How Sara (Yuxuan) Hua and Wenyu Du Created Lens and M.Lab to Inspire New Experiences

Sara: Thank you so much! I’m a product designer driven by curiosity and a deep love for the everyday. Inspired by documentaries growing up, I became fascinated by overlooked stories—of people, animals, and environments. Design became my way of turning empathy into action, creating experiences that are not just useful but quietly meaningful.

Wenyu: Thank you! As a software-hardware hybrid designer, I focus on creating inspiring and joyful experiences through physical and virtual products. With a Product Design degree from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, my career has taken me through roles at major tech companies. I combine tangible product design with digital interfaces to create meaningful user experiences.

Sara: It’s a reminder that quiet, thoughtful design has a voice. It validates the belief that even small, everyday experiences can hold beauty and impact when crafted with care. It’s both encouragement and fuel to keep designing with intention, empathy, and a touch of play.

Wenyu: Winning this award has been incredibly exciting and encouraging. It's a validation of our design philosophy and motivates us to continue creating meaningful yet playful designs.

Sara: This recognition has brought a boost of confidence and visibility—not just for me, but for the team behind the work. It’s opened up new conversations, inspired more creative risks, and affirmed that designing with heart and clarity resonates beyond the screen.

Wenyu: The award has helped increase my exposure in the design community, building my reputation and connecting me with more designers and potential clients.

Sara: Experimentation is essential to our process. In Lens, we explored new ways to interact with AR, testing everything from form factors to button shapes and ergonomics. That hands-on trial and error helped us craft interactions that felt both intuitive and fresh.

Wenyu: Experimentation plays a significant role in my design process, allowing me to explore unexpected directions and discover new ideas. I have a dedicated experimentation phase, but I actually experiment continuously from start to finish.

Sara: One of the most unusual sources of inspiration came from a monocular. Its compact, focused design—and the way it invites you to see with intention—sparked ideas for how digital tools could feel more personal and immersive. It reminded me that even analog objects can teach us how to design for clarity, focus, and wonder.

Wenyu: My inspiration for Lens came from a clay ring model I made. One day, I held the ring up and looked through it. I realized that if this ring were the frame of an AR camera, I could see through it like a monocular. Good inspiration is always unexpected.

Sara: I wish more people understood that great design doesn’t always start with a brief or deep research—it often begins with a small, lived moment. An offhand comment, a daily frustration, or a surprising object can spark the whole direction. Research sharpens it later, but that initial spark? It’s often emotional, messy, and wonderfully human.

Wenyu: I believe there’s no single “golden rule” in the design process. Sometimes I start with an existing problem and look for a solution. Other times, there’s no obvious issue with the current situation, so I need to imagine a better one and bring it to life through design. So, grab every tiny spark of an idea in your mind and celebrate it through your work.

Sara: For me, it’s about finding shared purpose. I start by deeply understanding what the client truly values—not just what they want, but why they want it. From there, I look for alignment between their goals and my design instincts. When tensions come up, I see them as invitations to reframe the problem together. It’s not about compromise—it’s about creating something we’re both proud of, with clarity, intention, and heart.

Wenyu: I believe design is about 30% actual design work and 70% communication. If there’s a gap between me and the client, it’s usually due to miscommunication. So, I try to express my thoughts carefully and use words and stories that resonate with the client. This often helps us explore deeper aspects of the problem and find even better solutions.

Sara: A big challenge was making advanced tech feel intuitive and human. We tackled it through rapid prototyping and user testing—refining ergonomics, interactions, and visuals until complexity gave way to clarity.

Wenyu: My biggest challenge has been finding ways to harmoniously fuse software UI/UX and hardware design. I strive to ensure the software never feels like an afterthought—everything must be designed cohesively from the start.

Sara: When I hit a creative block, I step away and let my mind wander—usually through a walk, a documentary, or just people-watching. Inspiration tends to sneak in when I’m not chasing it. Changing context helps me return with fresh eyes and renewed curiosity.

Wenyu: I step back and try to view my design from a bird’s-eye perspective. Sometimes I notice missing elements in the overall picture, and that becomes the breakthrough point. Other times, I simply let go of the project mentally—and ideas naturally emerge on their own.

Sara: I value empathy, adaptability, and respect for all forms of life. My designs aim to be gentle, inclusive, and quietly impactful—honoring everyday needs and overlooked details.

Wenyu: I value the joyfulness of life, and I believe you can clearly see that reflected in my designs.

Sara: Stay curious, stay kind, and stay true to your instincts. There’s no single path to good design—listen deeply, obsess over the details, and don’t just solve problems—tell meaningful stories through your work.

Wenyu: My advice is to find the area of design you're passionate about and dive deep into it. While discovering that passion may take time and effort, it’s absolutely worth it.

Sara: I’d love to collaborate with Toshiyuki Kita. His work carries a quiet elegance—blending tradition with innovation in a way that feels warm and alive. I admire how he designs with both soul and simplicity, creating objects that are deeply human without ever shouting for attention.

Wenyu: I’d love to collaborate with myself in 10 years. I want to see how far I can grow, learn from that future version of myself, and use those insights to accelerate my journey now.

Sara: I wish more people would ask, “What do you hope people feel when they use your design?” Because for me, it’s all about that emotional undercurrent. I want people to feel at ease—like the design just quietly understands them. If it brings a small smile, a moment of clarity, or simply makes their day smoother, then it’s done its job.

Wenyu: I wish people would ask me, “Why did you design this AR watch instead of an outdoor AR app?” My answer is simple: “Give it a try!” I believe every technology has an ideal form factor for specific scenarios. That’s why we didn’t consider making a phone app—we were focused on exploring a new form factor for outdoor AR experiences.