Publications

• Bionics in Action: The Nature of Invention
• Franco Lodato Nature inspired design

Award-Winning Product & Industrial Design Expert

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

With over thirty years of global design leadership in consumer electronics, healthcare, automotive, luxury goods, and sustainable design, I bring authoritative and impactful expertise to complex legal cases. My expertise covers product and industrial design, patent development, intellectual property assessment, and design analysis, providing the strategic insight necessary for successful litigation outcomes. As an innovator, I have led groundbreaking advancements at major industry players. At Motorola, I developed successful iDEN products, designed Nextel’s complete portfolio, pioneered the world’s first wearable communication devices and Android tablet, and set new benchmarks in mobile design with the i830 product line. At Pininfarina, I contributed to iconic projects such as the Maserati Birdcage 75 and Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, leading the firm’s U.S. expansion into sustainable architecture and lifestyle design. At Masimo, I played a key role in transforming B2B healthcare wearables by supporting the launch of the Freedom Smartwatch, seamlessly integrating medical-grade technology with premium consumer design. Beyond corporate leadership, my experience at Gillette, DuPont, Herman Miller, and Design Continuum has led to industry-defining innovations. I have utilized biomimicry to create sustainable materials, redefined ergonomics in personal grooming, and integrated advanced materials science into consumer solutions. As Associate Editor for Frontiers in Biomimicry and Biodesign, I work with leading researchers to transform nature’s principles into groundbreaking engineering and product strategies. As a recognized inventor with over 70 U.S. and international patents, I specialize in creating intellectual property, which includes patent validity assessments, competitive market analysis, and the strategic evaluation of design disputes and product functionality issues. This expertise positions me as an invaluable asset in litigation that demands both technical and strategic insight. My contributions have been featured in numerous books, including Bionics in Action: The Design Work of Franco Lodato and Motorola by Jens Bernsen. Bernsen describes my approach as profoundly rooted in nature-inspired design, stating, “Lodato is to the design world what Santiago Calatrava and Renzo Piano are to architecture.” I have developed wearable computing systems, holographic display technologies, and seamlessly integrated vehicle designs, shaping the evolution of consumer products into more elegant, functional, and biologically inspired solutions. Academically, I hold an MSc in Bionics applied to Industrial Design, an MIT Sloan Executive Certificate, and certifications in Lean Six Sigma, Biomimicry, and Sustainability across various industries. As an Associate Professor at the University of Montreal and a Visiting Lecturer at the MIT Media Lab, I have trained the next generation of innovators in cutting-edge design and technology. Fluent in English, Italian, and Spanish, with additional proficiency in French and Portuguese, I offer a global perspective on design, innovation, and intellectual property, articulating complex technical concepts with clarity and persuasion. Contact me at [email protected] to discuss how I can assist your legal team. Best regards, Franco Lodato IDSA | ADI