An AR application that reduces cognitive load and enhances collaboration for air traffic controllers within the existing system.
Timeline
10 Weeks
Role
Product Design
User Research
Spacial Design
Team
Winghi Li
Kendrick Ma
OVERVIEW
Spacial Design & Interactions
Control Panel
Customize and manage your workspace
Callsign Display
Reduce cognitive load with clearer identifiers
Interactive Callsign
Access detailed flight information instantly
Airport Diagram
Easily resize and reposition the layout
PROBLEM
Outdated System
On May 9, 2025, Newark Airport experienced massive delays after a radar outage lasting over 70 seconds—bringing all departures and arrivals to a halt, disrupting hundreds of flights, and triggering a ripple effect across the national airspace.
High Cognitive Load
At peak traffic, controllers had to manage over 20 aircraft from memory alone—revealing the cracks in a system still dependent on paper strips and fragmented screens.
OPPORTUNITY
How might we design an AR application that reduces cognitive load and enhances collaboration for air traffic controllers within the existing system?
RESEARCH
User Interview & Secondary Research
We interviewed air traffic controllers to uncover pain points around workload, communication, and outdated tools. To deepen our understanding, we also experienced a tower control simulator firsthand. Secondary research on FAA regulations and workflows helped ground our design in real-world constraints.
Air Traffic Control Tower
Tower Layout
Final Design
AR Solution for Air
Traffic Controller
By combining insights from controller interviews, simulator testing, and FAA guidelines, we identified opportunities where AR can streamline workflows, reduce mental strain, and improve situational awareness—without disrupting existing systems.
Gesture Design
We designed three core hand gestures to help air traffic controllers interact with critical information quickly and intuitively in AR.
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