Jessica Banks

Described as a creative hybrid, Jessica Banks invents products that transform how people think about the future of decor. Banks founded RockPaperRobot, a company that redefines traditionally static objects (e.g., furniture and lighting) into ones that respond and react in real-time. Inspired by physics principles, Jessica’s creations expand the functional and aesthetic versatility of homes and workplaces. From levitating and disappearing tables to robotic chandeliers and shelves, RPR aligns time-honored craftsmanship with progressive engineering: think Charles Eames’s and Judy Jetson’s wedding registry. A trained roboticist, Jessica holds an Engineer’s and a Master’s degree from MIT, where she was in the Humanoid Robotics Group within the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. She left graduate school just shy of her Ph.D. (in the 24th grade!) to teach about distributed power systems in MIT's Civil and Environmental Engineering Dept. Jessica also holds a B.S. in General Physics from the University of Michigan, with a concentration in creative writing—a combination which actually makes more sense on a quantum level. Jessica’s multi-disciplinary background has established her as a strategic and technical resource. This work includes projects such as campaign consultation for large ad agencies, development of global initiatives, viable products, and market strategies for international corporations, and design of robotic projects for Frank Gehry and Michel Gondry. She also used to be Al Franken’s personal assistant. Banks speaks at numerous conferences on topics ranging from science to manufacturing and her work has been featured in over 100 media outlets. She lives in Brooklyn and has superhuman peripheral vision.