Industrial design is the practice of shaping a device’s physical form. In Augmented Reality (AR) it includes everything from the placement of components (like sensors, optics, and batteries) to materials, style preferences (colorways and shapes), and how they come together to create the ideal AR device.
Industrial design at Magic Leap is a critical step in making AR devices feel intuitive, comfortable, and stylish. We believe that for those elements to be successful, the industrial design process must be people-focused. To us, this methodical, iterative, and human-centered approach helps ensure a device looks and feels ready to be worn in the world.
Designing for Human Comfort in AR
AR design comes with a unique set of challenges. One of which is to balance comfort and functionality in a complex form factor that people will actually want to wear.
This is an incredible challenge, and one we tackle by focusing on the person wearing the device.
The wide range of people who will wear AR devices drives us to consider comfort factors like weight distribution, adjustability, and style. To address these factors, we ask questions like, “Is the frame adjustable so people can find the best fit?” “Does the form factor resemble everyday eyewear so people will want to wear the device during their daily activities?”
To create the most user-centric AR experiences, we focus on three core types of comfort:
- Physical comfort involves designing wearables that can be used for extended periods without causing fatigue. Devices must be able to accommodate a wide range of users across gender, age, and ethnicity.
- Cognitive comfort relates to what users see, hear, and how they interact. Human perception is nuanced and sensitive, and the design must support it holistically.
- Social comfort and acceptability addresses how users feel about wearing the device in public. As wearable tech becomes part of our identity, its appearance must express users’ confidence.
Over a Decade of Research and Data
In AR, there is no “average” user, so it’s essential to understand diverse user requirements, use cases, and body variations.
This is one way in which Magic Leap continues to stand apart: robust human research and data libraries.
Since Magic Leap’s founding in 2010, we have built one of the most advanced private human-factor AR databases in the industry. With measurements including nearly 2,000 head scans and extensive biometric data on eye tracking and hand-eye coordination, we are leading the way in creating a world-class foundation for understanding human variations in head and facial anatomy and behavior.
We have developed rigorous methodologies for human subject testing, combining data-driven analysis with real-world user testing to ensure long-term wearability and comfort.
Enhancing Perception through Design
AR is inherently a visual experience — and more than just what the eyes see. It’s about how the brain interprets that visual input. That’s where thoughtful industrial design is critical.
We always begin the process by asking: Who is this product for? Where will they use it? How will they view content? What will they want to achieve?
Our industrial designers understand human perception in AR, ensuring that virtual and physical elements align. Content appears exactly where you expect it. Users' eyes remain relaxed. The body feels balanced. All of these things have to come together in order to be successful, because when even slight misalignments occur, users may experience eye strain, motion sickness, or disorientation.
This is why understanding perceptual science must be integrated with industrial design from the start. We consider key factors such as interpupillary distance, eye relief, and optic and display alignment. We also focus on the relationship between the body movements and the product position, which are fundamental to the form factor.
Collaborate, Test, Iterate
Our industrial design process is hands-on, iterative, and built for collaboration.
With expert teams, specialized labs, and prototyping machinery, we move quickly from early concepts to prototypes and 3D models, testing and refining at every stage. We stay aligned with teams and our partners to ensure the final designs are functional, wearable, and ready for the world.
Building What’s Next
As the exciting AR frontier continues to expand, we’re collaborating with industry-leading partners to build what’s next: AR devices that are intuitive to use, comfortable to wear, and seamlessly integrate into everyday life.
Learn even more about how our AR Design Principles put people first.