Hardware contributions.

Very shortly after Lenovo opted to pursue head-worn augmented reality in the commercial sector, I was tagged with providing hardware UX/HF support for the design of what would become the ThinkReality A6, Lenovo’s first enterprise-centric headset. I engaged with industrial design and development abroad in formative conceptualization of the headset, accessories, and extended compute device. With an acute focus on our targeted wearer demographics, workplace environments, ancillary helmets, clothing and tools – I provided design solutions and recommendations that would work to accommodate the sheer variability persistent across our commercial use cases.  I studied and provided anthropometric measures and ranges as it pertained to the human head, body girth, height, and hands among other metrics.

 

I drafted protocols for several rounds of research to examine the usability of our hardware. To vet early industrial design mockups, I crafted several testing environments and activities that were inspired by the work behaviors of our targeted audiences. One such activity was an interactable PC repair task where I mocked an artificial environment for participants to replace the battery of a PC. Since we did not yet have a functional prototype to display an image, I mocked-up a touch-based instructional workflow for participants to complete as if they were interacting with a world-locked AR card set (Image A). From this we took learnings on comfort and fit accommodation among other topic areas to influence future hardware decision-making.  Moreover, I devised activities that would require participants to engage in head and body extension, flexion, and rotation, as well as lateral bending and body momentum to uncover how more nuanced motions affected user performance and comfort.

 

I also conceptualized elements that made our product versatile and accommodating for a large range of anthropometric variation and industrial-worn accessories. More specifically, I introduced a sliding mechanism near the temples of the device to allow for concentrated fit adjustment and accelerated donning and doffing of the device, allowing it to be placed and tightened without additional touchpoints. This design also affords the user the ability to wear the headset overhead when idle – similar to a pair of sunglasses or a lifted baseball cap.  I introduced a textured rear-band to accommodate a variety of hairstyles and skin behaviors like the emergence of sweat, dirt and debris.  However, its rear opening was not only implemented to accommodate these features, but also uniquely tailored to adapt to existing hardhats – providing ample space for existing tightening dials to remain reachable and operable.  Accessories and the extended compute pack were designed in tandem with the headset resulting in quite a frenetic work pace. Components as subjective and nuanced as button travel, cable material, battery bay door removal affordances, and many more were carefully observed and refined throughout the development process. I also focused my attention on firmware, where I provided specifications for thermal performance, button behaviors, and LED states, among other things. Being an integral part of the hardware design was incredible and I took away many learnings. As the hardware matured and entered development gates, I began supporting the design of our software solutions.