Digical: Designing Physical Magic in a Digital World

“The future is digital!” Well, yes the future does indeed contain an increasingly digitised conversation, with a growing dependency on connectivity, platforms and networks. But to neglect the physical and merely focus on digital design and production misses out one vital ingredient – the human being.

I’ve thrown myself into numerous debates on the future of digital disruption, such as “VR is the future of film, TV and entertainment” – no, it’s ‘a’ future (no technological option has yet made the printed book obsolete) – they all continue to co-exist.

Speaking of books, we were convinced interactive multimedia digital experiences were the ‘future of the book’. They weren’t, as pushing certain content too far in one direction created something entirely different – a game for those not wishing to play, or an interactive movie for those simply planning to sit back and watch.

As part of my ongoing involvement in shaping the future of mobility, another heated debate rages over the subject of autonomous vehicles – “how do these things drive themselves?” “Is the technology safe?” “Will we be able to play Pokemon Go on the windscreen?” It’s my mission to inject the missing physical experience into this line of questioning.

Brands need to move consumers’ automotive expectations away from the “how’s it work?” to “how’s it feel?” Lidar will speak to AI and AI will communicate with other vehicles, road networks and entire cities, but how will it feel to sit in a vehicle where control has been replaced by a far more important thing – choice.

I’ve had top-level conversations with global auto manufacturers about the importance of sleep, relaxation and sex in a self-driving vehicle and I’ve tested VR content, enhanced by the dynamic physical actions of a moving car. The choice of surface materials and storage solutions will become increasingly important as we’re given more time to physically interact with the environment around us and we’ll become less accepting of something that merely transports us from A to B.

Every action and instruction can be transmitted through gesture or voice, but in vehicles built for dual-driving (switchable between self and human-input) we’ll still appreciate tactile input systems such a rotary dials and switches even if some simply trade on brand history, but add strength and conviction in the process.

Part of the reason I spent 48 hours in Virtual Reality last year was to counter the argument that all VR time was wasted on a sofa watching movies or playing games. We planned as much physical activity as possible (including the wing-walk, go-kart racing, boxing and my real-world tattoo) and successfully combined physical kit with digital platforms and content.

However, Teslasuit have brought this physical element even closer to the virtual world with their full-body haptic clothing, sending electrical stimuli to muscle groups and delivering physical presence direct to digital experiences. I have been fortunate to not only test the suit with an eye to potential real-world application, adding value rather than IoT clutter, but also combine this with further wearable technology.

As much as I hate acronyms (and MR in particular), my Immersion Suit is all about the XR – (e)Xtended Reality. By taking a base layer supplied by the Teslasuit and adding bionic shoes, exoskeleton gloves, AR and VR helmets and a smattering of fireballs, I’m successfully combining the real with the hyper-real and providing a platform for digital content plus the opportunity to talk about what works, what doesn’t and what the future holds for us all.

And that future doesn’t need to look ridiculous. OK, I’m not saying we’ll all be running around in Immersion Suits in ten years (or twenty), but FashTech is a real thing, as is good product design so it’s important the view we’re projecting of the future is one we don’t just think is acceptable, but actually mirrors developments in materials and manufacturing in the fashion industry.

Google failed to predict the negative brand association of Robert Scoble stood naked in a shower, wearing Glass. It wasn’t a consumer product, but it soon hit the consumer press – as did Scoble a few years later for ALL the wrong reasons.

Is Magic Leap displaying a similar naïveté (or arrogance) as images emerge of tech geeks clad in Magic Leap One headsets swamping consumer press and social channels? The technology is undoubtedly incredible (as was Glass) but no one wants to think they’ll look stupid in the future – and that’s exactly how Magic Leap pioneers are being portrayed right now.

Product design is about more than ergonomic comfort and shoehorning the right amount of tech into an acceptable space. It’s also about the look, the feel and the image. Just pick up any Apple product, hold it, balance it in your hand then ask yourself how it makes YOU feel.

Which brings us to Disney. And The Void.

“AR, not VR is the way of the future for Disney Parks.

What we create is an experience that is real.”

