I'm currently developing a 3D Hub—a digital environment that serves both as a prototype and a framework for exploring the future of spatial web experiences. This project has inspired a larger vision: using A-Frame to create a scalable, web-based cosmos, organized like the early Yahoo directories. Instead of navigating flat links and pages, the web could become an immersive, spatial experience structured as a hierarchy of planets, cities, boroughs, streets, buildings, rooms, and portals. These virtual constructs act as metaphors for organizing and exploring knowledge in a vast, interconnected universe.
Taxonomy: The Backbone of the Spatial Web
The taxonomy forms the backbone of this spatial web, offering intuitive exploration and dynamic interaction. Similar to Yahoo’s early internet directory, this structure guides users spatially, creating a more organic experience of the web. Imagine moving through a digital city—traveling from one borough (a category) to another, entering buildings (sub-categories), strolling down streets (topics), and stepping into rooms (websites or datasets) through portals. The aim is to go beyond traditional interfaces and introduce new, immersive ways of interacting within a spatial web environment.
Background and Expertise
Since 2016, I’ve been designing webXR and A-Frame solutions, working as a product designer for companies in the Bay Area and Los Angeles. My involvement in the XR community has helped shape this vision of spatial navigation. I believe we are close to a breakthrough—a webXR cosmos that can be explored spatially, offering a revolutionary way to interact with digital content. Unlike conventional web experiences, this cosmos can be accessed both offline and online, using a device I developed in 2023 called the "Space-amp." This device encapsulates entire worlds of content into eBook-like files, providing offline capabilities and easy sharing without the need for continuous internet connectivity.
Developing an Open-Source Browser
The next key step is developing an open-source browser to render this spatial web. This browser would organize data into structured blocks, pulling content from a JSON feed generated by web crawlers that fetch encapsulated A-Frame sites. The result would be a universe of knowledge that mimics our physical world—navigable in a shared VR environment or experienced solo. Such a browser would serve as a gateway to digital spaces, allowing users to explore with the same ease as they would in a real city. It also offers endless customization possibilities, enabling social networks or individual users to tailor their own versions of the cosmos.
Prototype: The 3D Hub
Our initial 3D Hub prototype is still in its early stages—a simple white room featuring Earth at its center, surrounded by 10 planets symbolizing core taxonomies. Users can interact by selecting a planet, dragging it, and choosing a city. The room then morphs into a gateway to that city, which contains portals to various websites across the internet. This layered approach to spatial organization opens up new paths for virtual exploration, discussion, and collaboration in VR.
Potential Impact
The potential impact of this project is vast. In a time when the web is increasingly fragmented and driven by algorithms, this spatial web offers an alternative: a curated, navigable universe of knowledge that encourages deeper understanding and shared experiences. It could fundamentally change how we interact with information, providing a more human-centered way of exploring the digital world. The cosmos I envision would allow for both individual and collective discovery, making it a powerful tool for education, research, and social engagement.
Call for Collaboration
To bring this vision to life, collaboration is crucial. I’m eager to explore partnerships within the XR community to help develop the open-source browser and advance the technical infrastructure. I believe this concept has immense potential—not just for technical innovation but for creating a new way of experiencing the web. Together, we can build a space where knowledge is freely explored in an immersive, intuitive format.
Conclusion
I would love to discuss this idea further and welcome any feedback or insights you might have. A collaborative effort from the XR community could be the key to realizing this project, unlocking new possibilities for webXR and redefining digital navigation as we know it.
The potential impact of this project is vast. In a time when the web is increasingly fragmented and driven by algorithms, this spatial web offers an alternative: a curated, navigable universe of knowledge that encourages deeper understanding and shared experiences. It could fundamentally change how we interact with information, providing a more human-centered way of exploring the digital world. The cosmos I envision would allow for both individual and collective discovery, making it a powerful tool for education, research, and social engagement.
To bring this vision to life, collaboration is crucial. I’m eager to explore partnerships within the XR community to help develop the open-source browser and advance the technical infrastructure. I believe this concept has immense potential—not just for technical innovation but for creating a new way of experiencing the web. Together, we can build a space where knowledge is freely explored in an immersive, intuitive format.
I would love to discuss this idea further and welcome any feedback or insights you might have. A collaborative effort from the XR community could be the key to realizing this project, unlocking new possibilities for webXR and redefining digital navigation as we know it.