ITP Thesis Archive 2025

Project Description

Typer is a web application that reimagines typesetting and layout design for the AI era. This tool addresses the critical barriers early-career designers face: complex software interfaces, tedious revision cycles, and accessibility constraints. Through extensive research with many design professionals, we identified that even simple design projects can take 5-6 hours, while complex book layouts might require weeks of work—a significant barrier for creative professionals establishing their practice.
Our platform leverages large language models to automate the most time-consuming aspects of document layout and typesetting, allowing designers to focus on creative decisions rather than technical overhead. Typer provides intuitive tools for text processing, semantic formatting, and professional-quality PDF outputs, bridging the gap between advanced typography capabilities and user-friendly experiences.

Technical Details

Front-End

- Next.js framework with custom WYSIWYG editor
- Real-time PDF preview with typography controls
- Document import/export functionality


Back-End

- RESTful API with vector database
- Document processing pipeline
- PDF rendering engine with typography rules


AI Integration

- LLM semantic analysis for document structuring
- Style rule application based on content context
- Large document handling with chunking


Innovation

- User-AI collaborative environment
- Typography rule framework adapting to content
- Balancing automation with creative control

Research/Context

Presentation:


Typer Playtest Demo: https://youtube.com/watch?v=DVbZrLSwN9Q


... or talk to me I guess hello@me.alan.ooo

Links

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/junhao-ren/
- https://github.com/alanvww/
- https://www.instagram.com/alan.j.ren/
- https://link.alan.ooo/portfolio