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Early Stages of the Project

Ryan Lay

Dec 22, 2022

Project

Our project aims to foster care for our region’s biodiversity by promoting ecological literacy in youth and families through the usage of augmented reality (AR) installations at Balboa Park.

 

Globally, only 36 areas qualify as biodiversity hotspots. These intact habitats cover a mere 2.5% of Earth’s land surface, yet they harbor over half of the world’s plant species as endemic species (species found nowhere else). Additionally, nearly 43% of bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species are also unique to these hotspots. (Conservation.org)

 

San Diego stands among these 36 exceptional areas, recognized as a biodiversity hotspot. Rather than constructing more museums, our project aims to enhance awareness by combining AR experiences at Balboa Park with an accompanying digital book, celebrating the city’s distinctive ecosystem.

 

Early Stages of the Project

 

During the initial phases of our project, we embarked on a journey of exploration, diving into existing resources, articles, and tools. Some notable works that influenced our direction include:

 

  1. NPR Article on Human Sensory Experience by Terry Gross: An interview with Ed Yong about his book, “An Immense World,” about the incredible world that animals can see with their specialized senses.

  2. iNaturalist: This invaluable database of plants and animals provided essential insights into San Diego’s biodiversity.

  3. Multiple Species Conservation Program (MHPA): The City of San Diego’s plan to work collaboratively with wildlife agencies, property owners, developers, and environmental groups to conserve the biodiversity of San Diego.

  4. “In the Ghost Wood” by Lenny Antonelli: an article lamenting the loss of Ireland’s native woodland that used to inspire the country’s rich folklore of mythical warriors and the great oak woods.

 

On the technological front, we harnessed the power of Niantic’s Lightship ARDK, the same framework that brought the global phenomenon Pokémon Go to life.

 

Design Considerations

 

We would start to work on our game design document to hone in on the core mechanics of the AR app and planning for the many different experiences.

 

Our early discussions revolved around three pivotal aspects for the project’s design:

 

  1. Expand understanding: by diving deep into the San Diego region’s varied ecosystems and the unique life forms that inhabit them.

  2. Cultivate Empathy: for our non-human neighbors by highlighting interdependencies and encouraging perspective taking on other species’ experience of the world.

  3. Inspire Action: in support of conservation and climate change reversal/mitigation and steps to mediate the biodiversity crisis.

 

Envisioning the Core Experience

 

As part of our project, we’ve envisioned four captivating locations/experiences within Balboa Park:

 

  1. Immersive Abilities: Step into the shoes (or wings) of local plants and animals by taking on the ability to navigate using magnetic files like birds, communicate with dance like a bee, or talk through the earth like trees.

  2. Echoes of the Past: Transport yourself to a time before European settlers arrived. Imagine a Balboa Park teeming with wildlife—four times the present population. Listen to the sounds of nature as the mesa reverberates with life, and discover the lost stories of the Kumeyaay village that once thrived here.

  3. Plant Ancestry: Capture a photo of a plant, and unlock a hidden world of intricate relationships between species—the mutual support, coexistence, and survival strategies.

  4. Community Engagement: Record and share, a system for families to leave their own voice and experience in the park.

 

To create a seamless journey through our AR installations, we recognize the importance of providing users with a compelling role and overarching narrative. Here are some roles we considered:

 

  1. Explorer: Stepping into the shoes of an explorer who has unlocked the “superpowers” of locally adapted animals and their senses.

  2. Collector: Tasked with collecting X number of species / objects, this is an approach inspired by the “gotta catch em all” mentality of Pokemon Go with a conservation-minded twist.

  3. Protector: Protect the wildlife through some AR-driven game mechanic.