Web Virtual Reality
Firefox Reality
A web browser for exploring the internet within VR headsets
Overview
Mozilla wanted to extend their iconic browser into the VR space to enable VR users to access 360 videos and immersive webXR experiences.
We needed to create a product that would excite consumers and ease the barrier of entry for webXR content, while working within the limitations of Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile processors running on Android-based operating systems with 3DoF input.
As we built the product, more robust devices with different input modalities (6DoF controllers, hand-tracking, eye gazing, AR glasses, etc) were released. We needed to plan for the evolving nature of VR and make sure that Firefox Reality would continue to be a relevant product in the market.
We created a VR browser that would be scalable for future 6DoF standalone devices, desktop HMDs, and AR glasses. The product enabled Mozilla to cement partnerships with various VR headset manufacturers as their native browsers.
Design
Awesome Bar
Our goal was to extend the iconic Mozilla Firefox browser's UI into the VR space. We used alpha channels in VR in order to create a 3D floating effect. Each piece of UI had to be easily readable and clickable with a controller.
Tray
The tray became a piece of UI where users can access important system functions that weren't directly related to controlling web content.
Settings Menu
A key piece in the tray was the 'Settings' menu. I created a vast information architecture map in order to create a scalable interaction system so that we could easily add more features with little work.
Keyboard
With the creation of the Awesome Bar, we wanted to create an easy way for users to type in VR. We decided to go in the direction of creating a keyboard that would be optimized for typing URL and logins.
Voice Search
We quickly learned that typing in VR is awful (especially with a 3DoF device) therefore we wanted to create an easy way for users to search. We created a voice input dialog interaction to ease this process.
Learnings
Be a lifetime student
When I began working on Firefox Reality, I had no professional experience working with VR software. During the course of this project, I realized that there was a vast network of knowledge within the 3D sphere that I needed to understand and fully grasp in order to create the experiences that I envisioned. This meant I needed to be a lifetime student and constantly grow in my technical skills.
VR/AR/XR is awesome
This project has catapulted me into the world of mixed reality and I'm obsessed with learning more. Since we are so early in the VR development, there are no existing UI and interaction patterns and it's really exciting to be a part of the creation of these. There are so many ideas out there and we as early influencers in this world get to be hugely impactful in our decisions. I feel like a pioneer paving the way for the future and am excited to continue this journey in creating innovative software and experiences.
