Exploring the birds of The Pittsburgh National Aviary through an immersive mixed-reality experience
An interactive educational experience for young adults
MEMENTO
SHARING
Enable users to disseminate the obtained information about birds
LEARNING
Bridge the gap in providing a thorough and complete overview of birds
GAMIFICATION
Modern tech-based entertainment to help educate & boost visitor numbers
MUTLI SENSORY
Harmonize technology and the National Aviary experience for a holistic blend
Multi-sensory immersive learning experience created for the National Aviary, designed to enable young adults to engage deeply with and learn about birds.
Timeline
6
Weeks
(Including briefing and delivering
Tools
Figma, Unity, Spark AR, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, Aero, Blender,
Dimensions
Responsibilities
UX/UI Design, Concept Design, 3D Modeling, User Research, System Map
The Tropical Rainforest
Has birds mostly from the rainforest regions of the world
You will find The Great Argus in this section of the National Aviary
Has an interactive screen for the user to take a pledge to save birds
The
Reception Desk
Entry
The Wetlands
The Wetlands presented by Peoples is an expansive, indoor habitat where more than 30 different bird species fly freely. The largest habitat at the National Aviary, the Wetlands recently underwent a total renovation!
BIRDLY
a full-body flight simulator, uses virtual reality to let you fly. Soar like an eagle over New York City or go back in time on a Jurassic Flight as a Pterosaur!
The Pittsburgh National Aviary Map
Seek information about the birds from the staff on hand; inefficient due to insufficient staff to assist every aviary visitor
Investigate information online, keeping in mind that there is no guarantee of its accuracy or reliability, or the source of origin
Acquire knowledge by utilizing existing documentation with constrained details regarding the avian species.
Insufficient Documentation
Limited Human Guides
Generic Online Data
The educational and informational system at the Pittsburgh National Aviary was outdated and had...
Existing Experience
Why Redesign The Aviary Experience?
Encourage young adults to foster a sustained interest in birds by providing resources, guidance, and activities to deepen their knowledge.
Promote greater interest in birds among young adults by enabling them to share their experiences and connecting within their community.
Promote environmental conservation and endangered bird species awareness through an engaging, immersive experience
Nurturing Bird Curiosity
Share & Connect
Eco-Conservation
Stakeholders & Target Users
Basis our learning from game design and AR principles we mapped an ideal map on how are our stakeholders placed within the users vicinity
We targeted YOUNG ADULTS, age ranging from 18-30 as they have significant impact on cultural trends and preferences.
Intimate
Personal Space
Social Space
Public Space
Space
More Visitors
Augmented
Components
Augmented
Components
More Visitors
More Visitors
1.5 ft
4 ft
12 ft
1.2 m
0.45 m
7.6 m
3 Staff | 9 Visitors
We conducted user interviews with
to understand what the audience wanted from what they said...
Design an immersive learning experience at the National Aviary, allowing young adults to fully engage through mixed reality technology, enhanced by interactive elements involving the surrounding birds and their habitats.
“
“
I really wanted to learn more about the birds, but I couldn’t grasp the information provided at the aviary
“
“
It’s disappointing to see amazing birds but not know their stories or significance and it made me lose interest
“
“
The experience could have been so much better if there were system or guides that could make the infos easier to follow
“
“
I wanted to share what I learned, was no means except instagram and I didn’t understand enough to talk about it
Enhanced Engagement:
Involving multiple senses (such as sight, sound, touch, and even smell or taste) captures learners' attention more effectively
Improved Retention:
Information presented through various sensory channels is more likely to be retained.
Catering to Different Learning Styles:
People have different learning styles, and some individuals may grasp concepts better through visual stimuli, while others may benefit more from hands-on experiences or auditory cues.
Inclusivity:
A multi-sensory approach can be more inclusive, accommodating individuals with diverse abilities and learning challenges.
Creativity and Critical Thinking:
Multi-sensory experiences often involve problem-solving and creative thinking, fostering a deeper understanding
how will it help?
Redesigning the Experience
We completely reimagined the experience to enhance its effectiveness, concentrating on the four main verticals outlined below
Multi - Sensory
This involved engaging multiple senses of the user concurrently to enhance perception and create a more immersive and enriching encounter with the birds within the aviary.
