High-Level Project Summary
The challenge that we have chosen is the “Invert Your Own Challenge”. The solution that we have developed is an educational AR mobile app in 3D which is called “PLANET[AR]Y”. As the name indicated, the mobile app is served to deliver knowledge related to planetary and space explorations to the users by using AR. The app consists of 5 different sections, which are the solar system, rockets, rover spacecrafts, satellites, and astronaut suits. Since the “PLANET[AR]Y” app is developed in 3D, users are able to observe the objects with closer and 360° views for better understanding. The reason for developing the mobile app is to inspire and deliver knowledge to children in their early childhood.
Link to Project "Demo"
Link to Final Project
Detailed Project Description
What exactly does it do?
The “PLANET[AR]Y” app is mainly used to deliver the knowledge related to planetary and space exploration in 3D AR. In the start menu of the “PLANET[AR]Y” app, users are allowed to choose 5 different aspects of knowledge to learn in terms of AR. The 5 different aspects of knowledge are related to the solar system, rockets, rover spacecrafts, satellites, and astronaut suits. In order to enable the 3D models to pop out in the “PLANET[AR]Y” apps, users have to scan the image target with the alphabet of “S”. The image target can be printed out by a piece of paper or the image target can be scanned directly on a tablet. After the image target is detected by the app, the 3D models will then pop out and it can be seen on the user’s phone.
In the Solar System section, users can observe the Solar System with a 360° view by scanning the image target. All the 8 planets with different sizes will rotate on their own axis and revolute around the sun at different speeds. The size of the planets, the distance between the planets with the sun, the planet rotation speed, and the planet revolution speed are designed by referring to the NASA open-source data. The users can also observe the planets at a closer view by adjusting the phone angle. Other than that, the users can click on each of the 8 different planets to read the statistics and information of the planets obtained from NASA open-source data.
In the Rockets, Rover Spacecrafts, Satellites, and Astronaut Suits sections, users can observe the 3D models of different rockets, rover spacecrafts, satellites, and astronaut suits with a 360° view by scanning the image target. The users can observe the parts of the rockets, rover spacecrafts, satellites, and astronaut suits in detail by adjusting the phone angle. After that, the users can also click on each of the objects to read the information related to the object. If the users would like to learn more information related to the objects, users can click on the “Learn More” button. After clicking the “Learn More” button, users will be automatically navigated to the NASA website so that the users can learn more about the information related to the object selected.
How does it work?
The “PLANET[AR]Y” app works only on Android phones. The “PLANET[AR]Y” app can be obtained by downloading the android “.apk” file. After downloading the “PLANET[AR]Y” app, users can select the 5 different aspects of knowledge to learn from in the start menu. Then, users have to scan the image target with the alphabet of “S” to see the 3D model of the object pops out above the image target. The users can observe the detailed parts of the 3D models in a 360° view by adjusting the phone angle. After that, users can click on the 3D model object to learn about the information related to the object selected.
What benefits does it have?
The main benefit of the “PLANET[AR]Y” app is to deliver knowledge related to planetary and space exploration to the users. Since the “PLANET[AR]Y” app is developed in 3D AR and all the 3D models are obtained from NASA open-source data, users can have a more realistic and detailed view for all the 3D models, such as the detailed parts of all the planets in the Solar System, rockets, rover spacecraft, satellites, and astronaut suits. Other than that, the books about space exploration are getting more and more expensive and the books can sometimes be boring to read. Therefore, the “PLANET[AR]Y” app can be used to deliver knowledge related to planetary and space exploration in 3D AR with animations so that users will be more interested and engaged in learning.
What do you hope to achieve?
