Passion : For this project I wanted to not only conceptualise a great idea but also build it as functional MVP and see in on the hands of my users. :)
Quick Facts : Speculative/Visonary project solving problem with the use of emerging technologies
For this project Sijon wanted to explore the emerging technology of AR, AI and Mixed reality. These fields have fascinated him for a long time and so he took the final personal project as an opportunity to explore this fascinating field of emerging technologies and try to solve a problem with it.
After various ideas (click on the link to read further of various ideas and analysis) Other ideas included
1. Finance education via gamification
2. Using AI as interactive tool (music) and connecting people and new complex technologies
3. AR and various uses
Quick Facts : Speculative/Visonary project solving problem with the use of emerging technologies
For this project Sijon wanted to explore the emerging technology of AR, AI and Mixed reality. These fields have fascinated him for a long time and so he took the final personal project as an opportunity to explore this fascinating field of emerging technologies and try to solve a problem with it.
After various ideas (click on the link to read further of various ideas and analysis) Other ideas included
1. Finance education via gamification
2. Using AI as interactive tool (music) and connecting people and new complex technologies
3. AR and various uses
Initially Sijon experimented with many various ideas listed above and decided to go with FitAR due to passion and also time and resource constraint. Sijon decided to select an interesting field of Fitness, sports and how AR could be potentially be used to improve it in the future.
Some issues/Problem : Mixed reality can enable work out anywhere, anytime with Pro fitness instructor.
There is a lack of proper fitness application that utilizes the modern technologies to its fullest. Due to lack of proper information being conveyed during the videos, many people suffered from injuries as they did not get full view of the work outs, also there is this lack of interaction between users and the product which the AR can fill in. During the conceptualising of this idea there was no other product like what I had imagined. Most video focused products are sterile and has its limitation.
With this 360 degree view and customisable placements the system has already become better than current system available. Further, if you add that speculative vision of working out with glasses anywhere, anytime you have one powerful product that can change your the way people workout.
Why Augmented Reality?
Some issues/Problem : Mixed reality can enable work out anywhere, anytime with Pro fitness instructor.
There is a lack of proper fitness application that utilizes the modern technologies to its fullest. Due to lack of proper information being conveyed during the videos, many people suffered from injuries as they did not get full view of the work outs, also there is this lack of interaction between users and the product which the AR can fill in. During the conceptualising of this idea there was no other product like what I had imagined. Most video focused products are sterile and has its limitation.
With this 360 degree view and customisable placements the system has already become better than current system available. Further, if you add that speculative vision of working out with glasses anywhere, anytime you have one powerful product that can change your the way people workout.
Why Augmented Reality?
According to Apps CEO Tim Cook, it will take some time for AR to get to the acceptable phase but once we reach that scale. AR experiences will be integral part of our everyday lives and that it will be similar to our iPhones or even eating 3 meals a day. (Apple, 2016)
User Research
For this project I conducted two kind of research technique interviews of my personas and embodied research. You can read the research summary here. (Please click here to get the summary of the research)
User Research
For this project I conducted two kind of research technique interviews of my personas and embodied research. You can read the research summary here. (Please click here to get the summary of the research)
Since, I had already limited myself to a AR project and solving real world problem with it. It was a difficult to know that firstly, the university did not have AR/VR Headset and secondly the build would be way more complex than imagined. So I carried out further technical research to confirm I could build this within the given timeframe.
There where few hiccups during this process but I found out that if everything goes smoothy, I should be able to complete in if I plan and manage the project correctly.
Wireframes, User Journeys and User flows
Wireframes, User Journeys and User flows
After my technical research I started to sketch various ideas for wireframes, user journey and user flows. This was particularly complex task as I decided to design and build a AR application after my technical research confirmed that a speculative prototype could be built.
Creation of 3D models for AR
After the wireframes next part of the process was to create 3D models for AR interaction. This had a huge learnign curve and set me back a bit but I used various libraries and Maya, Blender and Xcode to complete the tasks. For summary reading please click here
Next stage Planning and building the ideas
Next stage Planning and building the ideas
Firstly, I took a short course in IOS development and attended various conferences to build my skills up. I also watched countless youtube videos and read many books to be at the level where I could build my own application in new emerging technologies.
I took the MVP approach and that of rapid prototyping, testing and iterative building. This allowed gather valid data from the prototype and build accordingly. I was doing all UI/UX and development in Xcode at this stage and Xcode is a brilliant software for that built by Apple.
I took the MVP approach and that of rapid prototyping, testing and iterative building. This allowed gather valid data from the prototype and build accordingly. I was doing all UI/UX and development in Xcode at this stage and Xcode is a brilliant software for that built by Apple.
Second stage of User research : Usability Testing and Guerrilla Testing
After various technical difficulty and solving many programming problems, I finally managed to build a working prototype application!!!! To further improve the application, I started with round of usability testing and integrating VR/MR glasses to the prototype.
Unfortunately, the Google glasses reached its limitation and I found out that they would be integrating AR with Xcode (Apple based) in near future and that our University could not provide me MR glasses. So, I improved the prototype application further and then created a video to communicate the speculative idea.
Unfortunately, the Google glasses reached its limitation and I found out that they would be integrating AR with Xcode (Apple based) in near future and that our University could not provide me MR glasses. So, I improved the prototype application further and then created a video to communicate the speculative idea.
Launch of the product
Finally after all the design and development work, my dream came true I had a application on the Apple App store. This personal project I went from UX Research to UX design to UI design and actually building and launching a application this was one of the biggest and ambitious project I had undertaken, despite the technical limitation I had huge success in launching this speculative project.
Concept video : To watch the video click here
Outcome
A speculative project as to how future of fitness could look like with the use of mixed reality glasses, machine learning and virtual fitness trainer.
Outcome
A speculative project as to how future of fitness could look like with the use of mixed reality glasses, machine learning and virtual fitness trainer.
Processes and documentation : Click here
Experimentation with VR/AR Glasses Link
Experimentation with VR/AR Glasses Link