Bob Iger

And then Disney partnered with The Void, Lucasfilm and ILM to produce ‘Secrets of The Empire’ – the best Immersive VR experience to date. My previous benchmark was ‘Ghostbusters: Dimension’, another Void experience with Sony Pictures at Madame Tussauds in New York.

I’m fortunate to have been on Utah-based The Void’s journey since their early days so appreciate how far they’ve come. Their bespoke helmet design, haptic vest and weaponry fit perfectly with these immersive cinema experiences when adding blasts of air, heat, vibration and physical environments. This is transformative digital technology, genuinely transforming by offering a physical experience – not a replacement for it.

Spending a lot of time in VR (I’ve probably racked up more hours than most) it’s clear the technology is incredible, with experiences beyond our wildest dreams. But those dreams are even more magical when we share them with others in the physical world around us. Disney has perfected the art so it’s easy to see why Bob Iger views Augmented Reality as a more suitable experience for his parks than VR.

But we’ll have to wait for the AR headsets to improve before that becomes the shared experience we’re used to in a theme park environment. Poor Field of Vision (FoV), battery life and hygiene are holding back wider adoption – which leaves us with the real world.

Disney stands alone like no other collection of brands, properties, platforms and products, with a heritage to die for. But turning the spotlight on the new(ish) kids on the block, the magical world of Harry Potter is winning when it comes to contemporary physical brand extension. A ride on the Hogwarts Express or browsing every store in Diagon Alley at Universal Studios, or getting up close and personal with the costumes, props and sets at the Warner Bros Studio Tour – these are delivered to an extraordinary standard. Next steps could easily combine an AR overlay or a complete VR experience – but these physical environments already feel magical and out of this world so they must add genuine value.

The more I consume digital, the more I appreciate physical and the higher expectations I have of each.

Almost every industry is guilty of developing digital content without fully considering physical interaction. But the future isn’t one or the other.

This isn’t about choosing a physical OR digital solution – it’s about effectively combining the two, with a love and appreciation of each. Let’s get Digical.

Uploading The Future…

The doors of the elevator open and instead of facing inwards towards the security of a welcoming carpeted corridor, they reveal a 30 storey drop on the outside of a gleaming glass structure at the heart of a bustling city. The wind hits you, every hair stands on end and you struggle with a moment of panic, staring into the unknown. Then adrenaline kicks in, your mind races and you take a step forward…

I’ve faced exactly this scenario in virtual reality, although I like to bungee jump and abseil so I didn’t cling to the back of the elevator. However, I’m not describing a utopian or dystopian digital future. Individuals and businesses face this kind of dilemma every day but most choose to stay where they are, or even step backwards rather than commit to change and champion progress.

There’s nothing wrong with appreciating what you have or taking inspiration from what you had, but to truly innovate you need to push boundaries and look to the future.

And that’s what I’ve been doing for 34 years.

Boundary-pushing isn’t always welcomed, but my brand of change has never failed to deliver results. From my earliest business interests (at the age of 13), starting a magazine and software label, through a career as a graphic designer, to the combination of design, technology and innovation over the last decade.

I’ve told heads of global automotive brands to integrate reclining seats for sex in autonomous vehicles. I’ve given VR advice on Capitol Hill at the heart of US Government. I have demonstrated emerging technology to NATO, told Apple where to focus on Wearable Tech, Publishing and AR and continue to test products, services and theories to destruction – or survival.

In 2009, I successfully predicted the existence of Apple’s iPad and helped deliver the first app on day one to expand opportunities for the Publishing industry. I designed, produced and wrote one of Apple’s first interactive iBooks (Design top 20 for 6+ years). I followed this with deeper focus on Wearable Technology, resulting in an automative app title alongside the launch of the Apple Watch.

But what happens when the technology we’re faced with doesn’t go far enough, or the messages from or about an industry just aren’t going anywhere? You push and you deliver your own results. Nowhere is that better illustrated than in my 48 hours in Virtual Reality where I tested full body interaction driving a go-kart and strapped to the top wing of a bi-plane, fell asleep and woke up in VR to test mental awareness and had a tattoo whilst wearing a headset to prove the benefits of virtual distraction to mitigate pain.

