The following link leads to an augmented reality (AR) experience focusing on the evolution of Apple’s products over an 18 year span. We collaborated with the Stanford Library Archives and the Computer History Museum to create three unique experiences with original Apple prototypes.
The AR scans include 5 original Apple prototypes: the Apple I and Apple II computers, the Lisa Mouse, the Macintosh Motherboard, and the iPod. Each object is accompanied by an interactive experience and audio elements telling its origin story.
The AR experiences are arranged in scenes, described below. These experiences can be activated through links utilizing Apple App clips on IOS iPhone and iPad devices.
Where does the term “hacking” come from? The first experience answers this question and explores the origins of Apple computers. The two prototypes highlight the conflicting philosophies of Apple’s founders.
How do you market a product no one has ever seen before? See how Apple transformed their computers from boutique devices to everyday machines through unique additions that put the consumer first.
How big was the iPod prototype? Find the shocking answer in this final experience and explore Apple’s innovation beyond computers. You’ll see why the iPod is making a comeback in 2026.
Special thanks to Kirsten Tashen, Hansen Hsu, and curators at the Computer History Museum and Charles Peterson, Harold Hohbach Historian at the Silicon Valley Archives at Stanford.
Cate Peters ('27) is studying communication, film, and media studies at Stanford University. She started her journalism career in high school contributing to DyeStat and RunnerSpace, a national running news website. During the school year, she is a sports desk editor at The Stanford Daily. Last summer, Cate was a reporting intern at SFGATE. She is also a D1 athlete on Stanford’s track and field team and a San Francisco Bay Area native.
Meisi (she/her) graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a bachelor's degree in journalism and information science. She's passionate about exploring innovative storytelling approaches through data analysis, news applications, AI workflow development and immersive VR/AR experiences. Currently, Meisi works at Big Local News on the Police Records Access Project with the California Reporting Project. She's the first impact intern at CalMatters. During undergraduate studies, Meisi worked at a computational communication research group, where she analyzed vaccine skepticism and misinformation on social media, contributing examples for supervised learning in model development. She also gained experience translating complex social science, medical and environmental research into accessible content for the lay public through various internships. In her free time, Meisi enjoys playing tennis and watching live music and sports—especially Premier League and Formula 1.
Ziyu (Julian) Zhu is a multimedia journalist born and raised in Beijing, China. He earned his undergraduate degree in Journalism from Boston University in May 2025. With a passion for photography since middle school, Julian focused on his studies in photojournalism during his time at BU. Since 2023, Julian has worked as a freelance photographer for China Xinhua News Agency, covering major news events around the Greater Boston area and the New England region, and from June to August 2024, Julian interned at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as a multimedia journalist. Julian received multiple recognitions for his works, including a finalist in the Spot News category at the College Photographer of the Year (CPOY) contest in October 2024, and a Best in Show award at the Boston Press Photographers Association’s (BPPA) Annual College Student Photography Contest in April 2023, etc. Some of Julian’s works have also been reprinted in major media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The Rolling Stones, and The Associated Press. At Stanford, Julian plans to deepen his research in visual journalism and multimedia storytelling, exploring how photo and video journalism can shape public understanding. He looks forward to working under the mentorship of Stanford’s expert faculty and contributing to campus news and media services. In his free time, Julian enjoys reading, analog photography, and Legos.
Paige Plater ('28) is a student at Stanford University studying economics. She plans on pursuing Broadcast Journalism professionally. She is a member of The Stanford Daily and a campus tour guide. Paige is passionate about visual storytelling and loves to creatively use media.
Xiyuan Wu (she/her) is a senior at Stanford University studying computer science and film and media studies. Her work sits at the intersection of technology, storytelling, and visual culture: she has conducted human-computer interaction research on tools for creative practice, worked with large language model systems in industry, and collaborated on film and documentary projects in both technical and production roles. Across research, journalism, and filmmaking, she is interested in how emerging technologies shape what people can see, know, and express, and in how complex ideas can be made accessible through engaging storytelling. At Stanford, she looks forward to strengthening her reporting and multimedia storytelling skills, while bringing an interdisciplinary perspective to questions of media, technology, and public life. In her free time, she enjoys photography, cinema, and music. She's a member of Stanford Sing Plus Plus A Cappella Group.
