Bauer Media
Rayo XR: Redefining Radio in Mixed Reality
Meta Quest Prototype
- Role
- Design & Development
- Year
- 2025
- Disciplines
- Unity • XR/AR/VR • AI Interfaces • Immersive Prototyping • Concept Validation
The Brief
For Bauer Media’s “150 Years of Next” innovation challenge, we were asked to imagine the breakthroughs that could shape Bauer’s future. I partnered with Rayo’s Lead UX Researcher to explore how immersive technologies might transform audio listening over the next 30 years through the lens of Bauer’s cross-platform audio brand, Rayo.
Research & Insight
To ground the concept we spoke with senior Bauer stakeholders about XR’s potential to:
Key opportunity areas emerged:
- Open new revenue streams through sponsored immersive experiences
- Drive audience growth and retention
- Position Bauer as a pioneer in immersive audio
Key opportunity areas emerged:
- XR Events & Concerts Virtual attendance for gigs, festivals, and artist sessions
- Interactive Branded Content Advertiser collaborations for high-impact experiences
- Spatial Podcasts Storytelling enhanced with real-time visuals and interaction
Ideation workshops and future-scenario mapping for Rayo XR.
Design Approach
We ran ideation and sketching workshops to map user needs, business cases, and future scenarios. Several concepts stood out:
Our goal was to deliver a high-fidelity prototype that could:
- AR Station Switcher Gesture-driven carousel for jumping between stations
- Immersive Podcasts & Live Shows Spatial audio + interactive visuals
- XR Competitions & Events Gamified listener engagement
Our goal was to deliver a high-fidelity prototype that could:
- Demonstrate the potential of Rayo XR to Bauer leadership
- Serve as a foundation for future usability testing
Processes:
- Ideation workshops
- Future scenario mapping
- High-fidelity prototyping
The Prototype
Built in Unity using the XR Interaction Toolkit (with a little help from GitHub Copilot), the demo included:
01
Onboarding with AI Guide
A conversational Rayo assistant welcoming listeners and helping them explore.
02
AR Station Switcher
An XR carousel to browse and tune into favourite stations anywhere.
03
Immersive Listening Mode
AR transitioning to VR environment with spatial video and interactive presenter elements.
Rayo XR showcased at Bauer’s 150th Anniversary celebration.
Outcome
Rayo XR was submitted to Bauer’s 150 Year of Next Award, and while it didn’t take the top prize it earned high praise from senior leadership and was showcased at the Bauer 150 Anniversary celebration at London’s Roundhouse.
The project demonstrated how mixed reality could expand Bauer’s listening experience, creating richer, more interactive audio journeys and laying the groundwork for future experiments in immersive radio.
As XR adoption grows, Rayo XR shows how Bauer could evolve from a broadcaster to an interactive, spatial audio platform. Blending radio, gaming, and live events into a single immersive experience.
The project demonstrated how mixed reality could expand Bauer’s listening experience, creating richer, more interactive audio journeys and laying the groundwork for future experiments in immersive radio.
As XR adoption grows, Rayo XR shows how Bauer could evolve from a broadcaster to an interactive, spatial audio platform. Blending radio, gaming, and live events into a single immersive experience.
Niall Quinn 2025