A Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Integrating Metaverse-Product Interaction in Industrial Design Program

Mixed Reality (MR) technologies and the spread of Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) available at low cost are causing a shift in design education toward the Metaverse. In this digital transformation scenario, there is a need to rethink design and teaching methods. The scientific literature only provides contributions related to interaction design labs that do not include MR education. This paper presents an innovative lab with an integrated multidisciplinary approach that aims to teach students to design the next generation of MR interfaces. The lab combines theory and practice within three courses. Industrial design students follow a precise multidisciplinary method that consists of five steps. Thus, we introduce a case study in class, presenting the results of semester projects in the field of household appliances. Evaluation of the teaching method is conducted through a semi-structured questionnaire. Preliminary results show positive results from students in terms of acceptance, effectiveness, usefulness, efficiency, and satisfaction.