The main goal that we hope to achieve is to deliver knowledge related to planetary and space exploration interestingly so that users will be more interested and engaged in learning. In the future, we also hope that similar projects can be implemented in primary and secondary schools when delivering knowledge related to planetary and space exploration. For example, primary and secondary schools can use a projector to act as a mobile phone and scan on an image target on the wall or on the floor to project out the planets in 3D AR so that the students will be more interested in learning. The students can have a more realistic and detailed view of the planets if it is projected out as a 3D model. It is even better if the students are allowed to interact with the 3D models so that the students will be more engaged in learning. We strongly believe that only if we make education to be more interesting, students will be more engaged in learning. Therefore, more people will start noticing and get interested in the importance of planetary and space exploration in the country. We also believe that building a strong interest and foundation in early childhood for children is important as they are the future of our country.
What tool, coding languages, hardware or software used to develop the project?
The software used in developing the project are Unity and Vuforia Engine. All the 3D models are created in Unity while the AR camera is handled by Vuforia Engine. Other than that, the C# coding language is also used extensively in the project. For example, the rotation of the planet on their own axis, the revolution of the planets around the planet, the asteroid belts located in between Mars and Jupiter, the ring on Saturn, as well as the switching between the scenes in the mobile application are all created by using the C# coding language.
Link to 240 seconds PRESENTATION video & Link to App demo video
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jjnp10kW9co39cuzFO22vjOJ_DeIRr4z?usp=sharing
Space Agency Data
1) NASA, Solar System Information: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/overview/
2) NASA, Solar System Statistics: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/
3) NASA, 3D Models: https://nasa3d.arc.nasa.gov/models
4) NASA, Space Shuttles: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/what-is-the-space-shuttle-k4.html
5) NASA, Ares 1: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/aresI_old.html
6) NASA, Mars Exploration Rovers: https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/overview/
7) NASA, Cloudsat Satellite: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/cloudsat
8) NASA, Jason-2 Satellite: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/jason-2
9) NASA, Mark III Space Suit: https://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov/Hardware/hardw/1314
10) NASA, Gemini Space Suit: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-is-a-spacesuit-58.html
For data 1, the data allows us to provide all the educational information related to the planets in the Solar System after clicking the 3D models. For data 2, the data allows us to design all the different planets in the Solar System. For example, the data of the size of planets, the data of the distance between the planets with the sun, the data of the planet rotation speed, and the data of the planet revolution speed are used when designing the Solar System. For data 3, the data are crucial for creating the 3D models in the Rockets, Rover Spacecrafts, Satellites, and Astronaut Suits sections. From data 4 to data 10, the data allows us to provide all the educational information related to the objects in the Rockets, Rover Spacecrafts, Satellites, and Astronaut Suits sections.
Hackathon Journey
Throughout the whole hackathon journey, we found out that doing a project with a group is more meaningful than doing a project individually. This is mainly because different members have a different point of view to solve the project, which this makes the project more excellent compared to individual work. Moreover, throughout this challenge, we have learned how to use Unity to create a mobile app, and how to make a 30-second video, which we never know that under 30 seconds video can deliver so much information.
The approach to developing this project is to create an educational game for users to get to know more about space exploration. We hope that the “PLANET[AR]Y” app that our team created can be used in the future for educational purposes in elementary school and secondary school.
References
1) NASA, Solar System Information: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/overview/
2) NASA, Solar System Statistics: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/
3) NASA, 3D Models: https://nasa3d.arc.nasa.gov/models
4) NASA, Space Shuttles: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/what-is-the-space-shuttle-k4.html
5) NASA, Ares 1: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/aresI_old.html
6) NASA, Mars Exploration Rovers: https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/overview/
7) NASA, Cloudsat Satellite: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/cloudsat
8) NASA, Jason-2 Satellite: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/jason-2
9) NASA, Mark III Space Suit: https://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov/Hardware/hardw/1314
10) NASA, Gemini Space Suit: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-is-a-spacesuit-58.html
11) Solar System Scope, Texture of Planets: https://www.solarsystemscope.com/textures/
Unity, Vuforia Engine, and Android APK
Tags
#AR #Planetary #SpaceExploration #Education #Apps
Global Judging
This project has been submitted for consideration during the Judging process.