VR HELM




Shengjie Guo

Company project
2024

Cooperate partner
Incari GmbH


The Futuristic VR Helmet is a speculative concept project developed for Incari, exploring the next generation of immersive human–computer interaction.
It envisions a seamless fusion between physical and digital realities, where sensory design, neural input, and intuitive interfaces redefine the way humans experience virtual space.

The design focuses on ergonomic integration, emotional comfort, and multimodal interaction, combining eye-tracking, haptic feedback, and brain–computer interface technologies to deliver a hyper-personalized, adaptive VR environment.
From initial user journey mapping to interface prototyping, the project aims to showcase how system design thinking can shape the evolution of future immersive devices — not just as tools, but as extensions of human perception and creativity.

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01 RESEARCH AND MOODBOARD GENERATING



The research phase began with a broad exploration of emerging technologies, sci-fi aesthetics, and human–machine interaction trends.
I collected visual and conceptual references from multiple sources — including industrial design portfolios, concept art, cinematic universes, wearable tech studies, and neuroscience research — to understand how future technology might integrate seamlessly into human life.
Using platforms such as Pinterest, Behance, and design archives, I curated and categorized images into clusters:

Form & Material – lightweight structures, transparent composites, soft-tech aesthetics;
Interaction & Experience – gestures, neural connection metaphors, immersive interfaces;
Emotion & Atmosphere – futuristic serenity, intimacy, and human-centered calmness;

This process resulted in a multi-layered moodboard that not only defined the visual tone of the project but also guided the conceptual framework.
It served as a visual bridge between technological speculation and emotional storytelling, ensuring that the final design retained both functional logic and poetic imagination.

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02 PERSONA AND USER JOURNEY



The development of personas and user journeys for this project was based on a combination of future scenario research, trend analysis, and system thinking.
I began by investigating how emerging technologies, social behaviors, and emotional needs might evolve in the context of immersive interaction.
To build personas, I synthesized insights from:

Technology adoption studies and reports on early adopters of XR and neural interface products；
Behavioral research on user comfort, emotional balance, and digital well-being；
Fictional scenario prototyping, inspired by near-future lifestyles and Incari’s technological ecosystem;

Each persona was constructed not only around demographics, but also motivations, emotional triggers, and interaction values — focusing on why and how users would engage with next-generation VR systems.
Once the personas were defined, I mapped out user journeys that illustrate the full emotional and experiential process — from initial curiosity, setup, and first immersion, to everyday integration and reflection.
This process helped identify key design opportunities, revealing how immersive technology could become more intuitive, sensory, and emotionally intelligent.

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03 VISUALIZATION OF PRODUCT FUNCYTIONALITY




After defining the core structure and form of the Futuristic VR Helmet, I focused on visualizing how the product functions and interacts with users in speculative future contexts.
Using Adobe Firefly and Midjourney, I translated abstract functional concepts — such as neural synchronization, haptic immersion, and spatial interface control — into highly expressive visual narratives.

Through Firefly’s prompt-controlled compositing and lighting tools, I explored the spatial integration between the user, the device, and the digital environment. This allowed me to visualize how light, gesture, and motion flow through the system as part of the immersive experience.
With Midjourney, I generated cinematic-style speculative scenes, imagining how users might work, play, and communicate while wearing the helmet in near-future environments — from minimalist interiors to open virtual landscapes.

Each image became a functional storytelling layer, helping communicate not just how the product looks, but how it feels and behaves.
This AI-driven visualization process bridged the gap between conceptual imagination and tangible interaction, transforming functional research into emotionally engaging visual experiences.

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04 SKETCHING AND AI RENDERING




The visual development phase of the Futuristic VR Helmet began with extensive hand sketching, serving as both a thinking process and a design exploration tool.
Through hundreds of quick sketches and perspective variations, I explored different directions of form language, ergonomics, and emotional balance, capturing how technology could feel human, wearable, and elegant.

This analog ideation process allowed me to externalize complex ideas rapidly — to think with my hands, iterate freely, and build a visual rhythm across multiple design hypotheses.
Once the sketches reached a consistent direction, I transitioned into real-time rendering using Vizcom, integrating AI to enhance material perception, lighting realism, and surface refinement.

Vizcom became an extension of the hand-drawing process, enabling immediate visualization of concept sketches in a product-like form.
By combining human intuition with AI precision, I could refine proportions, surface transitions, and interface gestures in real time — accelerating iteration speed while maintaining artistic control.

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© 2025 Shengjie Guo. All rights reserved.  
Based in Berlin – Available for collaboration worldwide.