements, easy-to-use hardware and an intuitive coding experience to teach kids STEAM subjects for grades 6-8.
I served as the interaction design lead on the physical electronic components. Components used in both LEGO Education SPIKE Prime and LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor.
We assembled small core team of designers and engineers. We used the best parts of decades of LEGO robotics systems, and re-invented almost everything else.
The result is a new form language and expression of technology. It makes the new generation of LEGO robotics products feel less "techy" and more playful. It lends to an experience that makes kids, not tech, the heroes.
- Designed user interface for the Hub
- Invented a way to "build with light" Toy Construction System with Robotics Control Unit (WO2019145405A1)
- Proved MicroPython as a viable Hub "operating system"
- Delivered a breakout sensor concept that enables the use of 3rd party electronics
- Brought in Scratch as the new visual programming language for LEGO robotics
- Developed new technology design processes in LEGO
Salling Lights
2014
Salling Lights is a permanent light installation on the historical Salling department stores in Denmark.
I developed the concept and pitch together with architects through a mix of traditional sketching and parametric sketching.
The Salling family who owns the department stores has a special relationship with the cities. This installation is a way for the department store to communicate with the citizens. It's not a place for advertisements, but a place where the city's pulse becomes visual.
Kinetic Folds
2012
Kinetic folds is an interactive origami object, made during a university research project. It explores what happens to our relationship with objects as they come alive and engage in reciprocal interaction with us.
The object has an inherent behavior, but responds when it senses your presence. Closest comparison is the moment when you meet a stray cat in the street, and both of you pause as you expect each others intention.
This project was the first time I embraced thinking through making, by letting the material and form guide the concept. It yielded what I still consider the most interesting object I have ever made.
