Press Release
Lens AR Smartwatch by Yuxuan Hua Receives the Silver A' Design Award in Wearable Technologies Design
Yuxuan Hua recognized for wearable technologies design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 18, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ Lens AR Smartwatch by Yuxuan Hua has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Wearable Technologies Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The recognition forms part of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the Silver A' Design Award
The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
More About Lens AR Smartwatch
Lens is an AR smartwatch for immersive outdoor adventures, blending spontaneity with simplicity. While existing AR devices like smart glasses and smartphones feel intrusive or disrupt exploration, Lens offers a seamless alternative. Worn like a watch, Lens’ AR features are available when needed, unobtrusive and always ready. Designed to be held like a traditional monocular, it unveils a new world with augmented content: identify creatures, explore new trails, or uncover constellations. Lens seamlessly merges the nostalgia of optical discovery with the thrill of modern exploration.
Award Record
Yuxuan Hua is a winner of 1 A' Design Award, including this recognition.
About the A' Wearable Technologies Design Award
The A' Wearable Technology Design Award is an international competition recognizing good wearable technology designs by leading brands and designers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to wearable technology designers, wearable technology brands, wearable technology manufacturers and fashion designers from all countries. Entries typically include smartwatches, fitness trackers, VR headsets, AR glasses, medical devices and smart jewelry. Awarded wearable technology designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/wearable-technology
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/166878
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/166878
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!166878
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/362070
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://www.sara-hua.com/lens
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
###
Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Lens AR Smartwatch
- Function
- AR Smartwatch
- Category
- Wearable Technologies Design
- Discipline
- Product Design
- Industry
- Electronics & Appliances and Fashion
- Colors
- Silver, Dark Salmon, Dark Gray, Dark Slate Gray and Burly Wood
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Yuxuan Hua
- Country
- United States of America
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #166878
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Lens is an AR smartwatch for immersive outdoor adventures, blending spontaneity with simplicity. Unlike intrusive AR tools like smart glasses or smartphones, Lens offers a seamless alternative. Worn like a watch, its AR features are unobtrusive and ready when needed. Designed to be held like a monocular, Lens unveils a world of augmented content, merging the nostalgia of telescopic discovery with the thrill of modern exploration.
- Inspiration
- Lens was inspired by the age-old act of sighting through telescopes, reimagined for the modern adventurer. Designed to be held like a traditional monocular, it blends the nostalgia of optical discovery with cutting-edge AR technology. Addressing the shortcomings of other AR tools - like the intrusiveness of glasses or the disruption of smartphones - Lens enhances exploration with instant, unobtrusive insights while preserving the spontaneity of outdoor adventures.
- Research
- We interviewed hikers, foragers, and stargazers to uncover their main frustrations with outdoor AR apps: 1.Devices were too bulky to carry comfortably. 2.Many were too fragile for rugged environments. 3.Frequent screen interactions disrupted the flow of exploration. And these insights guided our design: 1.A quick-detach mechanism. 2.Intuitive monocular-holding gesture for seamless AR interaction. 3.A capacitive haptic button enabling both simple and complex controls. 4.An integrated haptic motor to reduce cognitive load, letting users stay focused on their surroundings.
- Realization and Technology
- Lens was designed with a focus on ergonomic comfort and seamless functionality. Crafted from aerospace-grade aluminum for durability and lightweight wear, it features advanced AR projection, a wide FOV camera for immersive visuals, and a compact LiDAR for precise spatial mapping. The quick-detach mechanism enhances versatility, while extensive prototyping and real-world testing ensured optimal performance for outdoor exploration.
- Operation and Interaction
- Lens works seamlessly as a smartwatch and transforms into an AR monocular when removed from the wrist. Interaction is intuitive - simply hold it up to access features like navigation, identification, and stargazing. Key frames include wrist-worn mode for portability and monocular mode for immersive AR. Its unobtrusive design outperforms other tools by delivering instant insights without disrupting the natural experience, ensuring spontaneity and immersion.
- Project Duration and Location
- Lens began during the pandemic in 2021, driven by a desire to enhance connections and exploration during a unique time. After two years of development, it was completed in December 2023, ready to redefine how we engage with the world around us.
- Specifications
- *Dimensions* -Watch Diameter: 48mm (ideal for a balance of functionality and portability) -Thickness: 20mm -Weight: 68g
- Keywords
- Augmented Reality, Smartwatch, Outdoor, Monocular, AR, Wearable Technologies
