In the latest episode of the Building New Realities podcast, Tim chats with Rupert Breheny about his work on Google Earth VR, his observations and lessons as a UX designer focussed on virtual reality and the future of immersive technology. They cover the power of VR to improve accessibility, digital anthropology and the importance of designing with a customer focus.

Guest Bio

Rupert is an experienced technology advocate and conference speaker, specialising in VR/AR and mobile ecommerce, particularly in the fashion vertical. He builds partnerships and wrangles technology to launch products that drive both business value and user delight.

Highlight 1 - Using VR to unite different generations 00:09:34:15 - 00:10:57:02… I live in Zurich, Switzerland I’m quite enthusiastic about that too

Highlight 2 - Digital anthropology and the importance of face-to-face testing 00:24:30:06 - 00:26:33:23… when I was a UX prototyper see it for yourself in person

Additional Resources

Rupert’s links

  • LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupertbreheny

Applications mentioned:

  • Unseen Diplomacy: https://store.steampowered.com/app/429830/Unseen_Diplomacy/

  • RealityViewer: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/4369155596472213/?locale=en_GB

Theories mentioned:

  • Imposter Syndrome https://www.verywellmind.com/imposter-syndrome-and-social-anxiety-disorder-4156469#:~:text=Coping-,What%20Is%20Imposter%20Syndrome%3F,perfectionism%20and%20the%20social%20context.
  • Simulation Theory https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-we-live-in-a-simulation-chances-are-about-50-50/

Book Recommendations

  • Heaven and Hell, Aldous. Huxley https://amzn.to/36WeTjy
  • The Three-Body Problem, Cixin Liu https://amzn.to/3OEICyk
  • Tower of Babylon by Ted Chiang https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/29864598-tower-of-babylon
  • Piranesi, Susanna Clarke https://www.waterstones.com/book/piranesi/susanna-clarke/9781526622433
  • Snow Crash: Neal Stephenson https://amzn.to/3vPhS5J
  • Fall of Hyperion, Dan Simmons https://amzn.to/37Gu2WB

Episode Transcript

00:00 - 00:49 Introduction 00:50 - 01:29 Rupert explains what his role is at Google 01:30 - 03:21 Rupert talks about his first experience with VR in the 80’s 04:22 - 09:29 What does building new realities mean to you? 09:30 - 12:44 Using VR to access the non-accessible. 12:45 - 20:18 User Design for VR 20:19 - 22:28 Observing and learning from how people react in VR 22:29 - 23:54 Using novel mechanics and using the natural playfulness of VR to heighten immersion for users. 23:55 - 30:33 Digital anthropology, face to face testing and customer focus 30:34 - 33:54 Sacrificing aesthetics for performance in immersive design 33:55 - 46:21 The future of social interaction and games in the metaverse 46:22 - 48:51 What project has changed the way you approach design? 48:52 - 01:01:08 Rupert’s future trends: Avatars, virtual clothing, architecture and NFTs. 01:01:02 - 01:05:59 Gaining perspective and “opening your eyes” 01:06:00 - 01:07:48 If you had $100m to spend on a social programme with no red tape, what would you do? 01:07:49 - 01:12:00 Rupert’s favourite theories and book recommendations 01:12:01 - 01:12:55 Closing comments

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See All 25 Episodes of "The Building New Realities Podcast"

Products Discussed In This Episode

Snow Crash
The Three-Body Problem