Elixar
Elixar.chat - ask me for a demo
Elixar stands as a transformative video conferencing platform, empowering remote issue resolution while improving productivity.
Departing from conventional approaches reliant on mobile phone streaming, Elixar introduces an innovative solution that enables experts to remotely assist in resolving issues swiftly and affordably. By leveraging a headset equipped with a camera, screen, microphones, and speakers, remote users can stream video hands-free, unlocking their potential to perform complex tasks effortlessly.
My Role - UX / UI Design Director
I played a pivotal role in designing and developing the Elixar product suite, which includes the headset application, video-conferencing website, and mobile application. Assisting the CTO and Research Manager, I took responsibility for research, personas, customer journeys, user stories, wireframes, flows, prototypes, headset UI, website UI, mobile UI, design system, and branding. Additionally, I established the Bondi Labs intern program, mentoring and managing successful applicants.
A farmer wearing a headset while in an Elixar Session.
The mini screen sits on an adjustable arm in front of a single eye.
The farmer's headset user interface
The participants' web user interface
Strategy
Leveraging our extensive experience in engaging with our target audience, we gathered valuable insights into their unique scenarios. This allowed us to consolidate our findings and create personas, journey maps, and user stories that served as guiding documents for the project.
Our ultimate goal was to tackle skills shortages in regional Australia by integrating cutting-edge wearable technology with video streaming. This innovative approach aimed to bridge the gap and provide effective solutions to the workforce challenges faced in those areas.
A portion of a persona - Remote Vet
Analysis of a remote vet consultation identifying the different stages, their needs, and requirements.
The flow of interaction
To ensure a smooth and well-defined user experience, I collaborated with the development team to create detailed flowcharts.
The flowcharts encompassed various aspects of the user journey, including login processes, user creation, onboarding procedures, session creation, invitation management, and even file-sharing functionalities between different device types. By mapping out these interactions, we ensured a comprehensive understanding of the flow and identified any potential gaps or areas for improvement.
A flow chart showing how login operates with or without Single-Sign-On enabled
A flowchart showing the checks and steps Elixar performs when a user joins a session
A flowchart showing voice command navigation on the headset app
Quick guide for users on how to use voice commands
Wireframes and wireflows
Building upon the flow diagrams, I proceeded to create wireframes for every screen within the product suite. This comprehensive approach enabled us to test and validate the layout designs, ensuring a seamless and user-friendly experience across different use cases.
In certain instances, I also employed wireflows to visually illustrate screen transitions and interaction pathways. These wireflows served as valuable tools for conveying the flow of user interactions and providing a clear understanding of how different screens connect and engage with each other.
By combining wireframes and wireflows, we were able to visualize and refine the user journey, optimize screen transitions, and ensure a cohesive and intuitive user experience across all platforms and use cases.
Session management - desktop
Session UI - smart glasses
Session UI wireflow - mobile
Selecting hardware
During development, we tested various smart glasses featuring either in-lens (waveguide) displays or headsets with adjustable arms.
In our testing, we observed that in-lens devices often performed poorly in outdoor environments, as the user interface was difficult to see in bright conditions. We also encountered issues with human-computer modalities. Our aim was to minimize reliance on touch interfaces, however, head gestures were uncomfortable and gaze detection was not available.
Based on these findings, we made the decision to select the Realwear HMT-1 as our target device. This headset offered excellent screens for users with either left or right-eye dominance and provided reliable voice detection capabilities, which proved essential in loud industrial environments.
Early tests of the Vuzix Blade smart glasses found the UI was hard to see in bright conditions commonly found outdoors.
Final web UI
The website included an administration portal that allowed organizations to efficiently manage their services, sessions, users, data, and test network performance. This portal provided a centralized hub for administrators to search for, and control, key aspects of the Elixar platform.
Additionally, the website featured the session interface, which offered a highly customizable layout to meet the specific needs of users. This interface facilitated collaboration during sessions, incorporating features such as session recording, messaging, and file sharing. These capabilities were designed to enhance the overall user experience and streamline communication and data sharing both during and after sessions.
Final remote UI
In our user testing, we received better user feedback when the remote UI utilized a dark theme. The bright UI components contrasted well against both the dark background and black device hardware. This allowed users to quickly identify relevant content and reduced the likelihood of discomfort.
Moreover, dark themes were particularly effective on devices such as the Vuzix Blade, which featured a transparent lens. On these devices, black is rendered transparent while white remains visible. This forced important UI elements to be bright so as to create a noticeable contrast with the environment seen through the glasses.
By adopting a dark theme, we optimized the visibility and usability of the remote UI, ensuring that crucial UI components stood out clearly and minimizing any potential discomfort for users.
When placed correctly the 0.33 inch (854x480) display roughly equates to a 5-7" screen.
Remote users can view the participants in the call.
The UI can be split to show both a participant and the headset camera.
Notifications appear when text messages are sent in chat.
Messages can be reviewed in sequence.
Longer messages can be expanded to see their full content.
High-resolution photos can be taken during the session and shared with participants.
Final mobile UI
For scenarios where a headset is unavailable or if participants are out of the office and need to join, we also developed a mobile app. Whereas competing apps focused on displaying video from others, ours prioritised the display of the mobile camera feed. This made filming far easier for the mobile user and ensured they could clearly see what they were streaming to the session.
Outcome
A number of organisations in Australia, the United States of America, Malaysia and China trialled Elixar. The participating organisations included government and private businesses across the logistics and food production industries. These trials were conducted between 2021 and 2022 in and around government lockdowns.
User feedback was positive and when compared to Microsoft Teams, users preferred the Elixar experience.
Auditing Trials
When used as a tool for auditing, the auditee organisations were willing to transfer to a remote audit model. While auditors were open to using a remote service for some scenarios certain limitations were seen as blockers.
These limitations included
The inability to use smell as a pathway for investigation
A perception that the auditee would not comply with the remote auditors’ requests and inspect areas of interest to an adequate degree.
Auditors bundle the cost of travel and accommodation into their service but also add a layer of profits on top. Remote audits remove the costs but also the profits.
There are no legal or policy requirements to offer this form of service.
An opportunity exists for a disruptive company to provide remote audits through services like Elixar. Doing so can dramatically reduce the costs for the customer while increasing the productivity of authorised officers. Additionally, the competition in this space demonstrates hesitance to innovate and leverage this productivity-enhancing tool.
Aged Care
Elixar is currently being used by aged care and occupational therapy providers in Australia.
User Quotes
“The Elixar package gives us the ability to provide real-time access to the plant whilst conducting and undergoing regulatory checks and audits, without the need for travel and onsite visitations.”
Quality Assurance Manager
Food Product Exporter A
“We reached out to a company in Brisbane and prepared our trainees to take advantage of this technology and administer training remotely.
We received very positive feedback both from the trainees and from the trainers and assessors.
They were very appreciative of being able to stream from a device that doesn’t require anyone to hold anything at all.
I would absolutely have no problems with recommending this technology for training and assessment.”
Quality Assurance Manager
Food Product Exporter B