RIM
RIM
Spatial AI｜Calm Notification Framework
Spatial AI｜Calm Notification Framework
Rim is a spatial notification framework designed to harmonize digital interruptions with focused productivity. By leveraging peripheral awareness and Calm Technology, Rim replaces intrusive alerts with subtle, multi-sensory cues. The project explores how Mixed Reality can respect a user’s cognitive boundaries, ensuring that critical information is felt rather than forced, ultimately reducing distraction in tasks in real life.
Rim is a spatial notification framework designed to harmonize digital interruptions with focused productivity. By leveraging peripheral awareness and Calm Technology, Rim replaces intrusive alerts with subtle, multi-sensory cues. The project explores how Mixed Reality can respect a user’s cognitive boundaries, ensuring that critical information is felt rather than forced, ultimately reducing distraction in tasks in real life.
Skills
Skills
UX Research
User Interview
Prototyping
UX Research
User Interview
Prototyping
User Testing
XR Development
Vibe Coding
User Testing
XR Development
Vibe Coding
Design Tools
Design Tools
Adobe Suite
Figma
Gemini
Adobe Suite
Figma
Gemini
Ableton Live
Arduino
Unity
Ableton Live
Arduino
Unity
Context
Context
New technology, old problem.
New technology, old problem.
As AR smart glasses and wearbles continue to hit the market, they bring us new opportunities—but they also bring with them a problem that other smart devices have yet to solve: notifications that are hard to ignore.
As AR smart glasses and wearbles continue to hit the market, they bring us new opportunities—but they also bring with them a problem that other smart devices have yet to solve: notifications that are hard to ignore.
Problem
Problem
We can no longer concentrate as well as we used to.
We can no longer concentrate as well as we used to.
205
205
The average number of times Americans check their phones each day.
The average number of times Americans check their phones each day.
63.5
63.5
The average number of notification people received everyday.
The average number of notification people received everyday.
76%
76%
The percentage of the people who check their phone within 5 minutes they received notification.
The percentage of the people who check their phone within 5 minutes they received notification.
CAUSE
CAUSE
Intensive and addictive stimulation.
Intensive and addictive stimulation.
RESULT
RESULT
Hurried and distracted thinking, and shallow learning.
Hurried and distracted thinking, and shallow learning.
And we probably don't want the same thing to happen to our glasses. Following is a speculative first-person vision of AR taken to its extreme, where notifications, ads, and interfaces saturate every surface until the user is overwhelmed.
And we probably don't want the same thing to happen to our glasses. Following is a speculative first-person vision of AR taken to its extreme, where notifications, ads, and interfaces saturate every surface until the user is overwhelmed.
Hyper-Reality (2016) — concept film by Keiichi Matsuda. Referenced here as a precedent study, not original work. Source: Vimeo.
Hyper-Reality (2016) — concept film by Keiichi Matsuda. Referenced here as a precedent study, not original work. Source: Vimeo.
Interviews
Interviews
Higher Education Students
Higher Education Students
As those whose boundaries between life and work are most blurred, they make the ideal subjects for exploring focus and distraction.
As those whose boundaries between life and work are most blurred, they make the ideal subjects for exploring focus and distraction.
Current Wearable Users
Current Wearable Users
Explore existing users' usage patterns and their interactions with notifications. Focus primarily on Apple Watch users.
Explore existing users' usage patterns and their interactions with notifications. Focus primarily on Apple Watch users.
Insights
Insights
・Most people do manage their notifications and it increase the length of the concentration time.
・Users immediately check messages every time they receive them on wearables.
・Smart phone & social media is one of the biggest distraction type for everyone.
Most people do manage their notifications and it increase the length of the concentration time.
Users immediately check messages every time they receive them on wearables.
Smart phone & social media is one of the biggest distraction type for everyone.
Opportunity
Opportunity
There exists an opportunity to reimagine how users interact with information from the digital world, ensuring it no longer steals their attention.
There exists an opportunity to reimagine how users interact with information from the digital world, ensuring it no longer steals their attention.
Users
Users
To better understand the lives of different user groups, I created ten user personas and mapped out their daily journey. They can be categorized into three main groups:
To better understand the lives of different user groups, I created ten user personas and mapped out their daily journey. They can be categorized into three main groups:
Unstructured Lifestyle
Digital Nomad, Hybrid Worker, College Student, Content Creator
Digital Nomad, Hybrid Worker, College Student, Content Creator
Shared Pain Points
Shared Pain Points
Blur boundary between life & work.
FOMO leads to anxiety and low productivity.
Highly rely on digital communication.
Blur boundary between life & work.
FOMO leads to anxiety and low productivity.
Highly rely on digital communication.
Dynamic Workspace
Mechanic, Daily Commuter, Bakery Owner
Mechanic, Daily Commuter, Bakery Owner
Shared Pain Points
Shared Pain Points
Both hands are not easily available.
Requires environmental awareness.
Technology and analog conflict.
Both hands are not easily available.
Requires environmental awareness.
Technology and analog conflict.
Flow-Critical Workspace
Clinic Doctor, Senior Engineer, High School Teacher
Clinic Doctor, Senior Engineer, High School Teacher
Shared Pain Points
Shared Pain Points
Notifications disrupt work flow, both physical and digital.
