I still remember the first time I used VR. I was so amazed by the experience that I didn’t touch my phone for the whole day. It felt completely different from the usual screen interactions I was used to; suddenly, I was moving, reaching, and using my body in ways that made the technology feel alive. Reading A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design reminded me of that moment, because the author argues that our visions of the future are too focused on “Pictures Under Glass,” flat screens that limit the richness of human interaction.
The rant makes a strong case that our hands and bodies are capable of far more expressive actions than just tapping and swiping. The follow-up responses clarify that the point wasn’t to offer a neat solution, but to spark research into dynamic, tactile interfaces that embrace our physicality. I completely agree with this perspective, as VR demonstrates the power of technology when it engages the entire body. It’s entertaining, immersive, and feels closer to what interaction design should be.
At the same time, I know it would be hard to design everything this way. Not every task needs full-body interaction, and sometimes the simplicity of a phone screen is enough. But I do think it’s doable to push more technologies in that direction, blending practicality with embodied experiences. My main takeaway is that the future of interaction design shouldn’t settle for prettier screens; it should aim for interfaces that make us feel connected to our bodies and the environments around us. VR proves that this is possible, and even if it’s challenging to apply everywhere, it’s a direction worth pursuing.