Yves Behar is an industrial designer and founder of fuseproject, the San Francisco–based firm he established in 1999. He served as the chief industrial designer of One Laptop Per Child’s XO laptop computer. He’s also known for creating the Leaf light, an award-winning lamp, for Herman Miller.

In Glimmer: Behar’s groundbreaking work on the XO laptop is explored at length, as is his involvement in the American launch of the Mini Cooper car.

 
Currently working on: Behar is hard at work on the next generation of the childrens’ laptop, the XO-2, and recently designed the Mission One, an electric motorcycle. The Mission One electric superbike recently claimed the world speed record for an electric motorcycle, achieving over 150 mph, sustained one mile at Bonneville Speedway Salt Flats on September 1. (According to Behar, the bike has gone as fast as 163 mph; as he says, it is "officially NOT your grandma’s speedbike.")  He also designs Jawbone headsets, condom machines, bike helmets, and lots of other cool stuff.

Quote: “Design brings stories to life.”

TED Talk: Yves Behar and Forrest North unveil the Mission One electric motorcycle, and discuss their similarities in childhood, a world apart. (May 2009)

Website: www.fuseproject.com
 

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