Designing for Eyes: UX/UI Shifts in the Era of Display AI Glasses

Meta Rayban Glasses framing 4 sheep at Li Ping Thong's farm

Google Design just posted a newly launched design system for Android XR experiences – Jetpack Compose Glimmer. With the race towards display AI glasses – Apple entering the space, Meta positioning away from VR and leaning into wearables, Google reattempting smart glasses (full circle from Google Glass, remember Glassholes?) – very interesting time in the … Read more

Regeneration Under Constraint – A Field of Gorse

Gorse

At work, I spend a great deal of time where regenerative futures is discussed as strategy, aspiration and ambition. This Lunar New Year, I took two weeks break for some needed restoration – preparing myself for a very hectic semester ahead. Sitting with my army of chickens at the farm, I have been reading Design … Read more

Your AI Companion

persons-hands-are-holding-smartphone-with-glowing-heart-screen-symbolizing-love-connection-digital-age-against-backdrop-city-lights-night

Valentine’s Day has just passed ❤️. Amid flowers, heart balloons and candlelit dinners – I read a piece on Gizmodo about someone who took their AI chatbot out on a date. Literally – phone propped up in front of them at a nice wine bar. “He was attentive, obsessed with me, and sometimes hard of … Read more

Designing for Repetition

A keyboard with gradient gray keys, it's a top view shot but there's no legends on the keycaps.

I got a new keyboard. Small acquisition – but it brought me a disproportionate amount of joy and happiness. I care a lot about keyboards – not as accessories – instruments. It is the mediator between the thinking and the screen. I treat my keyboards like a wardrobe, different keyboards for different occasions and different … Read more

Regeneration Requires a Chainsaw

Li Ping Thong standing in a tree with a chain saw.

If we’re not actively regenerating – are we really designing for the future? Been catching up on my never-ending list of farm chores. Yesterday, I spent hours cutting down massive fallen tree limbs that were wedged in the trunk of another gum tree. The cut logs will be put to good use – mushroom logs, … Read more

Teaching Is Not a Prompt

Student testing out VR headset.

Teaching is about guiding students toward mastery, like a modern-day apprenticeship. 🔨 I was hanging out with Dr Ben Byrne (Program Manager, Digital Media) last week, chatting about the exciting studios lined up for our Digital Media program next semester. As always, it’s a real Digital Design smorgasbord – UX/UI, immersive design, interactive, sound design, … Read more

Real Users, Not Assumed Personas

An open laptop, facing Jonathan Duckworth and an elderly person in a user testing session.

Spent half a day yesterday at a retirement village conducting usability testing with Associate Professor Jonathan Duckworth and our collaborators at Australian Catholic University (ACU). My research often takes me to interesting places – quite in awe of the amenities at this retirement village (I hadn’t been to one before). Our project, the Road to … Read more

A Pinch of Thought

Meta Orion

The future of UX is going to be all in the flick of a thumb and a pinch of thought. This year’s Meta Connect keynote got me really excited – especially the Orion holographic wide-field AR glasses and their neural interface technology. The electromyography (EMG) wristband was intriguing – it means controlling spatial user interfaces … Read more

VR Clunkiness

A group of VR headsets placed on a table surface, with a ski mask in the mix.

VR tech evolves fast – but they still haven’t figured out the head straps. I’ve been Marie Kondo-ing my stuff at home this week as part of “Spring” cleaning. It’s tradition to “sweep away” lingering bad luck from the past year before Lunar New Year and welcome good fortune. (Oh yes, I am superstitious.) In … Read more