"Schwalm statt Safari" AR App
Schwalmstadt is located in the idyllic Schwalm-Eder district of northern Hesse, also known as Red Cap Land. Back in 2020, the town delighted young and old with a safari along the banks of the Schwalm River, giving the meadows of the flood retention basin another exciting use. On the 4.5 km long circular route, visitors received information about various animals of the savannah. This year, the city of Schwalmstadt, in cooperation with redPlant Realtime Studios and Triboot, brought the savannah to life with the help of a Augmented Reality app.
#Entdeckeschwalmstadt
Under the Hashtag, which has long been established, various players show what Schwalmstadt, which is steeped in history and oriented toward the future, has to offer. The city's campaign found its beginnings in a few video clips and developed into a large, influential campaign in recent years. In various projects, it shows the artistic and cultural side of Schwalmstadt, but also the development of the economic and educational center.
During the day at the Schwalm is like being in a museum at night
The resulting Augmented Reality app "Schwalm instead of Safari" is also a project of the #Entdeckeschwalmstadt campaign and brings the safari already created in 2020 to life with the help of virtual content. It offers a unique experience for young and old and is especially aimed at young explorers accompanied by their parents and grandparents or pedagogically trained nature guides. The setting is the path around the flood retention basin in the Schwalm floodplain, which is particularly inviting for outdoor activities such as walking, cycling or inline skating and Segway tours.
Augmented means extended
Zebras graze in the meadow, giraffes stretch their necks to the sky to reach the juicy leaves of the treetops and flamingos take an extensive sunbath at the waterhole. A total of five virtual animal species augment the savannah animals set up as life-size metal panels. The virtual animals will all be three-dimensional and animated on the visitors' screens, providing plenty of variety in the flood retention basin.
Wow, like the real thing!
Visitors can not only look at the savannah animals from a distance, but also view them up close from all sides. For this purpose, all animals were recreated three-dimensionally and true to scale. The 3D models created were also given their characteristic fur and plumage markings via the appropriate texturing.
Look, they are coming to life!
To bring the animals to life, the textured 3D models were provided with various animations. For a natural overall picture, it is particularly important that the different animations flow smoothly into each other and that a never-ending and varied overall animation is created.
Can you hear them?
What would a safari be without the right soundscape? All animals to be discovered on the safari are assigned 3D sounds. For example, the volume of the animal sounds adapts according to the distance to the viewer. In addition to the roar of the leopard or the neighing of the zebra, suitable background sounds are also integrated, which round off the safari feeling.
How the animals find their place
For the placement of the virtual animals in the real world, the so-called geolocation via GPS is used. The position of the animals is described by means of latitude and longitude as well as the corresponding altitude. Via the activated location recognition of the visitor's smartphone or tablet, the visitor's location is determined and set in relation to the position of the virtual animal and projected accordingly into the camera perspective. For an improved display, the app is calibrated by means of the signs along the path, which also takes into account the exact rotation and inclination of the cell phone.
How to find your place
You can discover the various animals of the savannah scattered throughout the Schwalmstadt flood retention basin. The signs along the 4.5-kilometer-long circular route will tell you exactly where you can spot the virtual animals. But don't worry. If you get too far away, the app will give you a hint.
What are you waiting for?
Get on your bike, take the train or drive your car and plunge into the adventurous safari of Schwalmstadt. From 16.07.2021 until mid-October, the various animals of the savannah await you around the retention basin.
Features
Unity
The Schwalmstadt app was realized with Unity3D
Geolocation
By means of geolocation, the animals are precisely positioned.
Augmented Reality
The virtual savannah animals are placed in the real environment via AR.
3D Sound
The virtual animals were equipped with 3D sound.