For the first time in history, we can reliably interact with the virtual world in 3D space, and yet every major XR interface seems to focus on flat, 2D panels. This project is a reimagination of one core element of every operating system, the file manager. The focus is on designing with 3D first, and modeling interactions after how we interface with the real world.
Feel free to try it out on any Quest headset here!
Process
The conceptualization of this project has been a long time in the making, beginning with a careful philosophical framework of what will simultaneously make interaction as intuitive as possible, while also taking full advantage of the 3D medium that is XR.
After deciding on a file manager as the part of the current XR OS ecosystem that could use some of the greatest improvement, I prototyped some ideas in Shapes XR to see how things would really feel in front of me. After some rapid iteration, the long work began of creating the project in Unity.
Challenges
The foundation of this is written to be as modular as possible. I took the opportunity of this design challenge to try and make something that will truly be useful to me and others in the future. Designing and developing with the intention to get things as right as possible, and limit the need for future refactoring, slowed things down, but I'm still quite happy with where the project has ended up. I'm excited to polish the animations and interactions even more and publicize the source for usage soon.
Built With
- shapesxr
- unity
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