Ara is a modular smartphone initiative from Google's advanced tech group aimed at bringing an unparalleled level of functional and aesthetic customization to consumers.
Role: Head of Consumer and Retail Experience
For our Puerto Rico market pilot, I assembled an on-the-ground research team comprised of academics and local market experts to assess how to best reach consumers. Drawing upon the island's deep-seated desire for exploration, and a road-trip "chinchorros" culture, we settled on a retail truck form factor.
A phone with near infinite permutations poses a problem – how to filter things down into a choice. Our solution was a biometrically adaptive user interface which senses users' level of engagement and stress (using HR, GSR, FACS, and eye tracking), and matches their appetite for exploration.