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joo youn paek showed the polite umbrella at seamless last week: an umbrella that shrinks when you pull on its handle to make room for passersby. what makes an object polite is not just the fact that it can be considerate of other people, but that you can express empathy by using it in a considerate way (like holding a door open for someone). the polite umbrella is a perfect example of design for conviviality, by allowing a new way of caring - and showing that you care - for other people.
. Leo is a artist, inventor and all around practical person in the Tangible Media Group at the Media Lab. He has a background in sculpture, architecture and industrial design as well as an MS from the Media Lab spent working on the kitchen of the future. He is on a search for truth.
