Women in Engineering
Engineering purposeful play Paul J. Heney • Vice President, Editorial Director
An engineer by training, Hester Anderiesen Le Riche found her passion during design projects that influence people’s behavior and contribute to their health. Today, she is the CEO and founder of Tover, and the creator of a pioneering cognitive stimulation system: the Tovertafel. Anderiesen Le Riche, who has a PhD in Industrial Design Engineering from Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands, wrote her dissertation on “Playful Design for Activation,” which entails an evidence-based approach of developing a product service system to stimulate physical activity of people with severe dementia. During her PhD, she designed the Tovertafel: the original interactive light projection system that entices those with cognitive challenges to interact and have fun together. Anderiesen Le Riche explained that she has always been “a beta” and that drew her to engineering. “In primary school we built constructions that would bring a marble from point A to B, and the process of creating the puzzle to achieve that goal was exciting. My fellow mini-engineer, Haley, ended up studying Aerospace Engineering, and is still a dear friend!” she said. “I chose TUDelft for the creative and human aspect of design. The engineering always remained an intriguing element, to make your idea actually work, but I’ve also always been drawn to the human connection component.” While she didn’t have a prominent influencer early in life, she started her studies with her first boyfriend; they shared an interest for smartly designed products. “He taught me Corel Draw and we were creating some seriously corny 90’s graphics for his MD disks, as he was a hip hop DJ. I wasn’t overly creative as a child and definitely didn’t see myself as an artist. However, I think making those graphics and visiting the faculty of Industrial Design 112
October 2021 www.designworldonline.com
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10/20/21 8:15 AM