Frequently switch between task & people.
Need to pay attention to the organizational notifications.
Notifications disrupt work flow, both physical and digital.
Frequently switch between task & people.
Need to pay attention to the organizational notifications.
Design Principles
Design Principles
#1
#1
Push information to peripheral awareness to maintain connectivity without breaking flow or presence.
Push information to peripheral awareness to maintain connectivity without breaking flow or presence.
#2
#2
Reconstruct digital boundaries through contextual information delivery.
Reconstruct digital boundaries through contextual information delivery.
#3
#3
Deliver notifications through different sensory channels based on priority to support the primary task.
Deliver notifications through different sensory channels based on priority to support the primary task.
Concept
Concept
Ideation
Ideation
Notification Ideation
Notification Ideation
Using Calm Technology as a starting point, I designed five notification formats for each of the three sensory channels.
Using Calm Technology as a starting point, I designed five notification formats for each of the three sensory channels.
Visual
Visual
Sound
Sound
Haptic
Haptic
Prototype
Prototype
AI Powered Prototype
AI Powered Prototype
To create notifications across different sensory channels, I used After Effects, Unity, Ableton Live, and Arduino, and utilized Gemini to assist with coding, scripting, and sound editing.
To create notifications across different sensory channels, I used After Effects, Unity, Ableton Live, and Arduino, and utilized Gemini to assist with coding, scripting, and sound editing.
User Testing
User Testing
1st Round Testing - Evaluation
1st Round Testing - Evaluation
Result:
Result:
Feedback:
Opacity of the visual cues are too low.
User prefer cues with more personality.
The placement of notifications should align with user expectations.
Nature sound may not be detected in outdoor or create illusion.
Feedback:
Opacity of the visual cues are too low.
User prefer cues with more personality.
The placement of notifications should align with user expectations.
Nature sound may not be detected in outdoor or create illusion.
2st Round Testing - Scenario Test
2st Round Testing - Scenario Test
Scenario #1
Scenario #1
Working on screen
Working on screen
Task: Typing
Task:
Typing
Task:
Typing
Scenario #2
Scenario #2
Working with hands
Working with hands
Task: Puzzles
Task:
Puzzles
Task:
Puzzles
Scenario #3
Scenario #3
On the street
On the street
Task: Counting Taxis
Task:
Counting Taxis
Task:
Counting Taxis
Findings:
It’s easy to miss visual cue in focus vision.
The coverage of visual cue need to be bigger in complicated environment.
Sounds is easy to mix with environment.
Haptic have the best detectivity, but it’s hard to tell the differences.
Findings:
It’s easy to miss visual cue in focus vision.
The coverage of visual cue need to be bigger in complicated environment.
Sounds is easy to mix with environment.
Haptic have the best detectivity, but it’s hard to tell the differences.
Solution
Solution
Preference Setting
Preference Setting
Set user preferences to lay the groundwork for the notification system.
Set user preferences to lay the groundwork for the notification system.
Calm Notification
Calm Notification
Deliver multi-sensory notifications based on user preferences, contextual environment, and tasks.
Deliver multi-sensory notifications based on user preferences, contextual environment, and tasks.
Summary
Summary
Provide a brief summary so users can quickly grasp the notification's content.
Provide a brief summary so users can quickly grasp the notification's content.
Design
Design
Preference Setting
Preference Setting
Users can choose which notifications they wish to receive in different statuses, and the system’s AI will determine the delivery channels and content of notifications based on the context and the user’s preferences.
Users can choose which notifications they wish to receive in different statuses, and the system’s AI will determine the delivery channels and content of notifications based on the context and the user’s preferences.
Calm Notification
Calm Notification
Once users have set their preferences, the system’s AI will determine what notifications to send to the users based on the current context.
Once users have set their preferences, the system’s AI will determine what notifications to send to the users based on the current context.
Clean Environment
In clean environments, notifications are delivered to users using visual cues covering a smaller area combined with audio cues.
Clean Environment
In clean environments, notifications are delivered to users using visual cues covering a smaller area combined with audio cues.
Dynamic Environment
In dynamic environments, push notifications to users using visual cues that are more dynamic, combined with audio cues.
Focused Vision
When the user's field of view is narrower, deliver notifications by pushing visual cues of a larger coverage area combined with audio cues.
Real-time Brief Summary
Real-time Brief Summary
Whenever a user tries to view the notifications, generate a notification summary immediately to prevent the user from becoming distracted.
Whenever a user tries to view the notifications, generate a notification summary immediately to prevent the user from becoming distracted.
Conclusion
Conclusion
So that everyone can live in the moment.
So that everyone can live in the moment.
Through understanding of users and their environments, Rim has built a bridge of awareness connecting the physical and digital worlds.
I believe that the notification systems of the future should be invisible, perceptive, and a form of calm technology that always respects human autonomy.
Through understanding of users and their environments, Rim has built a bridge of awareness connecting the physical and digital worlds.
I believe that the notification systems of the future should be invisible, perceptive, and a form of calm technology that always respects human autonomy.
