Luis Somasundaram

LUIS SOMASUNDARAM

LUIS SOMAUNDARAM

Hi, I am Luis!

I am a 22-year-old Experience Designer with German-Indian roots from Berlin, Germany. Currently living in San Francisco doing my Masters of Design at UC Berkeley. With a background in Industrial Design, I explore the intersection of physical products, digital experiences, and human well‑being. My work centers on creating meaningful, technology‑driven interactions, from AI‑powered tools for dementia care to haptic wearables that reduce stress without screens. I have developed solutions across mobility, consumer electronics and healthcare, always grounding innovation in human‑centered research.

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contact@luissoma.de

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Experience Design

Industrial Design

Design research

Design for AI

Education

2025 — Now

Master of Design at UC Berkeley

Berkeley, CA

Exploring emerging technologies to create meaningful, immersive human-centered experiences, with a focus on designing for AI.

2021 — 2025

Bachelor of Art in Industrial Design at HTW Berlin

Berlin, Germany

Graduated with a Bachelor’s degree (4.0 GPA) in Industrial Design, with a strong emphasis on Human Centered Design and Experience Design.

Work Experience

2024 — Now

Co-Founder at RAUFASER

Berlin, Germany

Exploring how emerging technologies and material innovation can shape new forms of human-centered expression in fashion and art.

Lead concept development and prototyping, combining physical materials with digital interaction and fabrication methods.
Directing creative strategy, branding, and visual identity across physical exhibitions and digital platforms.
Launch event in Berlin with 600+ guests and showcased at Positions Art Fair 2025, reaching 30,000+ visitors.

2024 — 2025

Co-Founder at Aura supported by Samsung

Berlin, Germany

As the winner of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, I grew the idea of Aura into a venture with Samsung & Impact Hub Berlin.

Designed and prototyped an AI-driven care assistant supporting dementia patients and caregivers, reaching over 25 participants during early testing.
Reduced caregiver workload by ~1.5 hours per day and improved residents’ mood in 75% of participants (preliminary estimate based on prototype trials).
Led product concept development, user research, and UX strategy across a 4-month incubation phase.
Coordinated with engineering and research mentors to align technical feasibility, healthcare compliance, and design outcomes.

2024 — 2025

UI/UX Designer at NIO

Berlin, Germany

Worked part-time in NIO’s Experience Team, creating conceptual digital experiences and future-focused features for a global market.

Developed interaction concepts for current and next-generation vehicle systems.
Supported the release of 6+ features, contributing to global production and user experience refinement.
Created immersive prototypes and explorations using VR tools.
Conducted user testing with 20+ participants as part of my bachelor thesis supported by NIO, gathering insights on rhythm, focus, and stress.

2024 — 2024

UI/UX Intern at NIO

Berlin, Germany

Supported the Experience Design Team in developing interaction concepts and early-stage prototypes for vehicle UX.

Integrated immersive VR prototyping into design research workflows.
Contributed to multimodal experience development for current and future models.
Built foundational skills in user research and digital experience design.

2021 — 2024

Specialist at Apple

Berlin, Germany

My role at Apple enriched my design perspective by emphasizing the importance of intuitive, user-focused design.

2021 — 2021

Sales Assistant at VanMoof

Berlin Germany

Awards

2025

Honorable Mention, San Francisco Design Week Award

Project SONA

2025

Top 5 - DDX 2025 Award

New Talents

2024

Winner, Samsung Solve For Tomorrow