Cherry Lewis, San Francisco, CA – As 2024 unfolds, the design industry is witnessing an unprecedented revolution, fueled by the swift emergence of cutting-edge technologies. The sophisticated conversational capabilities of ChatGPT, Apple’s innovative Vision Pro, and the engrossing mixed-reality experiences brought to life by Meta Quest 3 are blurring the lines between science fiction and daily existence. The streets of San Francisco serve as a testament to these futuristic dreams coming to life, with self-driving taxis from Waymo and Cruise becoming a regular fixture in the city’s landscape. This era of design marvels is not only redefining our interaction with technology but also reshaping the urban experience, heralding a new chapter in the integration of innovation and daily life.
Within this innovative maelstrom, Yohe Wang stands out as a visionary in the design realm. His work epitomizes the harmonious integration of cutting-edge technology and thoughtful design. Stay tuned as we uncover the insights and inspirations behind the artistry of Yohe Wang, a true visionary charting the course of design in the digital age.
Apple Vision Pro (Credit to Apple)
The Confluence of Design and Technology
Yohe Wang’s journey began at Zhejiang University of Technology in China, where he majored in Industrial Design. This provided a solid foundation for his later exploration of new media and artificial intelligence. His quest for knowledge took him to the School of Visual Arts in New York, where he specialized in Interaction Design in 2018.
Professionally, Yohe Wang’s track record is equally impressive. Having served in design behemoths like IDEO and Apple, he currently holds a position as a Product Designer at the retail giant Albertsons, innovating on fulfillment and retail solutions. His portfolio reveals a keen intuition for seamlessly blending emerging technological trends with design. His AI-driven platform “Libra” aims to present political news in a balanced and objective manner to reduce political polarization. The project was showcased at the 2020 IxDA Interaction Awards, where it was a finalist. Moreover, his involvement in the design of Apple’s LumiHealth—a personalized health program launched in Singapore, aiding residents to lead healthier lives via Apple Watch—has seen over 300,000 downloads. His AR-enhanced exhibition project “Behind the Seen,” which raises climate change and environmental awareness among the younger generation, has garnered numerous awards in 2023, including Muse Creative Awards, Hermes Creative Awards, Vega Digital Awards, and London Design Awards.
Libra, AI-driven political news platform
Behind the Seen, AR exhibition for Climate Awareness
Yohe Wang is passionate about the fusion of technology and design. “The possibilities that emerge from integrating new technologies to enhance human experiences excite me profoundly,” he shares.
Q: When did your interest in emerging technologies begin, and what sparked it?
A: “Having a personal computer was a big deal when I was a kid. I loved playing ‘Battle City’ and ‘The King of Fighters’—like today’s Cozmo and iPad. In high school, I got the chance to design an NBA website using Frontpage. It was my first realization of the power of combining design with technology. Later, I worked on a project called ‘Shadowgram,’ which transformed tangram patterns into an interactive shadow game using Raspberry Pi, projection, and sensors. This deepened my passion for integrating design with technology. Think about how technology has changed our lives: Electric lights brighten our nights, steam engines revolutionized our travel and work, cameras preserve our memories, space tools let us explore beyond Earth, and the internet connects us all. Each technological innovation marks a significant chapter in the annals of human progress. But technology alone is not everything. Like Google Glass—despite being cutting-edge, it didn’t catch on. That’s because its design wasn’t user-friendly. Technology may seem a bit cold on its own, but design adds the touch of humanity. When compassionate design meets the gemstone of technology, real magic happens.”
Shadowgram, Interactive projector
Q: How does your work and portfolio engage with emerging technologies?
A: “In my portfolio, I constantly focus on how the latest technologies—like artificial intelligence, augmented reality, wearable devices, and sensors—can be integrated into quality design. Take the ‘Libra’ project, for instance, where we used AI to help identify biases within news articles. The project is designed to help people step out of their news bubbles and view political issues from different perspectives, thus reducing polarization and misinformation. ‘LumiHealth’ is a practical application case that merges with health tech. We designed a series of engaging challenges that motivate people to walk more, sleep better, and eat healthier.”
LumiHealth, Personalized health program (Credit to Apple)
The Future of Technology and the Role of Design
Yohe Wang envisions a future where the interplay between technology and design transcends traditional boundaries. In his perspective, the role of designers is set to evolve dramatically. They are poised to become architects of experience, moving beyond the conventional focus on aesthetics to engineer holistic interactions between technology and users. This shift requires designers to possess a deep understanding of the technological landscape and its implications on daily life, enabling them to craft experiences that not only engage but also enhance and simplify human existence.
As we part ways with Yohe Wang, he imparts a sage piece of guidance for navigating the uncertain but exciting future of technology and design: “ The future of technology is unpredictable, but we can be certain it will continue to profoundly change our world. As designers, it is our responsibility to ensure that these changes are positive and enrich and facilitate the lives of people.”