We engaged the users at three levels
visual interaction contributes to overall engagement and comprehension through immersive educational environment
physical interaction to enhance the learning process by providing a hands-on dimension to the educational encounter
auditory interaction adds a layer of engagement and depth for a deeper learning and engagement for example earcons
Adding a bird to recent collection
Collecting
bird tokens
0.02 / 0.02
+
Tap
...and crafted a system map in alignment with this,
Gamification
We endeavored to create an entertaining game that not only engages users in a enjoyable manner but also imparts knowledge about birds and the aviary, simultaneously providing entertainment for visitors
The game...
Memento
Select Your Bird
1
Choose your bird upon entering the aviary using the binoculars to start collecting its tokens.
You can select only one bird at a time, but you can change your selected bird at any point in the journey
Memento
Get Friendly
2
Investigate the bird by following the instructions and engaging in an interactive play
use both your hands to zoom in and zoom out onto the bird or rotate the box that holds the bird to have a complete look of the bird
Memento
Add to Collection
3
Place the bird into one of the four spots of your recent collection and start by looking for tokens
The bird is added in your latest collection only , after you have search for all the tokens of the bird to before you can add it to your library.
Add Bird
Add Bird
Memento
5
The fun fact clue assists you in finding the third token, which you acquire only after gathering two tokens of the bird.
The male Great Argus has the longest tail feathers of any wild bird.
fun fact about
The Great Argus
Fun Fact Clue
Pursue the fun fact clue to locate the final token - “Fun Fact Token” that will help you add the bird to your library
Memento
Add to Library
6
Once you collect your last token use the “Add to my Library” option to add the selected bird in your library
use both your hands to zoom in and zoom out onto the bird or rotate the box that holds the bird to have a complete look of the bird
Add Bird
Add Bird
Memento
Collect Your Tokens
4
Look for tokens that relate with your chosen bird and gather them to build the collection
While collecting the token for your selected bird, you also have the choice to select token of other bird within your active view
Memento
Build Your library
7
Continue expanding your knowledge and the library by exploring and collecting more birds
The bird is added only in your latest collection, and you must search for all the tokens of the bird to before you can add it to your library.
Storyboarding,
Scroll right to view the complete storyboard
The user requests the AR experience for MEMENTO and receives a headset along with a ticket containing the AR experience code, which is placed on the back of the user's hand.
The user decides to visit the Pittsburgh National Aviary
The user enters the National Aviary, purchases a ticket from the reception desk staff, and notices the "MEMENTO" promotional display on the Welcome Wall poster with rewards such as, filters and physical souveneir cards
+ Tutorial
to ensure the game is meaningful for the user, allowing them to learn, share, and take away valuable insights from their aviary experience
We designed 7 primary gestures to enable users to interact seamlessly throughout Memento’s gamified immersive experience and reach goals.
designing user interactions within the system
SELECT
SCROLL
COLLECT
SCALE
COLLECTION VIEW
PERCH
ROTATE
Connect to Visitor's device via Bluetooth or multi-device connectivity
Transferring and storing data basis user profile for future reference
**Accessible inside and outside the aviary
Connecting to the local network or WiFi to transfer data between different devices and accounts
Real World - Bird
Augmented Element
Aviary Visitor
Use of cloud based server for ease of data accessibility
LEARNING
The ultimate objective of incorporating a multisensory approach into gamifying the experience was to make learning about birds and their habitats both enjoyable and educational for visitors exploring the Pittsburgh National Aviary.
Building interactive features/components for users to select their preferred topics of interest for learning
for example : selecting a bird of your choice
Gain additional insights about the chosen birds by interacting directly with highlighted sections on the bird's body
for example : name of the bird, species of the bird, nativity etc
Enable users to engage with the three-dimensional bird model for further exploration
using gestures to zoom in and out and rotate to investigate the bird
Onboarding
Includes guidance for users on how to advance through the journey
Info/Clue Cards
overlaying the real-world view, these provide users with interactive and enhanced information
The idea of sharing the learning experiences was to create a sense of community and establish a supportive environment where individuals can exchange ideas and ask questions and collectively contribute to the growth of knowledge
Sharing through Social Media : Instagram Filters
SHARING
Souvenir Cards - Memento Cards
BLUE FRONT AMAZON
Amazona aestiva
NEAR THREATENED
Memento
This species is suffering from illegal trading and major habitat destruction
DIET
Fruit or seeds of a wide variety of plants, cactus fruit and palm seeds
HABITAT
Cerrado and Chaco scrub, savanna, palm groves, subtropical woodland
ORIGIN
South America
A physical souvenir for visitors to remember the birds they encountered at the aviary. These interactive cards, when scanned with a user's phone, would reveal a live bird popping out of the card. Further these cards could be shared and gifted to enhance the experience and learning of a larger community
Sharing your collections
Allow the user to share their collection with other aviary friends
hi Kathy,
You have collected 21 birds
PITTSBURGH NATIONAL AVIARY
Help
Contact Us
Search bird...
