EBSCO
vitalizes the niche of academic researchers who want convenient and precise means of researching
Duration
Spring 2024
Role
Product Designer
For
Mixed reality landmark/art viewing experience while walking in real life
Collaborators
Minsung Kang, Julianna Bolivar, Adrian Schmidt
MY ROLE
HCI Researcher / Designer
With two designers, I co-led interface designs, new product features, user research, and design systems. I collaborated closely with developers from Oracle and UC San Diego asynchronously to ship features such as, customized libraries, algorithmic feed, and purchase method.
OVERVIEW
ArtWalk: Discovering hidden beauty in the streets
ArtWalk operates on Apple Vision Pro and discovers architecture, directions towards landmarks and public art. It combines smart glasses, with Asynch User comments through IoT networks to enable a mixed reality experience for users.
01. Overview
Main features and their purposes
END PRODUCT
Mixed-Reality application
ArtWalk is a Mixed-Reality application that supports users to find public art, architecture and experiences in th world around them.
Defining domain
Domestric Tourism
Before jumping into design, we wanted to look at the project form a business point of view to see if ARTwalk brings any profitability and scability potentials for further expansions of the product and the service.
Domestic tourism
Growth rate of 17.7% per year (predicted up to 2030)
International tourism
International tourism will rise by 15% this year compared to 2023
Rise in self-guided travel
More and more resources → a need for curation
Considering ethical implications
Ethical Goals
ARtWalk makes it easy for people to learn about the public art and landmarks they see every day. Often, we pass by art and architecture without knowing their stories—ARtWalk helps bring that information to light and makes it accessible to everyone.
The platform also welcomes community contributions, encouraging people to add local landmarks to the database. ARtWalk supports the voices of local and marginalized artists, believing that when these communities work together, it moves us toward collective freedom. Users can both share and find inspiration.
MIXED REALITY
Spatial Computing
After uncovering user pain points, we investigated and found that these issues stem from specific underlying problems.
Technical issues make it hard to improve the loading speed of the system while displaying high quality 3D modelling
Lack of varieties in the types of uploaded contents in the gallery spaces
MIXED REALITY
IoT
After uncovering user pain points, we investigated and found that these issues stem from specific underlying problems.
Technical issues make it hard to improve the loading speed of the system while displaying high quality 3D modelling
Lack of varieties in the types of uploaded contents in the gallery spaces
Asynch User Comments
Through IoT Network
Smart Glasses
Smart Glasses
ARtWalk Directions
Towards Landmarks
Discover Architecture
Discover Public Art
Asynch User Comments
Through IoT Network
Smart Glasses
Smart Glasses
ARtWalk Directions
Towards Landmarks
Discover Architecture
Discover Public Art
Guidelines
Design system website
Along with final designs based on Apple’s vision pro, our team put together a website outlining key tokens, components, principles, as well as a conceptual model for first time users of ArtWalk.
We made sure this guideline provides a foundation for creating further designs on the product.
Guides
As a visual cue that there is a landmark nearby, users will be guided by white footsteps. The footsteps repeat themselves and increase in opacity the closer they are to the landmark. This element encourages the user to lower their line of sight and follow a mysterious path.
Do’s and Don’ts
When a user is notified of a landmark nearby, pairs of footsteps appear at a time in front of the user to guide them towards the landmark.
Do use #FFFFFF, show 5 pairs of footsteps at a time at 100% opacity. Once the user approaches, the footsteps begin to fade away.
Do notify and begin to show footsteps once the user is 500ft from a landmark.
Do show footsteps leading the way towards a landmark when the user selects to navigate towards a landmark that is farther away.
Don’t show footsteps without the magic circle at the end of the journey.
