Prompt
“How might we teach the inherent value of life to children?”
An AR app encouraging children's real plant growth, fostering a sense of achievement
Timeline
Scope of work
Tools
Team
I conceived the idea of Planty during my inaugural semester at Parsons DT. As I delved into the domains of digital environments such as AR and VR, I became enamored by the boundless potential these technologies hold, and the growing global fascination with this burgeoning field.
By harnessing this cutting-edge technology, a journey unfolded to unveil pathways that could enrich and elevate human existence, ushering in a life of heightened abundance and joy.
This undertaking, grounded in a deep respect for life, aims to illuminate the inherent value and significance of life through immersive experiences. Planty is fostering a constructive cycle that empowers individuals to engage with both the physical and digital realms through interactive AR technology.
I began by defining my interests and conducting comprehensive research within the chosen domain. This exploration led to the formation of a compelling concept, serving as the bedrock for the final product's design.
Aligned with my vision, the initial phase focused on rigorously testing the viability of AR technology and its seamless integration into the real world. This involved utilizing a combination of physical computing and the Unity platform. With a feasible approach identified to translate the concept into reality, I proceeded to develop an interactive AR app—a platform enabling direct engagement with this groundbreaking technology.
I oversaw the entire spectrum of this process, spanning from ideation to meticulous design implementation. The process culminated in user testing, during which valuable feedback was gathered and earnestly considered. These insights served as the cornerstone for iterative enhancements, ensuring a continual elevation of the product's quality and user experience.
Prompt
“How might we teach the inherent value of life to children?”
Current Status
In contrast to the upbringing of children in the past, today's youngsters have notably fewer chances to directly connect with the natural world, largely due to the prevalence of advanced digital technology. With limited exposure to genuine flora and fauna that thrive in natural settings, contemporary children find themselves with fewer opportunities to cultivate experiences and a diminished curiosity for contemplating and comprehending living organisms. The Child Mind Institute reports that the average American child dedicates a mere 4 to 7 minutes per day to outdoor play, while spending over 7 hours daily in front of screens.
Solutions
Having conducted thorough research and gained a comprehensive understanding of the current lifestyles of our target audiences, I have formulated a range of solutions to address the identified problem. The proposed solutions are as follows:
1. Understanding of the users
After ideating a solution, I conducted interview on 30 students, under their parents’ consent. I divided the primary users into three archetypes: the plant lover, the game lover, and the model student. Then, based on the user types, I defined user archetypes with specific standards by understanding the characteristics of the users.
User Archetype
2. Create a digital twin of the actual plant
I'm opting to provide a digital object that resides in the virtual realm, responding in sync with the real plant's condition. This is facilitated through a virtual twin, a digital replica of a physical object, widely employed to offer instant feedback on user actions. By fostering feelings of connection, enjoyment, and psychological ownership, users can virtually engage with this digital object, particularly if it's linked to the real plant. This correlation encourages real plant growth and redirects attention to the tangible world. Additionally, it offers a means to gather user behavior data in the background, contributing to future enhancements.
3.Gamification
I enhanced engagement and motivation for children through gamification using AR technology. By integrating educational content into captivating scenarios, I aimed to stimulate participation and learning. Through evoking emotions like excitement and achievement, my goal was to establish a lasting emotional connection that children associate with the service. Ultimately, I sought to encourage positive behavior, fostering the growth of plants and imparting the value of life.
Service Structure
Mechanical connection
To connect the actual plant and an AR, I utilized Physical computing, Arduino, Unity, C4D and After effect.
User Story
* Meet Planty for the first time
Leah’s school is sometimes assigned to plant the seed and grow them while the sprout comes out. However, she and her classmates hardly make it happen because of their poor handling. Then, one day, in her biology class, the professor handed out the Planty kit, the smart-pot interlocked with an AR application.
* Get to know planting and Planty
In class, all students plant the seed following the app instructions that they downloaded with a QR code. After planting the seed, Leah activates the smart pot and then opens the app. She feels welcomed on the landing page. In the following pages, she was able to see how the app works while understanding the functions of the app and smart pot.
* Taking care of plant with Planty app
On the homepage, she looked for her seed’s status. Amazing! She was able to see the current status, expected growth, and idle conditions. She feels interested and takes care of the seed following provided information at home.