GREEN SINGING FINCH
Probosciger aterrimus
AMERICAN BLUE JAY
Probosciger aterrimus
BLUE BELLIED
ROLLER
Probosciger aterrimus
GREEN SINGING FINCH
Probosciger aterrimus
THE RED
SISKIN
Probosciger aterrimus
BLUE FRONT
AMAZON
Probosciger aterrimus
GREEN SINGING FINCH
Probosciger aterrimus
GREEN SINGING FINCH
Probosciger aterrimus
AMERICAN BLUE JAY
Probosciger aterrimus
BLUE BELLIED
ROLLER
Probosciger aterrimus
GREEN SINGING FINCH
Probosciger aterrimus
THE RED
SISKIN
Probosciger aterrimus
BLUE FRONT
AMAZON
Probosciger aterrimus
GREEN SINGING FINCH
Probosciger aterrimus
Defining the Brand
We revamped the brand identity to offer a fresh perspective that resonated with younger adults. New brand elements were designed for the immersive experience, featuring updated colors, modern typography, and streamlined components for easier engagement and a cohesive, relatable brand image.
The logo design draws inspiration from birds, presented in an abstract form that creatively combines triangles and circles, mirroring the most prevalent shapes found in avian features.
Crafted to be versatile, the logo functions both as a standalone logo and as an icon
Primary Colors
Secondary Colors
MR Color Palette
Primary Colors
Secondary Colors
Default Color Palette
0.5
#F5F7ED
2
#D5E0B8
5
#97B24D
8
#3C471F
9
#1E240F
#F57C25
#96B24D
#FFBD14
#4E5844
#E8EBDC
#36393C
#FAFAFA
#7ECAC9
0.5
#FEF2E9
2
#FBCAA8
5
#F57B25
8
#62310F
9
#311907
0.5
#FFF8E7
2
#FFE5A0
5
#FFBD12
8
#664C07
9
#332604
2
#CBEAE9
0.5
#F2FAFA
5
#7DCAC9
8
#375E5E
9
#203A3A
...and the color palette
Typography Styles & Usage
Nunito was selected for its bold and distinct characteristics, adding a touch of uniqueness and visual appeal to our headers and titles.
We opted for Montserrat as our body font for its exceptional readability and modern aesthetic, ensuring clear and engaging content for our audience.
Montserrat
Nunito
Bold, 80px
Display 1
Bold, 48px
Heading 1
Bold, 32px
Heading 2
Bold, 26px
Heading 3
Bold, 20px
Heading 4
Regular, 18px
Sub Text
Light, 16px
Regular, 14px
Regular, 10px
Body 01
Body 02
Support Text/Disclaimer
Iconography & Visual Styles
Nunito was selected for its bold and distinct characteristics, adding a touch of uniqueness and visual appeal to our headers and titles.
We opted for Montserrat as our body font for its exceptional readability and modern aesthetic, ensuring clear and engaging content for our audience.
x2.0
Nickname: Bubba
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Display
0.02 / 0.02
PALM COCKATOO
Probosciger aterrimus
LEAST CONCERN
Thank you!!!
The Logo
learning and reflections
Spatial Design Skills
Designing for three-dimensional spaces improves spatial design skills. Understanding how users perceive and navigate virtual environments enhances designers' ability to create compelling and immersive experiences.
Adaptability
Designers working in mixed reality learn to adapt quickly to evolving technologies and user expectations. This adaptability is crucial in an environment where new hardware and software advancements are frequent.
User-Centric Design
Focusing on the user experience in mixed reality requires a deep understanding of user needs and behaviors. This emphasis on user-centric design principles contributes to designing more impactful and user-friendly experiences.
Cross-disciplinary Collaboration
Designing for mixed reality often involves collaboration with experts in various fields, including hardware, software development, and 3D modeling. This interdisciplinary collaboration enhances designers' understanding of different domains.
Innovation
Working with mixed reality allows designers to explore innovative and cutting-edge solutions. It encourages creativity in problem-solving and the development of unique user experiences.
mr/ar/vr
UI DESIGN
EXPERIENCE DESIGN
3D Modelling
