Ethan Nabiyouni

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A 3D Interaction System for Spatial Content Creation

Apple Inc.
Apple Inc.

Disclaimer: This page reflects my personal perspective and does not represent Apple. All visuals are sourced from publicly available materials and are used for demonstration purposes only. No proprietary content is included.

Overview

Reality Composer enables users to build AR experiences without deep technical knowledge.

The goal was to design a 3D interaction system that is intuitive, precise, and scalable.

The Challenge

3D manipulation introduces cognitive and perceptual challenges. Users often struggle with:

  • Depth understanding

  • Precision control (translate, rotate, scale)

  • Lack of clear feedback during interaction

  • High cognitive load

Approach

We focused on direct manipulation with continuous feedback.

Principles:

  • Visible, interactive controls

  • Real-time response

  • Consistent interaction patterns

What I Built

  • 3D transformation system (translate, rotate, scale)

  • Visual gizmos for direct manipulation

  • Real-time feedback for positioning and alignment

  • Lighting and scene controls

User Experience Research

Through iterative prototyping and usability testing, we identified key friction points.

Insights:

  • Visual cues are essential for depth

  • Responsiveness defines usability

  • Complexity reduces adoption

  • Interaction delays break the sense of control

My Role

I conducted UX research and technical design, and contributed to the implementation of core 3D UI and interaction mechanics shipped across iOS and macOS.

  • Designed 3D interaction systems

  • Implemented real-time prototypes

  • Conducted usability evaluations

  • Collaborated across product, design and engineering

Impact

  • Shipped as part of Reality Composer on iOS and macOS

  • Enabled developers and designers to prototype AR experiences visually

  • Reduced the barrier to entry for spatial content creation

  • Adopted by a broad range of users from beginners to advanced creators

Reflection

Effective 3D tools reduce complexity without removing control. By focusing on clarity, feedback, and consistency, we turned a technically complex process into an approachable creative tool.