By: Kelvin Yu

In an era where technology evolves faster than ever, designers play a crucial role—not just in shaping interfaces, but in shaping how we live, work, and connect. Yuehui Du is one such designer. With a background that spans architecture, extended reality (XR), artificial intelligence (AI), and now healthcare and art, she brings a unique systems-thinking lens to every product she touches.

Her career is marked by a deep commitment to turning complex technology into meaningful, intuitive experiences. From helping users navigate immersive AR platforms to building AI-powered tools for well-being, Yuehui’s work reflects a larger purpose: making emerging technologies more human.

A Journey Through Emerging Tech

Yuehui’s design journey began in architecture, where she first learned how environments shape human behavior. That foundation led her into the world of XR, where she worked on system-level interactions for AR glasses at Rokid and contributed to Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy XR project, known as Project Moohan. Through this hands-on work with advanced hardware and software, she discovered her passion for translating complex systems into experiences that feel intuitive and human.

What drew her in was the unique role design plays as a bridge—connecting increasingly complex technologies like AR, VR, and AI back to people by making them understandable, emotionally resonant, and genuinely useful. That mindset has carried her into new domains, most recently in healthtech, where she now leads product design as a founding team member at a startup focused on AI-driven healthcare experiences.

Designing for Human Well-being

The shift from immersive XR platforms to healthcare wasn’t a detour for Yuehui—it was a natural evolution rooted in her design values. She began focusing more on wellness and healthcare with the belief that design should support people in their everyday lives, especially in moments of emotional and economic uncertainty.

That transition took shape at Erbal, a wellness e-commerce startup, where she designed one of the industry’s first AI-assisted herbal shopping experiences. The product empowered users to explore personalized remedies tailored to their health needs, blending branding, communication, and UX into a cohesive, award-winning journey. It marked a turning point in her career, showing how technology and care could intersect in ways that are not only functional but deeply meaningful.

Now, at her current healthcare startup, Yuehui brings that same ethos into building a comprehensive AI-powered care platform. Rather than chasing features, she’s focused on crafting thoughtful, user-centered systems—tools that bring people back to themselves, centered on care, connection, and well-being. It’s this vision that drives her: creating products that support clarity and confidence in daily life, rather than simply prioritizing innovation for its own sake.

Designing Across Disciplines

Outside of traditional product work, Yuehui continues to explore her passion for immersive storytelling through collaborations with artists. Her recent project, Narcissus Bug, an AR installation created with artist Curaxuan, merges interaction design, narrative, and audience participation. It has been chosen for exhibition at ICIDS 2025 Art Exhibition: Kaleidoscopic Machines in Malta, showcasing how emerging technologies can also power emotional, sensory art.

Her ability to navigate both the commercial and creative realms points to a broader truth: that design is no longer confined to screens or products. It’s a tool for shaping how people feel, think, and live—whether in a museum, a hospital, or a digital space.

Looking Ahead

As emerging technologies continue to evolve, Yuehui believes that designers have a responsibility to stay intentional. “It’s not just about what the tech can do—it’s about what it should do,” she says. “To stay ahead, we need to look beyond the interface and understand the context, behavior, and systems that surround it.”

Her advice to fellow designers? Stay curious. Stay grounded. And don’t lose sight of the human being on the other side of the screen—or headset.