Project M.A.C. ROLE

UX Researcher, Concept Designer, Systems Designer, UX/UI Designer, Interaction Designer, Visual Designer
COLLABORATORS

Ian Backstrom, Travis Demeester, Cantina Creative, AELIUS


CONTEXT

A mission-driven program combining aerospace design, simulation, and digital systems engineering.

This project focused on integrating amphibious functionality into an existing aircraft platform for seaborne special operations. Developed under AFSOC’s Digital Transformation Initiative, it exemplified secure digital collaboration across classified engineering teams.

Due to the highly confidential and proprietary nature of this work, specific examples cannot be shown. You can read about the project here




Key insights

Operational security constraints demanded innovation in digital collaboration.
The project required uniting geographically dispersed experts under strict security and data-handling protocols. Advanced digital environments were essential to enable real-time collaboration without compromising confidentiality.



application

Immersive environments transformed multi-domain collaboration.
I supported the engineering team by generating concept visualizations that explored viable structural and hydrodynamic integrations for amphibious performance. In parallel, I co-developed a secure metaverse platform that hosted 3D environments, enabling synchronized engineering reviews, logistics planning, and sustainment visualization.



impact

A proof of concept for secure, immersive collaboration in aerospace development.
This project demonstrated how secure, digital-first collaboration can accelerate R&D cycles in defense applications. The platform fostered shared spatial understanding and faster design iteration among specialized teams.


learnings + next steps

The next step is closing the loop between simulation, visualization, and decision-making.
Integrating data visualization tools directly with live simulation results will further enhance situational awareness for distributed teams.

       

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