Exploring an Augmented World: XR Workshop at Singapore Design Week 2024

As part of this year’s Singapore Design Week, Loftwork hosted a two-day extended reality (XR) workshop on October 4–5, designed for students, educators, and design professionals. The workshop introduced participants to the intersection of the physical and digital worlds, showcasing the potential of physical computing in immersive technologies.

The potential of extended reality (XR) goes beyond the default interactions with smartphones or tablets (e.g., using a touchscreen to activate AR filters on FaceTime). Loftwork has developed a toolkit for creators to explore how to generate explicit or implicit inputs from users by detecting breath, gestures, heartbeats, and movement. This ability to tap into users’ intuitive motions can broaden the possibilities of interactive design. For example, what if a designer wants to create an experience where the user mimics a chameleon catching prey with its tongue? Using a CO₂ sensor and a party horn, the designer can quickly build a working demo to test the experience.

Drawing inspiration from chameleons, this person used a CO₂ sensor along with a party horn. In the workshop, designers could quickly build a working demo to test the experience.

What might have started as a fun, experimental idea could actually open new possibilities, such as developing it into a respiratory exercise tool for patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). In this scenario, patients would engage in training through a fire-breathing game, while physicians measure and monitor their lung capacity throughout the process.

Source: Fabcafe BOOST PLAY MEASURE Hackathon

The workshop was designed to deepen participants’ understanding of how the physical and digital worlds interact in augmented reality. Over the course of two days, participants  explored the following core themes:

Participants gained insights into the pipeline from creating AR content to publishing their work using the STYLY platform. They learned how to structure and deploy immersive content that leverages sensor inputs to create more intuitive and responsive experiences.

Using a customized set of sensor modules, participants delved into sensory inputs beyond traditional visual or touch interfaces. By incorporating sensors that capture environmental data like motion and temperature, participants explored how physical computing can enhance the richness and interactivity of AR projects.

 The workshop introduced two distinct ways to deploy AR in tandem with physical computing. The first was experimenting with turning everyday objects into alternative controllers to interact with AR content, highlighting how physical objects can serve as intuitive interfaces for immersive experiences. In addition, participants used sensor modules for passive sensing to transform physical spaces into responsive environments, allowing AR systems to react to changes in the environment automatically.

Participants sharing ideas

The first day was all about establishing a foundation of intuitive understanding through play. Participants experimented with AR and physical computing to imagine what could be possible. Through idea sketches, they brainstormed creative applications for physical computing in AR projects, using daily objects and sensory inputs as inspiration. Five interactive demos helped participants find inspiration for their own interactions. (For example, using a notebook with paper clips to create a simple piano keyboard with touch sensors, or creating an interactive trick-or-treat candy box with a light sensor. 

The XR workshop at Singapore Design Week was a success in sparking curiosity and innovation among participants. By introducing physical computing as a powerful tool for creating responsive, interactive systems, everyone expanded the creative possibilities for AR in design. Participants left with new skills and fresh ideas on how to apply these technologies to their own projects, whether in education, design, or other fields.

Only time will tell how these innovators will continue to explore the intersection of the physical and digital worlds, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in an augmented reality.

Contact us if you are interested in…

• Exploring the potential of physical computing in immersive technologies.
• Conducting innovative educational programs related to XR applications.
• Applying Interactive Digital Technology to Generate New Business Opportunities