Projects — Daichi Ito

Panorama Retreats

I made an Apple Vision Pro app, Panorama Retreats.

Panorama Retreats is designed to expand how Apple Vision Pro users can use Personal Environments while working, focusing, browsing, or watching media.

One of my favorite Apple Vision Pro workflows is using Mac Virtual Display inside immersive Environments such as Bora Bora or Haleakalā. Changing my surroundings helps me focus and makes long work sessions more enjoyable.

When visionOS 27 introduced Personal Environments from panoramic images, I experimented with converting my own concept artwork rather than conventional photographs. I found that when the artwork was carefully prepared with appropriate panoramic projection and perspective, visionOS could transform it into a convincing spatial environment. Feeling as though I was actually inside an imaginary city inspired me to create Panorama Retreats.

The app includes original imaginary cityscapes designed with immersive viewing in mind. Users can preview each scene, personalize them with their photo or a calendar, and save them and convert them to environments.

The goal is to provide a new kind of workspace or retreat: instead of simply viewing concept art, users can surround themselves with an imaginary world while working with Mac Virtual Display or using other visionOS apps.

Panorama Retreats

The Imaginary Route

I created a YouTube channel where I share immersive journeys through imaginary cities.

Starting with my original concept art, I use AI to bring these worlds to life through walking tours, aerial journeys, and slow gondola rides along canals. You can explore the streets, architecture, waterways, and atmosphere as if you were actually inside these imaginary places.

There’s no music and no narration—just the sights and natural ambient sounds of the environment.

Turn your screen into a window to an imaginary world, and enjoy the journey.

Imaginary city of weathered wooden houses raised on rusted steel towers, titled Imaginary City Walk — Imaginary City Walk on The Imaginary Route

The Imaginary Route

Balance Supporter for Apple Vision Pro

I see huge potential in Apple Vision Pro, and I’ve been using it almost every day.

As my workflow has expanded, weight has become the biggest issue. The new Dual Knit Band is definitely an improvement over the Solo Knit Band, but it still isn’t quite comfortable enough for longer sessions.

So I spent a few weekends redesigning my Balance Supporter to work with the Dual Knit Band. This updated version shifts more of the weight to the top of the head, and for me, the comfort improvement is significant. I can now wear Vision Pro for much longer periods without discomfort.

I’ve shared the design on Printables for anyone who wants to try it. I hope it helps other Vision Pro users who are looking for better long-term comfort.

Custom 3D-printed Balance Supporter fitted to an Apple Vision Pro with the Dual Knit Band — Balance Supporter on the Apple Vision Pro (Dual Knit Band)

Balance Supporter for Apple Vision Pro with Dual Knit Band
Balance Supporter for Apple Vision Pro with Solo Knit Band

3D Edge Printing

Inspired by fore-edge painting, a historic book-edge painting technique dating back to the 10th century, I developed a technology that creates naked-eye 3D effects on the edges of books using standard paper and ink.

My prototype app processes 3D content through a specialized algorithm and imports the results directly into existing InDesign files.

The project was showcased at Adobe MAX Japan 2023.

Naked-eye 3D effect printed on the edges of stacked books — Naked-eye 3D effect on standard book edges

3D Edge Printing exhibited at the Adobe MAX Japan 2023 booth — Showcased at Adobe MAX Japan 2023

Image-to-Avatar Translation

We developed a prototype tool that automatically generates 2D and 3D caricature avatars from a facial photograph. This work was published at ICCV 2023.

My Contributions

Proposed the initial concept and led the project
Developed the 2D and 3D avatar generation pipeline
Created and managed the dataset generation process

Live-driven 2D caricature avatar in Adobe Character Animator

Generated 3D caricature avatar

Portrait → rendered → parametric vector avatar

First page of the ICCV 2023 paper — Published at ICCV 2023

ICCV
Caricatures

** For projects within Adobe and Adobe Research, I only share work that is already public, as these projects are confidential.

Artwork

I enjoy creating different types of artwork using a wide range of tools and media, including traditional materials. Below are selected examples of my work. Please visit my Behance page to see more.

Behance
Caricatures

Concept city image painted with Fresco and Firefly — Concept city image, painted with Fresco and polished with Firefly

Concept image painted with Fresco and Photoshop

Illustration created with Adobe Illustrator

Landscape painting created with Fresco’s oil painting brush

3D painting created with CanvoX

3D scene created with Blender and Photoshop

Caricature illustration created with Fresco

Trick Art

This is a side project I created to make our research floor a little more entertaining. The artwork itself is completely flat, but from certain angles, it appears three-dimensional. Visitors can stand in front of it and take photos that make it look like they are interacting with the animals.

Interacting with a flat aquarium mural that appears three-dimensional — Aquarium mural — flat art that reads as 3D

Feeding a pig that appears to pop out of a framed picture — A pig that pops out of its frame

Catching an egg from a hen that appears to emerge from a framed picture — Catching an egg from a framed hen

Bēchance

Photoshop Filters

I developed the Tree Generator, Flame Generator, and Picture Frame Generator, which shipped in Photoshop CC as Render filters.

These filters render customizable tree, flame, and picture frame images directly onto the canvas.

In Photoshop, they can be found under:

Filter → Render → Flame…
Filter → Render → Tree…
Filter → Render → Picture Frame…

My contributions included the initial concept, algorithm design, and implementation in C++ and JavaScript.

The Tree render filter dialog in Photoshop generating a customizable tree — Tree Generator

The Flame render filter dialog in Photoshop generating flames along a path — Flame Generator

The Picture Frame render filter dialog in Photoshop generating a decorative frame — Picture Frame Generator

Photoshop Add-ons

I developed Comic Kit and Deco Tools as Photoshop add-ons.

Comic Kit lets users quickly add screen patterns, zoom lines, and speed lines to illustrations or comic pages. All effects are highly customizable and include presets for common patterns.

Deco Tools lets users generate customizable dotted lines, zigzag lines, pipes, and rainbows along paths.

My contributions included the initial concept and algorithm design.

Speed and zoom lines added to a manga illustration with Comic Kit — Comic Kit — speed and zoom lines on a comic page

The Deco Tools Pipe dialog rendering a pipe along a path in Photoshop — Deco Tools — a pipe rendered along a path

Comic Kit
Deco Tools for Photoshop

Watercolor Algorithm

I developed a vector-based watercolor painting algorithm that shipped in Eazel for iPad 2. Adobe used this algorithm in Eazel, its first painting app for iPad.

My contributions included the initial concept and core algorithm design.

A finger painting a red watercolor stroke in Adobe Eazel on iPad — Vector watercolor painting in Adobe Eazel for iPad

Demo

Image Tools in Adobe Flash (Deco scripts)

I developed Fire Animation, Smoke Animation, and five additional image and animation tools for Adobe Flash, which shipped in Adobe Flash CS5.

My contributions included the initial concept and core algorithm design.

The Fire Animation Deco effect rendering a flame on the canvas in Adobe Flash CS5 — Fire Animation Deco effect in Adobe Flash CS5