On Head
Detection
Bose QC Ultra Headphones
On Head
Detection
Bose QC Ultra Headphones
Case
CONTEXT
Leveraging an accelerometer, a capacitive proximity sensor, and additional orientation cues to help users get the best wear-based automatic power, connectivity, and playback experiences.
ROLE
Lead UX Designer —
Created the state-to-state logic for On Head Detection (OHD) and conceptualized & lead the invention of orientation based auto-disconnection (patent pending).
IMPACT
Establishing the new design standard for power and connection experiences on premium Bose headphones
An additional patent to the Bose legacy
Quantifiable increase in user satisfaction from 1st to 2nd gen Bose QC Ultra Headphones
TIMELINE
2024-2025
RELEVANT PRODUCTS
Bose QC Ultra Headphones 1st & 2nd Gen
Case
CONTEXT
Leveraging an accelerometer, a capacitive proximity sensor, and additional orientation cues to help users get the best wear-based automatic power, connectivity, and playback experiences.
ROLE
Lead UX Designer —
Created the state-to-state logic for On Head Detection (OHD) and conceptualized & lead the invention of orientation based auto-disconnection (patent pending).
IMPACT
Establishing the new design standard for power and connection experiences on premium Bose headphones
An additional patent to the Bose legacy
Quantifiable increase in user satisfaction from 1st to 2nd gen Bose QC Ultra Headphones
TIMELINE
2024-2025
RELEVANT PRODUCTS
Bose QC Ultra Headphones 1st & 2nd Gen
Design
Automatically disconnect Bluetooth™ when doffed to a flat cup position
Pause content when the product is removed from the user's head
Enter low power state after product isn't used for a while
Start up from low power state upon donning
Design
Automatically disconnect Bluetooth™ when doffed to a flat cup position
Pause content when the product is removed from the user's head
Enter low power state after product isn't used for a while
Start up from low power state upon donning
Considerations
Solid Data
Automatic UX depends on crucial data coming together to indicate a product’s realtime state.
Accuracy
Inaccuracy is costly.
False positives erode trust. False negatives can break continuity in sessions.
Adaptability
The system must work across personal characteristics, motion patterns, and environments.
Constraints
Sensor Array
A limited set of sensors is available to infer wear state, orientation, and thermal data.
Latency Sensitivity
Signals must be read consistently and accurately in order to reliably indicate new position and appropriately enter the associated product state.
Interaction Variance
A single experience must account for usage variability to a high level of individuality beyond simple physiognomy.
Edge Cases
Ambiguous positions and interactions create edge cases. These must be tied to a most probable product state.
Determinations
Favor Active Usage
Skewing sensors toward sensitivity for in-use states is favorable.
Sensor calibration works on a spectrum from a “worn” to an “off” state. Interruption is more painful to the user than a product that doesn’t power off systematically.
Keep the Button
Offer a manual power option.
The product needs to fail gracefully and allow room for correction. An undetected positional change requires a quick and intuitive manual fallback. When full capability isn’t possible, clarity remains.
Quickly Communicate
Indicate the product is on before full boot up is complete.
Communication is key. Users benefit from knowing the system is working as intended, even if the product hasn't fully transitioned to its end state.
Final Flow
Hover over the information icons to learn more about how the system is designed.
SYSTEM OFF
PWR PRESS
SYSTEM BOOT UP
INITIALIZATION
PWR PRESS OR DON
SYSTEM ON
3 SEC TIMER
NO
PWR LONG PRESS
SYSTEM HIBERNATE
USER DOFFS IS POSITION WEAR READY?
SYSTEM STANDBY
YES
10 MIN TIMER
20 MIN TIMER
BATTERY DEPLETION
To communicate boot up success, visual and audio feedback plays before system is on.
If the unit isn't on head, doesn't connect wirelessly once the system is on, and/or isn't wired in, the unit will go to standby.
Unit disconnects after 3sec when cups are laid flat on a table or stored in their case.
Cups are wear ready in all positions except both laying flat at the same time.
Unit remains connected for 10min if the cups are in a wear ready position.