Specifications
Size of footprints are US Men’s shoe size 12
Spaces between each footstep are 8” apart
Footprints appear in 5 pairs at a time, originally at 100% opacity in #FFFFFF
As the user moves towards the footsteps, and is less than 10ft away, they begin fading away gradually from 100% in increments of 20, disappearing within 500ms
Interactions While Immersed
Tap to make selections
Listen to recorded audio
Walk to follow navigation
Frame and pinch to take photos
ARtWalk Design System
Back
FINAL PRODUCT
Prototyping
After uncovering user pain points, we investigated and found that these issues stem from specific underlying problems.
Technical issues make it hard to improve the loading speed of the system while displaying high quality 3D modelling
Lack of varieties in the types of uploaded contents in the gallery spaces
ARtWalk
SF Pro 12px bold
SF Pro 16px bold
SF Pro 24px bold
SF Pro 34px bold
SF Pro 48px bold
SF Pro 12px bold
SF Pro 16px bold
SF Pro 24px bold
SF Pro 34px bold
SF Pro 48px bold
SF Pro 12px Regular
SF Pro 16px Regular
SF Pro 24px Regular
SF Pro 34px Regular
SF Pro 48px Regular
SF Pro 12px semibold
SF Pro 16px semibold
SF Pro 24px semibold
SF Pro 34px semibold
SF Pro 48px semibold
White
R255 G255 B255
#FFFFFF
Black
R0 G0 B0
#000000
Gray
R152 G152 B157
#98989D
Brown
R172 G142 B104
#AC8E68
Pink
R255 G55 B95
#FF375F
Purple
R191 G90 B242
#BF5AF2
Indigo
R94 G92 B230
#5E5CE6
Blue
R10 G132 B255
#0A84FF
Cyan
R90 G200 B245
#5AC8F5
Teal
R106 G196 B220
#6AC4DC
Mint
R102 G212 B207
#66D4CF
Green
R50 G215 B75
#32D74B
Yellow
R255 G214 B10
#FFD60A
Orange
R255 G159 B10
#FF9F0A
Red
R255 G69 B58
#FF453A
What does it sound like in the morning?
Successfully Recorded
Nightingale Audio
Now Playing
Nightingale Audio
“They keep changing the scarf!”
Comment left by Angela S.
Tufa Bridge
Edit
Nightingale
42
River
Windy
Grass
Whistle
Bristling
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G
H
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J
K
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ITERATION 1
Movie scenario
From these interviews, we were able to distinguish what improvements should be made to make a more easily accessible customizble, interactive, and less time-consuming uploading process
ITERATION 2
Movide scenario 2
We researched different 3D platforms, finding issues like slow and complex VR experiences, compatibility issues, and user understanding gaps.
Final Design
Discovering landmarks
The final design of my VR product makes landmarks easy to see and access for everyone. It supports open access to information, so more people can learn about public spaces. It also lets users add their own landmarks, encouraging community contributions to build a richer, more diverse experience.
Final Design
Recording Audio
The audio recording feature lets everyone easily record and listen to messages at landmarks. It supports open access, so anyone can hear the recordings. It also encourages community input, allowing users to add their own voices and share their experiences.
Final Design
Adding Comments
The final design lets everyone easily see and share comments on landmarks. It supports open information, so all users can learn from each other. It also encourages community input, allowing anyone to add their thoughts and make the experience more meaningful.
Final Design
Prototyping the projection
aims to be equally perceptible and available to all users, enabling more people to engage with landmarks
believes in open access to information
encourages the addition of landmarks to the database from community contributions
Final Design
Prototyping the projection
aims to be equally perceptible and available to all users, enabling more people to engage with landmarks
believes in open access to information
encourages the addition of landmarks to the database from community contributions
Final Design
Accessiblity
Effective human-computer interaction involves offering information in multiple formats, ensuring accessibility and clarity for diverse users. Customizable settings allow individuals to tailor their experience to personal preferences or needs, enhancing usability. Interfaces often incorporate gestural cues and buttons to support intuitive navigation and direct control. Additionally, audio interactions expand the modes of communication, enabling hands-free operation and improving inclusivity for users with different abilities.
