University of Guelph Royal Winter Fair AR Experience

Challenge

The University of Guelph activates a 2,700 square foot exhibit at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. The goal is to allow visitors to experience how science, technology, the arts and entrepreneurship are changing the way we grow, think about and consume food. The challenge is to provide interactive activities to generate discussion around the challenging issues the University of Guelph research is addressing.

Solution

First Descent suggested to U of G that it reinvent an already existing quiz that was used in the ‘Discovering Connections between Animals, Humans and the Environments’. The intent of the quiz was to better inform that public about “One Health” research and the links between these three things. First Descent’s approach was to bring that quiz to life with augmented reality. We addressed each of the three areas covered by the quiz – animal health (Horses), and zoonoses and public health (Mosquitos and Ticks). We created markers that blended into the booth and encouraged discovery. Each of the marker mats when scanned with iPads® passed out by University of Guelph staff working the booth, would display a three-dimensional rendering of each of the three quiz pillars.

For example: When the mat featuring an image of a pasture was scanned, a large horse would appear to be standing on the mat in the space, its head is moving and its hoof pawing at the ground. Three-dimensional nodes would appear around the animal and as users moved around the image and touched these on the iPad® screen, question tiles would appear. Touching these question tiles once they've been read would then reveal the answer.

Benefit

Rather than the “same old – same old” experience, the AR application offered a truly unique experience. The app also offered the staff in the booth a novel way to engage and open a dialogue with visitors.