Design lead
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Teatime Research
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2017 - 2018
Vrifier
Designing a 3D model viewer and optimizer for VR headsets.
Background
Viewing 3D models has traditionally happened through 2D screens - but this makes understanding the dimensionality of the objects harder.
Teatime Research developed a multi-purpose 3D object viewer for virtual reality use. While it was in active use by a few pilot customers, company eventually faced a lack of resources to continue developing the product.
Role
Interaction designer
UI designer
UI developer
Tools
Adobe XR
Unity
Blender
VR Headsets
Team
2 Unity engineers
Stakeholders
Other co-founders of the company.
Key challenges
Novel UI problems
In 2017, VR interfaces were still in nascency. The viewer provided novel UX challenges to solve, from scaling the models to accessing main navigation.
UX for technically complex domain
The viewer had technical features such as mesh optimization, which was required for large models to run smoothly in VR.
Hybrid 2D & VR use
Some tasks, like file selection, is easier done using 2D interfaces. How to balance two different forms of interfaces in the same application?
Artefacts
UI sketches to guide the work of the developers
UI sketches of the UI created as a reference images for the developers.
Feature: Changing shaders
The user had a quick shortcut in the the controller to switch between different visualization types for their model.
Feature: sample models
A selection of sample models were provided. I designed and coded the UI to select between them.
Feature: Rotating the model direction
Sometimes model files import in unintended orientations. This was a screen to correct scale & direction of the import.
Feature: System menu
Easy-to-access system menu. The system menu used special shaders not to collide with the model geometry when opened.
Feature: Moving, rotating and scaling a model
Designed a reference grid feature to prevent nausea when entering inside of the models.
Learn more
More information available upon request.