overall
In collaboration with the XR Lab and the Nomi Foundation, our team developed an AR application aimed at reducing the stress and anxiety young patients experience during hospital visits.
With a team of nine, we created Bee & Beyond, a playful experience designed to transform hospital settings into one of two vibrant, colorful worlds waiting to be explored by Poppy the bee.
Project
Developed in Unity, the application uses AR tracking to guide users on an immersive journey, either exploring the depths of the Ocean World or walking through the sunny Mushroom Village.
Users can interact not only with the friendly creatures, but also with their surroundings, as Poppy curiously observes these events.
As a designer, I conducted research on stress relief for children and child psychology. I focused on designing interactions, 3D modeling, and usability and AR testing.
Interaction DESIGN
The main goal of the project was to give users control in the environment while offering direct feedback to distract them from the tense hospital atmosphere.
To achieve this, I designed various interactions that would engage users. I focused on both technical feasibility and the needs of the audience (ages 5-12). This led to cartoon-style visual effects and playful interactions.
I took a hands-on approach, implementing them in Unity, using the animation panel, and creating multiple particle effects.
I intentionally avoided connecting all these interactions with a narrative, allowing children to shape the experience in their own way and use their imagination.
Usability & AR testing
During usability testing, I observed that children were highly engaged by the animations and expected most of the environment to be interactive, but they struggled to move around. As a result, we added a tutorial and I designed more interactions to meet their needs.
Conducting environmental testing, I noticed that the app performed best in well-lit, open spaces. Very bright lights, dark areas, or crowded environments caused tracking issues, so I recommended placing posters in clear, unobstructed areas for better results.
The app ran smoothly on various devices, maintaining consistent frame rates and responsiveness on both budget and premium smartphones, ensuring accessibility for all users.
3D Design
I hand-painted textures in Substance Painter and used Unity to animate certain assets directly for efficiency. This approach helped maintain a balance between visual appeal and app performance while keeping the design simple and functional for AR interaction.
Rounded Tree
Treasure Chest
Toy Boat
Tree Acorn
IV Drip
Bandages
Bee & Beyond trailer
Using DaVinci Resolve, I seamlessly blended Unity interactions with live-action shots, effectively showcasing the app’s key features.
