Designing the Future

The Human Side of Immersive Tech

Why immersive environments improve learning, retention, and engagement—and what that means for the future. In this episode, the Protocol team sits down with Bobby Carlton from FS Studios to unpack the psychology behind immersive learning. They explore why XR experiences can accelerate skill development, how companies are using them to solve real‑world problems, and what it takes to design training that actually changes behavior. Bobby offers a grounded, practical look at how immersive tech is evolving—and why it’s not just a trend, but a shift in how humans learn.

Designing the Future

XR, Storytelling, and the Systems Behind Immersive Innovation In this episode of Neon Protocol, our roundtable sits down with Annie Eaton, CEO of Futurus and a leading voice in immersive technology. Together, we explore the real systems behind XR innovation — from the creative frameworks that guide experience design to the operational challenges that determine whether immersive tech truly sticks inside organizations. Annie shares insights from her book, The Extended Reality Blueprint [https://www.amazon.com/Extended-Reality-Blueprint-Demystifying-Production/dp/1394207689/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3NQQANQNX3Z6L&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.DOs-7tv5vHdnoaFPungKZNi2SSQbzxhRcnsHjqI-irwtLCrvwOXDtdDN2rtnubND-eDi1E50xY7FuAlmmRpYG6oUfkMTPg9aNTgRYWYGUIR9sgAj2ENU2oiwLdwoouAjX0s1Nl6ED9hjan6UN_DcZU053ZRlHlWPw_PD9fZ_NRRGnUIylRvmWdnnSHbFFNoIo08B4P-KYQWP2weHdLJH2Llcp29KSyeZNCEr7NnDJQ4.89pyc1UDLeXaR27p3LD0_nGjG08NOOoB0_vj48qT98k&dib_tag=se&keywords=annie+eaton&qid=1779376679&sprefix=annie+eaton%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-1], offering a behind‑the‑scenes look at the ideas, lessons, and experiences that shaped her journey as a founder. The conversation dives into the future of spatial computing, the evolving expectations of users, and how organizations can adopt immersive tools in a way that’s strategic, sustainable, and human‑centered. If you’re curious about how XR really gets built, how creative and technical teams collaborate, or what’s coming next in immersive tech, this roundtable lights up the grid.

Eyes of a Stranger

What happens when the future is watching back? In this episode of Neon Protocol, we sit down with Cortney Harding [https://www.amazon.com/Spatial-Race-Prepare-Future-Meta-Physical/dp/B0FJY3PPV5/ref=sr_1_1?crid=347CLNTSRU665&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UlO9DM6xP5WSI7vG2zZn9kDLG1ua-vX8x-nUXXlA-aTx7d0dUKZl-74eX7cm7HD1CxQ35-0Zh_PHQk9n2JzmKg.GoFr5DbL6b3S3Ea3C_Gfxh8cop4z1aAIClgOGL8aSa8&dib_tag=se&keywords=courtney+harding&qid=1779123185&sprefix=courtney+harding%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-1] to unpack the quiet rise of AI‑powered smart glasses—and the hidden cost behind their surprisingly low price. Marketed as seamless, helpful, and hands‑free, these devices promise convenience and intelligence at eye level. But what are we really giving up in exchange? Through the lens of “Eyes of a Stranger,” we explore how always‑on wearables blur the boundary between public and private, observer and observed. From ambient recording and invisible data capture to the normalization of surveillance as a lifestyle feature, this conversation digs into what it means to live in a world where seeing is also collecting. Cortney brings clarity to the trade‑offs: why accessibility and affordability often come paired with diminished privacy, how consent becomes murky in shared spaces, and what it means when technology doesn’t just watch the world—but learns from it. This episode isn’t about fear—it’s about awareness. Because when intelligence moves from our pockets to our faces, the question isn’t just what can these glasses do? It’s who do they see—and who’s watching through them?

Signal vs. Noise: XR and AI

Welcome to Neon Protocol — the show where we go inside the systems shaping what comes next. Each episode brings together members of the Neon Protocol team and a guest who’s actively building, researching, or governing the technologies transforming our world. Founders, engineers, researchers, policymakers, operators — people who aren’t just imagining the future, but constructing it. Together, we break down what’s working, what’s breaking, and what’s emerging across XR, AI, spatial computing, and the infrastructures that support them. The recurring Neon Protocol members form a multidisciplinary group exploring technology as a living system shaped by culture, constraints, and human behavior. Gene Feldman — XR Gene focuses on the evolution of extended reality and AI as a usable, durable medium, bringing historical context and practical insight into adoption and scale. Lucky Gobindram — Kinemeric Lucky works at the intersection of identity, intelligence, and computation, exploring how agentic systems and adaptive software reshape assumptions about users and interaction. Mark Grob — UPS Mark brings the enterprise‑scale view from one of the world’s most complex logistics networks, translating frontier tech into real‑world constraints, reliability, and operational scale. Aditya Mani — Yologram Aditya explores spatial computing, immersive platforms, and the future of presence — how new interfaces change collaboration, memory, and human experience. Emma (Middleton) Valdés — Lowercarbon Capital Emma connects deep tech with planetary outcomes, grounding speculative ideas in energy, carbon, infrastructure, and responsible scale. Damon Shackleford — Endeavor B2B Damon brings the growth‑stage operator lens: how emerging tech becomes real revenue, real teams, and real companies. Ron Thompson — CAIL Ron brings an entrepreneurial perspective on AI and XR, focusing on decision‑making and business outcomes in the enterprise. Mike Vann — Agents of Play Mike works where creativity meets systems design, using gamification, simulation, and experiential engagement to drive learning and behavior change. In this episode, Dr. Bob Stone joins the conversation for a wide‑open look at the current state of XR and AI. With decades of experience in human factors engineering, simulation science, and applied immersive research, Dr. Stone brings a perspective that cuts through hype and gets to what matters. Together, we explore how XR and AI are evolving in parallel, where they meaningfully intersect, and why human‑centered design remains the anchor point for both. The group digs into today’s spatial computing landscape — validation challenges, adoption friction, and the growing role of AI in shaping workflows, training, and real‑world decision‑making.