AR/VR Educational App Overview

Overview | VR Design Doc | Making of Book | App Book | Dev Blog | Code

Recent Updates

OC6 demos of AR enhanced textbook app and standalone VR app are done. VR Design doc has been revised but still needs diagrams. AR design doc needs to be done, and we are currently prototyping the VR bubble sort level which will be user tested on Nov 22nd.

5/28/19 - Completed first prototype iteration
6/08/19 - Completed user testing on 50 middle school students
6/14/19 - Learning assessments confirm VR experience is as effective as an instructor led lesson following csunplugged.org
6/28/19 - Finish refining core interactions, UX/UI, and learning goals before moving on to graphics, narrative and audio
9/24/19 - Completed refinement of binary math level and presented demo at Oculus Connect 6 Educational Summit
10/5/19 - Finished cleaning scripts after OC6 demo
10/27/19 - Starting low fidelity prototype of VR bubble sort level
11/22/19 - User test of VR bubble sort level

The following videos are:

  • Walkthrough of the high fidelity Oculus Quest prototype demoed in editor with the Rift,

  • Walkthrough of the high fidelity mobile AR prototype, and

  • Walkthrough of the Oculus Quest low fidelity prototype demoed in editor with the Rift.

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Overview

C-Spresso is an educational application in virtual reality, designed to teach basic computer science and binary math. The experience is designed around free moving abilities of the new Oculus Quest platform, which is completely untethered to any wires or computers, making it and excellent case study for learning environments involving physical activity within VR. Once we built the first level in VR, we recreated the experience as a book based AR experience.

Concept Art by Jessica Ross

Concept Art by Jessica Ross

C-Spresso is a name referencing the design of espresso and barista machines, which the quirky designs of the kiosks and consoles resembled.  Once this connection was made, the visual design began to take form, as designers researched various barista and confectionery machines such as gumball, cotton candy, and espresso machines. The creative direction for the experience is meant to maintain a light-hearted and fun mood, while users are learning complex and often intimidating math skills. The team hopes to immerse the users in a safe, engaging environment where he or she may explore, learn, and make mistakes, while having fun and playing.

The first goal of designing this application was to take full advantage of this new untethered feature, which would offer users another level of immersion as they physically move through virtual space. The virtual space is organized into a concentric circle, lined by consoles and kiosks, all chronologically placed into a clockwise direction. This design follows the order of interaction from start to finish, in one cohesive loop. This ability of the Quest allowed the team to incorporate spatial learning methods into the VR application, as the user walks from station to station, retrieving, placing, and reaching for objects related to the lesson. Adding the element of spatial learning into the experience opened many exciting opportunities for the designers to explore while creating the environment, narrative and game mechanics.