Designing for Emerging Technology
Through a series of side projects, I’ve explored the future of UI beyond the screen at the intersection of augmented reality, 3D modeling, and interaction design.
Concepts like these are born out of simple questions that start with two words: "What if?"
While I'm a firm believer in the double diamond, in problem definition, in continuous discovery... I also think there's value in fully-formed visualization early in a project. Design is about solving problems, yes, but sometimes it’s about casting a vision. And casting a vision is critical when it comes to exploring emerging technology.
Augmented Reality Gardening
What if you could see how plants would look over time directly in your garden? This project imagines a way to build and preview a landscape design, including comparing different species and how they might grow into a cohesive collection. The UI would allow you browse different plants and drag to place them in your yard in one streamlined experience.
Integrated Meal Planner
What if your recipe book made recommendations based on the weather, then ordered the ingredients via a delivery app? This concept aims to alleviate the headache that is deciding what to cook and creating a grocery list every week. (Bonus: What if it could read ingredient labels to help you track calories?)
3D Woodworking Assistant
What if you could see your woodworking project plans in 3D? As a hobbyist woodworker, I often start with a 3D model in Blender, but it can be burdensome to go back and forth to my computer to check the order of operations. Being able to see and manipulate the final product in 3D, even visualizing each cut on the stock I have in front of me, would be – let’s be honest here – super cool.
