XpRessions
Making written expression more magical and active in immersive environments.
Overview
Exploring better ways to communicate in virtual reality.
XpRessions is a VR prototype that reimagines how people can communicate in immersive environments through expressive, gesture-driven 3D emojis. The system allows users to quickly select, throw, and share animated emojis in real time, turning flat reactions into playful, spatial interactions.
The goal: make emotional expression in VR feel intuitive, magical, and fun—a communication system as fast as sending an emoji but amplified by the presence and depth of virtual space.
My Role
VR/UX Designer & Prototyper
March 2022
Team
Myself + 5 other designers
Tools
Unity, Meta Quest
- The Process -
The Challenge
Collaboration through augmented reality.
Emerging XR interactions often default to slow, text-based input—like aiming at virtual keyboards—which breaks immersion.
- How can we surface expressive communication in XR in a natural and delightful way?
- What if sharing emotions in VR were as instant and intuitive as tapping an emoji, but real-time and spatial?
Research & Ideation
Using video games as a source of inspiration for communication.
We prototyped different inputs for XR expression and discovered traditional VR typing was tedious. Shifting focus, we brainstormed gesture-based emoji systems inspired by multiplayer games like League of Legends. Our research revealed two key insights:
- Shared physical space in VR allowed for immediate emotional reactions.
- 3D animations could elevate the meaning and feeling of emojis.
From there, we set a goal: make sending visual expressions “magical, intuitive, and lightning-fast.”
Design & Prototyping
Turning emojis from a two-dimensional object into a spatial interaction.
We developed a gesture-activated VR emoji menu using Unity, inspired by emote wheels in multiplayer games. This allowed users to load a set of expressions into a quick-launch plate for live use, keeping communication fast and fluid. The system supported both preset icons and custom asset imports, giving players the freedom to personalize their reactions. To enhance delight, we emphasized the visual flair of each emoji with playful animations—crying faces, confetti bursts, troll faces, and pranks—that made expression in VR feel spontaneous and fun.
- The Experience -
Final Concept
Bringing expressions to life.
The final prototype delivered a sleek VR experience where players could grab and throw expressive 3D emojis into space. Playtesting revealed that users loved the “magical” feel of these interactions—throwing a confetti explosion or crying face felt intuitive, impactful, and unlike any flat emoji experience. The system struck a balance between familiarity, borrowing from game emote mechanics, and novelty, leveraging VR’s depth and motion. We captured the experience in a polished video prototype, which dramatized four key use cases: custom imports, playful pranks, emotional reactions, and celebratory moments.
XpRessions
Making written expression more magical and active in immersive environments.
Overview
Exploring better ways to communicate in virtual reality.
XpRessions is a VR prototype that reimagines how people can communicate in immersive environments through expressive, gesture-driven 3D emojis. The system allows users to quickly select, throw, and share animated emojis in real time, turning flat reactions into playful, spatial interactions.
The goal: make emotional expression in VR feel intuitive, magical, and fun—a communication system as fast as sending an emoji but amplified by the presence and depth of virtual space.
My Role
VR/UX Designer & Prototyper
March 2022
Team
Myself + 5 other designers
Tools
Unity, Meta Quest
- The Process -
The Challenge
Collaboration through augmented reality.
Emerging XR interactions often default to slow, text-based input—like aiming at virtual keyboards—which breaks immersion.
- How can we surface expressive communication in XR in a natural and delightful way?
- What if sharing emotions in VR were as instant and intuitive as tapping an emoji, but real-time and spatial?
Research & Ideation
Using video games as a source of inspiration for communication.
We prototyped different inputs for XR expression and discovered traditional VR typing was tedious. Shifting focus, we brainstormed gesture-based emoji systems inspired by multiplayer games like League of Legends. Our research revealed two key insights:
- Shared physical space in VR allowed for immediate emotional reactions.
- 3D animations could elevate the meaning and feeling of emojis.
From there, we set a goal: make sending visual expressions “magical, intuitive, and lightning-fast.”
Design & Prototyping
Turning emojis from a two-dimensional object into a spatial interaction.
We developed a gesture-activated VR emoji menu using Unity, inspired by emote wheels in multiplayer games. This allowed users to load a set of expressions into a quick-launch plate for live use, keeping communication fast and fluid. The system supported both preset icons and custom asset imports, giving players the freedom to personalize their reactions. To enhance delight, we emphasized the visual flair of each emoji with playful animations—crying faces, confetti bursts, troll faces, and pranks—that made expression in VR feel spontaneous and fun.
- The Experience -
Final Concept
Bringing expressions to life.
The final prototype delivered a sleek VR experience where players could grab and throw expressive 3D emojis into space. Playtesting revealed that users loved the “magical” feel of these interactions—throwing a confetti explosion or crying face felt intuitive, impactful, and unlike any flat emoji experience. The system struck a balance between familiarity, borrowing from game emote mechanics, and novelty, leveraging VR’s depth and motion. We captured the experience in a polished video prototype, which dramatized four key use cases: custom imports, playful pranks, emotional reactions, and celebratory moments.
XpRessions
Making written expression more magical and active in immersive environments.
Overview
Exploring better ways to communicate in virtual reality.
XpRessions is a VR prototype that reimagines how people can communicate in immersive environments through expressive, gesture-driven 3D emojis. The system allows users to quickly select, throw, and share animated emojis in real time, turning flat reactions into playful, spatial interactions.
The goal: make emotional expression in VR feel intuitive, magical, and fun—a communication system as fast as sending an emoji but amplified by the presence and depth of virtual space.
My Role
VR/UX Designer & Prototyper
March 2022
Team
Myself + 5 other designers
Tools
Unity, Meta Quest
- The Process -
The Challenge
Collaboration through augmented reality.
Emerging XR interactions often default to slow, text-based input—like aiming at virtual keyboards—which breaks immersion.
- How can we surface expressive communication in XR in a natural and delightful way?
- What if sharing emotions in VR were as instant and intuitive as tapping an emoji, but real-time and spatial?
Research & Ideation
Using video games as a source of inspiration for communication.
We prototyped different inputs for XR expression and discovered traditional VR typing was tedious. Shifting focus, we brainstormed gesture-based emoji systems inspired by multiplayer games like League of Legends. Our research revealed two key insights:
- Shared physical space in VR allowed for immediate emotional reactions.
- 3D animations could elevate the meaning and feeling of emojis.
From there, we set a goal: make sending visual expressions “magical, intuitive, and lightning-fast.”
Design & Prototyping
Turning emojis from a two-dimensional object into a spatial interaction.
We developed a gesture-activated VR emoji menu using Unity, inspired by emote wheels in multiplayer games. This allowed users to load a set of expressions into a quick-launch plate for live use, keeping communication fast and fluid. The system supported both preset icons and custom asset imports, giving players the freedom to personalize their reactions. To enhance delight, we emphasized the visual flair of each emoji with playful animations—crying faces, confetti bursts, troll faces, and pranks—that made expression in VR feel spontaneous and fun.
- The Experience -
Final Concept
Bringing expressions to life.
The final prototype delivered a sleek VR experience where players could grab and throw expressive 3D emojis into space. Playtesting revealed that users loved the “magical” feel of these interactions—throwing a confetti explosion or crying face felt intuitive, impactful, and unlike any flat emoji experience. The system struck a balance between familiarity, borrowing from game emote mechanics, and novelty, leveraging VR’s depth and motion. We captured the experience in a polished video prototype, which dramatized four key use cases: custom imports, playful pranks, emotional reactions, and celebratory moments.