We designed a feasible next generation of peripherals by bridging the gap between present and entirely screenless remote workspaces.

Through ultrahaptics technology which enables haptic feedback in mid-air and a capacitive color e-ink touchscreen, Logi ULTRA can adapt to any use case with specific customizable layouts to fit both user and software - especially in shared offices.

In cooperation with the Swiss company Logitech, a leading provider of computer peripherals and software, with the project "future agile working", we aimed to find design opportunities for future workspaces. We came up with Logi ULTRA - a feasible product solution for agile working in approximately five years.

Our research shows that the way of working and therefore also the products that enable working will change significantly in the next decade. We can see a trend for technologies such as virtual and augmented reality which will crucially enhance our digital experiences but also change the way we interact with digital media. Furthermore, we can see a shift in the way of working itself from the traditional stationary workplace to remote workspaces which requires a change to more flexible and portable products.

We asked ourselves how the next generation of mobile peripherals could look like in a future where offices will be more and more shared and people work from anywhere starting to use technologies like VR and AR in their daily life.

Technologies like ultrahaptics feedback are showing the way that products won't be restricted to physical buttons and mechanics without missing haptic feedback. The evolving technologies will enable much more flexible possibilities for the way we interact through peripherals. Gesture control, high personalized customizability, and usage without a desk will be requirements for peripherals without losing the sense of control by providing a multisensory user experience.

Based on the design opportunities we explored for Logitech and future agile working, we set our goal to design a feasible next generation of peripherals by bridging the gap between present and entirely screenless remote workspaces.

Logi ULTRA contains four IR-cameras in the formed back which locate the exact positions of the user's fingers. With this information, the ultrasonic emitters of the ultrahaptics board under the screen can send out ultrasonic wave patters to elicit haptic feedback on the skin of the user's hands. Alongside, the high contrast, paper-like e-ink screen can visually guide the interactions.

The keyboard will be adjustable to any user and software. It is perfectly designed to be installed in shared offices where many different users will interact with the product. The keyboard will change layouts according to the user's ergonomics and preferences, based on the information which the user sets up, but over time it also adapts to the user's way of working with a learning AI. By pushing the fingerprint login button, users can wake up any Logi ULTRA keyboard with their familiar layout in any shared office in the world. The keyboard e-ink display can switch to a specific software keyboard layout automatically based on the program which is currently in use. Logi ULTRA provides unlimited features in a small-sized product, not only by specific layouts but also by providing a touchpad feature that can replace the mouse if the use case allows it.

A slick design with the maximum possibility of interactions - that's the magic of Logi ULTRA.

You are welcome to visit the website via the link for more information on the design process, strategies and the design language.