Lulu is a psychotropic rocking-chair that is designed to be an electromechanicalcompanion to support seniors who are suffering from aging-related bodily and mentalchallenges.

Lulu is made of plywood, covered with a plexiglass seating and equipped with custom electronics tobe able to generate her own electricity from the mechanical movement created by the user. Lulu isdesigned to be a personal trainer who plays memory games with her owner to support his/her dailyphysical activities and mental well-being.

As a product, Lulu is the result of a study on smart materials, energy harvesting systems, intelligentcompanions and personal trainers research combined with “rocking chair therapy,” an experimentaltreatment that reports significant results on dementia related challenges, which are improved withthe use of conventional rocking-chairs at nursery homes.

Presentation: December 5, 2008. Harvard Graduate Design School.
Publication: Telhan, Orkan. "Materials with Computational Experience and Style."Journal of Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, Springer-Verlag, 2010.