When design historians look back on 2015, they will likely point out two major trends.
The first? The UIs of 2015 effortlessly stride between cyberspace and meatspace, from Microsoft's HoloLens to MIT's Lineform, a snakebot that can morph into any gadget you want. The second: The rise of ambient interfaces, so-called zero UIs that can range from virtual secretaries to clothes that work like touchscreens.
In the slide show above, you'll see some of 2015's boldest ideas in interface design: from apps that let you paint in mid-air like Picasso, to earbuds that tune you into the world, instead of tuning the world out. As we head it into the New Year, consider it a primer on what the sci-fi visionaries of today are trying to make the reality of tomorrow.