I didn’t set out to write an ‘Isn’t Dean Innovative’ list, but I’ve found myself personally pushing these boundaries for decades rather than simply quoting other people’s experiences – or accepting “no” for an answer. As I said in my TEDx Athens talk...

“I’d rather apologise for something awesome, than ask permission for something lame”

…which is why I’m excited to announce that I am now taking those 34 years of valuable experience to the rest of the world as a Design, Technology and Innovation Consultant. I’ll be continuing to develop my XR Immersion Suit to push boundaries in ALL the realities, bring these to life on global corporate and public stages and help others to push their own boundaries.

I also plan to write a book about the future of Automotive and Mobility – but I can’t offer you everything in one article.

So let’s step back into that elevator again. Don’t worry, I won’t make you jump off the building this time, but forget about Dave in accounts, or that Board meeting on floor 27, or the canteen at your designated lunch hour. Press a number you’ve never pressed before and begin a voyage of discovery. It might only be the mail room, but you could find yourself on the Holodeck or in a chamber full of cryogenically frozen world leaders.

But you won’t know if you don’t try. It’s why I'm not afraid to tell it like it is, how it’s going to be, and how to design the future.

I am, and always will be, a rebel with a cause.

Firestarter

Let me be quite clear, I don’t have and am never likely to have many heroes in my life. My Dad is one, Steve Jobs was another and a new one has entered my life recently, but Elon Musk is someone I’ve always placed firmly in this category. He still is.

However…

I know from personal experience how it feels to possess superhuman powers. That’s not as ridiculous a statement as it may sound. I do this for a living. I explore the potential for new technology, to enhance and compliment our lives on this planet and beyond, then demonstrate that to a global audience.

This requires a level of theatrical entertainment to bring technology to life and my constantly evolving XR Immersion Suit is the ideal platform to show man and machine in perfect (or occasionally imperfect) harmony. From the full-body haptic Tesla Suit, my AR and VR helmets, exoskeleton and bionic shoes, to the fireballs shooting from my fingertips – this all demonstrates future potential, the art of collaboration and believing in your dreams.

And when it comes to dreams, Elon Musk is the master. Offering an extraordinary vision for the future and delivering on that time and time again. From electric vehicles to space travel to the Boring Company pushing our concept of time itself.

Today, I’m torn. I’m always going to encourage everyone to live a life of passion and adventure, make dreams a reality and go beyond expectations but Elon just launched his $500 FlameThrower and I feel like the world’s biggest hypocrite.

My immediate reaction, along with thousands of others was “I want this”. Why would I not? It fits perfectly into my world. I took a look at the site, took out my credit card, then took a breath.

This fits into my world because this is exactly what I do and how I live, for others, it fits into the world they’ve always dreamt of, for the rest it has no place at all, but, well… IT’S A FLAMETHROWER, how cool is that?

Great for roasting nuts 🔥 🥜

A post shared by Elon Musk (@elonmusk) on Jan 27, 2018 at 4:53pm PST

But this isn’t something that simulates the action of a flamethrower, like an AR lightsaber – it’s real. Real heat. Real fire. Real responsibility. In a country where handguns are available from Walmart, we’re now offered a device “Guaranteed to liven up any party”. This may be accompanied by the line “World’s safest flamethrower” but that means jack shit when in the wrong hands – like the world’s safest guns.

For all this, I’m not saying don’t buy one – because I still love the idea of it, but I’m not prepared to jump on stage and promote it when it can so easily end up in the wrong hands. I’ve never felt more like an adult in my life!

There’s an enormous burden of responsibility if you’re a hero. Some take on the weight of the world – more than most will ever know or care, others simply inspire with their actions. To be a true hero, words aren’t enough because actions speak far louder, but when you combine the two they are extraordinarily powerful.

To simply offer unrestricted access to the future is to invite issues into a world with more than its fair share of problems. Chaos runs through my veins, I’m just not sure ‘fire for everyone’ is going to end well.

