Group Project

Role: 3D Modeling & Texturing, Logo + Art Assets|
Software: Unity, Blender, Substance Painter
Genre: AR Application

Project Overview

The project involves creating a digital augmented reality (AR) application for smartphones that educates and informs visitors at Broedplaats de Campagne in The Netherlands about biodiversity. The app will allow users to scan QR codes on namecards at the client's physical location. Each scan generates a 3D model of the plant in augmented reality, with an information window providing details such as the plant’s scientific classification, medicinal uses, folklore, growth cycles, and its ecological role in supporting biodiversity.

The AR experience includes:

• Interactive animations showing the plant's growth cycle.

• Zoomable views of the plant and the organisms interacting with it.

• Audio that adapts based on the plant’s characteristics, with a unique musical leitmotif for each plant family.

Objective

• Create an Educational AR Experience: Use augmented reality to educate visitors about the biodiversity of plants in The Netherlands, specifically native species located at Broedplaats de Campagne.

• Provide Accurate and Engaging Scientific Information: Through AR, users will gain access to scientifically accurate and accessible information about the plants they interact with. This includes data on the plant's origins, ecosystem role, medicinal uses, and folklore.

• Promote Biodiversity Awareness: Highlight the interconnectivity of species, showing how plants, insects, and other organisms coexist in ecosystems. The app will emphasize the importance of biodiversity and its contribution to the environment.

• Offer a Fun, Interactive Learning Tool: Make the learning process enjoyable through gamification, where users interact with the plants in a visually appealing way, with rewards such as dynamic music and engaging animations.

Design Guidelines

The design of the app will be based on best practices for augmented reality and user experience (UX), ensuring that users have an intuitive and seamless interaction. Key guidelines include:

• Minimize Text: Limit the amount of on-screen text to avoid clutter. Use clear, concise descriptions and emphasize visuals through 3D models, animations, and audio to provide context.

• Realistic and Immersive Interactions: Strive to create lifelike, interactive 3D models of plants and insects. The AR objects should integrate smoothly into the physical environment, creating a sense of realism.

• Clear User Interface (UI): The UI should be simple, providing easy access to plant information without disrupting the immersive AR experience. Important features such as zooming, rotating, and viewing animations should be intuitive and easily accessible.

• Audio Feedback: Each plant will have a unique musical theme that reflects its characteristics. This music will play continuously in the background, but subtly adjust to represent the plant’s family, giving it more personality.

• Motion Control: Incorporate simple gestures for interaction, such as pinch-to-zoom, swipe-to-rotate, and tap-to-select, ensuring an intuitive experience for all users.