![](data:image/svg+xml,<svg display="block" id="2892557225" role="presentation" viewBox="0 0 104 13" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M 60.895 0 C 60.379 0.004 59.873 0.147 59.427 0.416 C 58.98 0.684 58.609 1.069 58.349 1.532 C 57.865 2.405 56.501 4.874 56.009 5.748 C 55.901 5.935 55.844 6.147 55.843 6.362 C 55.84 6.578 55.894 6.791 55.998 6.979 C 56.102 7.167 56.252 7.322 56.433 7.429 C 56.612 7.536 56.818 7.591 57.027 7.589 L 65.147 7.589 C 65.147 7.589 63.922 9.791 63.69 10.211 C 63.589 10.404 63.439 10.565 63.258 10.677 C 63.078 10.789 62.87 10.849 62.657 10.849 L 61.395 10.849 C 61.31 10.848 61.226 10.824 61.153 10.78 C 61.078 10.736 61.016 10.673 60.972 10.598 C 60.928 10.522 60.902 10.436 60.899 10.348 C 60.895 10.26 60.913 10.172 60.951 10.093 C 61.104 9.807 61.438 9.219 61.438 9.219 L 54.071 9.219 L 53.004 11.14 C 52.896 11.328 52.838 11.54 52.835 11.757 C 52.832 11.974 52.884 12.189 52.986 12.378 C 53.089 12.568 53.237 12.726 53.417 12.837 C 53.596 12.948 53.801 13.007 54.011 13.01 L 67.77 13.01 C 68.297 13.009 68.814 12.863 69.268 12.588 C 69.723 12.313 70.1 11.917 70.36 11.442 C 70.884 10.494 72.115 8.262 72.647 7.314 C 73.179 6.365 72.506 5.424 71.66 5.424 L 63.543 5.424 L 65.04 2.724 C 65.146 2.551 65.294 2.408 65.47 2.308 C 65.644 2.209 65.841 2.158 66.041 2.158 L 67.307 2.158 C 67.389 2.158 67.469 2.18 67.541 2.22 C 67.613 2.261 67.674 2.319 67.719 2.389 C 67.764 2.46 67.792 2.541 67.8 2.625 C 67.807 2.709 67.795 2.795 67.764 2.873 C 67.635 3.118 67.248 3.79 67.248 3.79 L 74.603 3.79 C 74.603 3.79 75.3 2.542 75.708 1.807 C 75.803 1.62 75.85 1.411 75.846 1.2 C 75.841 0.99 75.784 0.784 75.68 0.602 C 75.578 0.422 75.431 0.271 75.253 0.164 C 75.079 0.059 74.879 0.002 74.675 0 L 60.895 0 Z M 55.073 0 L 41.332 0 C 40.815 0.003 40.308 0.144 39.859 0.409 C 39.409 0.675 39.033 1.056 38.767 1.517 C 38.231 2.476 33.872 10.327 33.399 11.174 C 32.925 12.02 33.575 13.004 34.422 13.004 L 48.187 13.004 C 48.705 13.003 49.213 12.862 49.663 12.596 C 50.112 12.329 50.488 11.947 50.753 11.485 C 51.237 10.616 55.656 2.66 56.115 1.828 C 56.216 1.639 56.268 1.428 56.265 1.213 C 56.262 0.999 56.206 0.789 56.1 0.603 C 55.996 0.419 55.846 0.266 55.664 0.159 C 55.485 0.053 55.281 -0.002 55.073 0 Z M 48.15 2.928 C 47.951 3.281 44.297 9.863 44.094 10.233 C 43.99 10.42 43.84 10.574 43.661 10.682 C 43.483 10.79 43.279 10.848 43.071 10.849 L 41.793 10.849 C 41.708 10.848 41.624 10.825 41.551 10.781 C 41.477 10.737 41.415 10.674 41.371 10.599 C 41.327 10.523 41.303 10.438 41.299 10.35 C 41.296 10.262 41.315 10.174 41.353 10.095 L 45.424 2.758 C 45.53 2.575 45.679 2.424 45.857 2.319 C 46.034 2.215 46.236 2.159 46.441 2.158 L 47.723 2.158 C 47.81 2.157 47.896 2.18 47.971 2.225 C 48.047 2.27 48.11 2.335 48.153 2.413 C 48.197 2.492 48.219 2.581 48.219 2.671 C 48.218 2.761 48.195 2.85 48.15 2.928 Z M 35.502 0 L 19.978 0 L 13.95 10.85 L 0 10.85 L 0 13.012 L 28.597 13.012 C 29.12 13.014 29.634 12.872 30.087 12.601 C 30.54 12.329 30.917 11.938 31.178 11.467 C 31.726 10.483 32.587 8.919 32.956 8.248 C 33.325 7.578 32.935 6.723 32.249 6.505 C 32.758 6.494 33.257 6.349 33.698 6.084 C 34.14 5.819 34.509 5.443 34.773 4.989 C 35.272 4.097 36.063 2.66 36.516 1.843 C 36.621 1.656 36.676 1.445 36.677 1.231 C 36.678 1.016 36.624 0.805 36.521 0.617 C 36.418 0.43 36.27 0.275 36.091 0.167 C 35.913 0.059 35.71 0.001 35.502 0 Z M 27.259 8.354 C 27.075 8.691 26.453 9.804 26.208 10.245 C 26.107 10.431 25.959 10.585 25.781 10.691 C 25.605 10.797 25.402 10.852 25.196 10.85 L 21.3 10.85 L 23.114 7.589 L 26.83 7.589 C 26.916 7.589 27.001 7.612 27.076 7.657 C 27.151 7.702 27.214 7.766 27.256 7.843 C 27.3 7.921 27.323 8.009 27.323 8.099 C 27.324 8.188 27.301 8.276 27.259 8.354 Z M 30.27 2.925 C 30.086 3.262 29.464 4.376 29.22 4.816 C 29.119 5.002 28.971 5.156 28.793 5.262 C 28.616 5.368 28.413 5.423 28.207 5.421 L 24.312 5.421 L 26.119 2.159 L 29.836 2.159 C 29.923 2.158 30.009 2.181 30.084 2.225 C 30.16 2.27 30.223 2.334 30.267 2.411 C 30.311 2.489 30.335 2.578 30.335 2.668 C 30.336 2.758 30.314 2.846 30.27 2.925 Z M 78.781 0 L 71.555 13.01 L 89.069 13.01 L 90.27 10.85 L 80.106 10.85 L 81.917 7.588 L 92.081 7.588 L 93.284 5.424 L 83.119 5.424 L 84.934 2.157 L 104.011 2.158 L 104.011 0 Z" fill="rgb(255, 255, 255)" height="13.012275086640633px" id="erxeGQqvl" width="104.01054655930102px"/></svg>)
Bose QC Ultra Headphones
Bose QC Ultra Headphones
The Bose QC Ultra Headphones 1st and 2nd generations are Bose’s highest selling consumer electronic product since launch, with tens of millions of units sold.
Bose QC Ultra Headphones
The Bose QC Ultra Headphones 1st and 2nd generations are Bose’s highest selling consumer electronic product since launch, with tens of millions of units sold.
Due to the nature of my NDA and respect for my employer, I cannot further expand on developmental processes or use internal language and terminology. This is all in an effort to protect IP.
For more details on the design process for this project, please view the full case study on a desktop or tablet.