case study #1
case study #2
case study #3
overview
Birch Aquarium features local marine wildlife and highlights research from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, attracting a diverse visitor demographic that includes young children, college students, parents, and grandparents.
mission
Our task was to design and develop new aquarium experiences utilizing emerging creative technologies like AR and VR.
case study #1
VR experience: dive into Scripps canyon!
this virtual reality experience lets visitors safely explore the underwater canyon off the coast of La Jolla using a weight-assisted headset and immersive 360-degree scuba diving footage.
date
summer 2019
what skills?
cross-platform 3d modeling, rapid prototyping
with what tools?
blender, solidworks, 3d printing, silicone molding, fabrics, unity
objective
introduce an immersive VR experience to the aquarium, showcasing the rich biodiversity of Scripps Canyon's underwater ecosystem just off the coast.
ideation and research
constraints
solutions
I Expanded on the concept by designing a mock submarine equipped with VR headset periscopes and projection-mapped dome "windows," creating an immersive underwater exploration experience.
prototyping
Then I designed a CAD mechanism to limit the VR headset's movement to four degrees of freedom: up-down translation, front-back translation, and rotation along up-down and left-right axes. however, we later streamlined the design by opting for a simpler, dampened pulley system.
We explored robust designs that allowed users to view into the headset without having to strap it onto their heads.
attached from the top
while convenient to use, a robust, inflexible mount from the top proved to be prone to breaking.
attached to a rotating ride
we briefly considered a 4d experience ride that allows users to role play as a snorkeling surfer.
exploring materials
3d models
using Blender, i 3d sculpted a realistic model of the local fish, the garibaldi. this model was then used to create a silicone case for the VR headset.
using a lot of boolean operators in between Blender and Solidworks, i was able to model and 3d print a full scale silicone mold.
iterations of 3d prints used in making the silicone mold
finals thoughts
Before the pandemic, when virtual reality was still a novelty, our exhibit achieved significant success, drawing high levels of engagement.
One visitor from Kansas, who had never seen the ocean and feared water, shared her heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to explore underwater life through the experience.
The exhibit remained a highlight until the pandemic, when high-contact headsets were deemed unsanitary.
silicone molded tiger shark headset (left), plushie garibaldi headset (right).
sea star variations of the experience
case study #2 - concept
interactive research data water light tunnel
This nighttime water fountain show combines laminar flow and fiber optics to create a stunning illuminated water tunnel. the lights display oceanographic data and can be dynamically adjusted through an interactive interface.
date
2020
what skills?
design concept, user research, market research, prototyping
with what tools?
photoshop, 3d printing, sheet metal CAD
ideation and research
The team brainstormed two distinct ideas: an app-driven scavenger hunt around the aquarium and a water light fountain. we decided to expand on both concepts, develop prototypes, and pitch them to our client.
by setting up data collection stations at key exhibits across the aquarium, the Birch Buddies scavenger hunt allows visitors to mimic the SeaCycler as they learn about how measurements such as temperature, pH, and salinity can affect different ocean ecosystems.
creating a screen with fog or water, we intended to use colorful lights and projection to represent the actual data collected by the SeaCycler. this will be a safe photo opportunity for visitors to share, thus advertising the work done at Birch Aquarium and Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
We uncovered significant potential when we realized that laminar water flow could be used as fiber optics, opening up exciting possibilities for innovative lighting and interactive experiences.
prototyping
by installing Raspberry Pi-controlled RGB LEDs for each spout, we enabled visitors to customize the colored lights, allowing them to select and display different oceanographic data.
while we discovered LED-equipped laminar flow water jets on the market, their high cost motivated us to create our own. B\by reverse engineering the design, we successfully developed a version using a 3D-printed diffuser to evenly distribute turbulent water into 200 straws, which straightened the flow into a single laminar direction.
finals thoughts
with high-quality concept art and functional proof-of-concept technology, we impressed our client and sparked enthusiasm for the potential installation. however, the lack of concrete plans for nighttime operations ultimately placed the project on hold as a lower priority.
case study #3 - concept
AR window: peer into oceanographic data
real-time weather and oceanographic forecast data overlayed onto the beautiful coastal view of La Jolla when visitors peer out through the AR window.
date
2018
what skills?
design concept, market research, rapid prototyping, projection mapping
with what tools?
3d printing, matlab
objective
leverage the aquarium's stunning coastal view by creating an interactive experience that directly relays real-time ocean data, connecting visitors to the marine environment they see before them.
ideation and research
existing technologies
pepper's ghost
coined by Disney Imagineers, pepper's ghost uses a bright digital screen and uses its reflection on a 45 degree tilted glass window to create a transparent image.
pros
clear image
delicate screen is protected
cons
requires more volume of space
transparent LCD display
a normal LCD screen can be separated from its luminous backing to create a fragile transparent digital screen.
pros
compact
touchscreen possible
cons
extremely delicate
small
visibility requires white bright background
projection onto opaque window
a semi opaque film on a window allows powerful projectors to project images directly onto the windows.
pros
cheap
touchscreen possible
cons
requires unobstructed distance between projector and window
due to time and budget constraints, we opted to prototype using acrylic windows, semi-opaque film, and a standard school projector.
prototyping
hardware
we secured the window and projector at a fixed yet adjustable distance and angle, while designating a viewport for forced perspective, allowing visitors to align the projected data with the view outside the window. we achieved this with 3d printed mounts and brackets made with 8020 aluminum sliders.
data visualization
using MATLAB, we transformed the top down view data maps into 3D perspective view from the window.
ocean temperature map (not the one we used)
temperature map transformed using MATLAB
topography map (not the one we used)
topography map tranformed using MATLAB