Let’s Talk About Sex

Actually, we’ll get back to the headline in a minute. For now, let’s talk about techs. Rolling into 2018 and everyone is asking the usual question – what’s the next big thing in tech? An easy answer is Artificial Intelligence, but ironically it’s not an intelligent answer, because it’s the wrong question.

AI will deliver unprecedented pace of engagement, hyper-accelerated data management, offer decision-making services, freeing human brain power to do what it does best – add personality, creativity, strive for success and push boundaries.

But it isn’t answering a question that needs to be asked right now. Those of us that ‘make stuff’ – either physically or virtually – and provide more than a service find ourselves delivering an experience, heightening sensations and making us all feel better as humans – even if only for a second, we’re asking the most important question – what’s the next big platform?

It’s mobility. Not just cars, it’s bigger than that. This is a platform that has history, heritage and a solid technological background, so it doesn’t fall at the first hurdle.

The automotive industry has spent forever telling an audience (drivers) that they can’t be distracted from their main objective – driving. This hasn’t been an opportunity to sell, as with most ‘platforms’ or deliver information overload. We have specific data to process when a vehicle is on the move – speed, obstacle avoidance, range and comfort and little beyond.

Although systems are already being integrated into the latest generation of cars, most visual information is still processed by us and acted upon in the most appropriate manner.

Entertainment has come in the form of audio-only broadcast or playback and nothing can encroach on our main focus. The industry is about to experience seismic activity.

With the introduction of the autonomous vehicle this ALL changes. From zero distraction to channelling the outside world. All of it.

I’m in the fortunate position where I get to test a lot of emerging technology at a very early stage. It makes a fundamental difference when you experience the future, rather than simply read about it. Take it from me, if I’ve been hands-on, I will tell it like it is – not just a sanitised relaying of the facts, but how we’ll feel physically and emotionally about what’s around the corner.

I’ll write a lot more about mobility as a platform as we deliver it in 2018 and beyond, but back to that headline…

If the car moves from a focused driving environment to an empty vessel bursting with promise, how do we fill our time and fulfil our potential? Well, you tap into the obvious first – social comms, localised information, entertainment (movies, music and gaming) and deliver the mobile office. But it’s in moving beyond this where we really tap into the benefits of a controlled environment.

I spent time with Renault recently, testing their autonomous SYMBIOZ EV. This performed on the expected levels – driving itself and in silence, but with the additional element of VR. Wearing a headset seamlessly built into your vehicle, displaying content that moves and turns in sync with the movement of the car doesn’t just immerse the occupants, but enhances the experience beyond that of a simple VR HMD. Control and comfort (both physical and psychological) are key ingredients to acceptance of VR as a viable medium. This is incredibly effective in a car.

So what content do we make?  I’ve long held the belief that we’ve neglected the psychological aspect of being human when designing a vehicle. Many people around the world use their cars as a personal and private space. A symbol of independence in an increasingly impersonal and overcrowded world. This naturally brings us to the elephant in the car – sex.

Drivers and passengers have sex in cars, but manufacturers refuse to publicly acknowledge this. As we head towards a world where we’ll be offered alternatives to ownership and ‘self-driving’, how will mobility brands entice their passengers in? They’ll need to offer comfort, personalisation and access to the things we all take for granted outside a vehicle.

So, admit it or not – sex happens. And it’s something that will increasingly occur in new virtual environments. Not to replace the real thing, but to enhance it, or extend the long distance (and potentially socially-driven) relationships.

In a data-hungry world, the connected car is only relevant if it’s actually connected. We demand this in our everyday lives and 2018 is a big year for building the foundations of the new mobility platform so we’re ready for the next technological revolution.

I’ve spent enough time with Huawei over the last 12 months to realise they’re poised to make this future platform a reality. They have a new partnership in place with PSA Group to connect vehicles to the outside world and each other but Huawei is once again playing its trump (small T) card with their future dominance of the 5G market.

I’m more than along for the ride with Huawei, I’ll be pushing for everything we hope for to become reality so we’re still driving the future, even if the cars are driving themselves.

If you'd like to hear more on the subject matter in this post, this Alexa Stop Podcast Innovation Social CES Special delivers.