* Using AR for the first time
One day, she sees a sprout coming out from the pot! She feels fascinated and turns on the AR camera of the app. Wow! A cute-looking digital object is hovering around the sprout! She falls in love with the graphic, takes a picture, and sends it to her classmates. Her friends also send their sprout’s AR photos with different aesthetics.
* Sharing photos with friends and community
The more she wants to present beautiful-looking digital objects, the more she puts effort into her plant. Sharing AR photos become one of the plays between her friends. In class, they also did a competition.
* Learn true value of actual plant from Planty
Learn true value of actual plant from PlantyAfter several months of experience, she became interested in growing plants because she realized the happiness caused by taking care of the living organism and feeling gratification throughout the process.
Service Overall Structure
User Flow
Once the service structure was established, I initiated the development process by crafting a streamlined user flow and information architecture for the mobile app. This meticulous approach aimed to optimize user experiences by aligning with their cognitive patterns. The user flow is distinctly categorized into app-based activities and real-world interactions, clearly delineated through color-coded markers.
Prototyping and Iteration
In the journey towards the ultimate design, I engaged in a series of trial-and-error exercises, employing various hand sketches. These efforts were primarily concentrated on iterating the Home tab and AR screen designs. When making design choices, my focal point was on catering to the prevalent scenarios of usage, namely viewing plant statuses and utilizing the AR camera. The key evaluation criteria were as follows:
1. Simplicity and Information Balance:
Does the service exhibit a straightforward UX structure while delivering an appropriate amount of information?
2. Visual Clarity and Intuitiveness:
Are the visuals within the service distinct and easily comprehensible, enabling users to effortlessly distinguish between different elements as they navigate through the interface?
Final Prototypes - AR visuals
Based on user test results, I crafted discernible feedback mechanisms aimed at fostering user engagement. Upon activating the AR camera, users are presented with the plant's status depicted across three distinct stages.
Lack of water (Moisture Lv 1-49%)
Users will see fog and dangerous-looking pins falling from the sky with sad music as an alert, leading them to give more water to their plant.
Default status (Moisture Lv 50-98%)
Users will see a pleasant-looking scene with sparkles floating in the sky with flowers.
Gratification (Moisture Lv 99-100%)
Users will see some effects that work as a compliment.
Final Prototypes - AR visuals
Based on user test results, I crafted discernible feedback mechanisms aimed at fostering user engagement. Upon activating the AR camera, users are presented with the plant's status depicted across three distinct stages.
Lack of water (Moisture Lv 1-49%)
Users will see fog and dangerous-looking pins falling from the sky with sad music as an alert, leading them to give more water to their plant.
Default status (Moisture Lv 50-98%)
Users will see a pleasant-looking scene with sparkles floating in the sky with flowers.
Gratification (Moisture Lv 99-100%)
Users will see some effects that work as a compliment.
Design system
Prior to developing a High-fidelity prototype, I established a set of visual design principles to ensure a favorable user experience. These principles guided the harmonious design aesthetics by influencing elements like lines, shapes, colors, fonts, and icons, ultimately resulting in a comprehensive and deliberate visual presentation.
High-fi Prototype - App Design
I crafted a comprehensive High-Fidelity Prototype showcasing intricate user experiences and interfaces, encompassing all features. By integrating the established visual design principles, this prototype adeptly captures the anticipated look and ambiance of the final product.
Overall
Demo
Each plant's status hinges on its distinct environmental conditions, including moisture, humidity, and temperature. To assess data usability during the prototype experiment, I specifically gauged moisture levels. I employed a moisture sensor with a probe, capable of quantifying atmospheric and soil water content. By linking this sensor to an Arduino, I transformed soil data into numerical metrics for integration into the virtual realm. In the accompanying video, observe the fluctuations in the AR scene in response to the sensor's moisture readings.
Subsequent to creating the prototype, I executed user testing targeting the intended demographic, individuals aged 10 to 16. Feedback received highlighted their adeptness at detecting variations in AR feedback. However, participants expressed a desire for enhanced text-based cues, such as a score indicating success. In response, I intend to enrich the plant-user interaction by introducing text-based feedback, likely in the form of speech bubbles or floating icons positioned around the plant.