Elliot Quasha and Noah Crow, 5 week partner project
What is augmented reality?
Broadly speaking, augmented reality (AR) is a form of technology that overlays information into the real world. Alterations created by AR aren't just limited to sight; AR can influence any of the five senses, including smell, taste, and touch.
After looking into current AR use cases and technology, we came up with some key insights.
AR is non-essential in modern society.
AR that is currently accessible to the public is unimportant.
Any inconvenience renders current AR irrelevant.
Comfort in terms of hardware is necessary.
AR will create accessibility for many demographics.
AR can be utilized in the case of an emergency or high intensity scenario.
Problem statement: Create an AR experience that increases the effectiveness of both avalanche rescue and prevention.
Research into current avalanche safety and prevention tools led us to these main pain points:
Conditions on the mountain change fast, and avalanche forecasts are often out-of-date or lack in-depth coverage.
High-risk areas often don't receive cell signal, making communication and live updates difficult.
Rescue beacons only provide an approximate location of the wearer, increasing search-and-rescue time.
Many people don't know the warning signs of avalanche danger and can accidentally trigger an avalanche.
Concept: Integrate AR into a low-profile ski goggle.
Application and interaction ideation
Hardware ideation
Use case: Search and Rescue
Final concept, Verglass
all-weather goggle with AR and heads-up-display (HUD) for avalanche danger prevention and search-and-rescue
Lidar sensor
AR camera
Thermal camera
Headlamp
AR projection
Full frame ventilation
RECCO reflector
USB-C charger
Heads-up-display and AR projection provide live information about weather, visibility, navigation, and high-risk zones.
Visualizations of potential display/use cases
After radio tranceiver is located, thermal imaging can be activated to pinpoint location of victims instantly.
Consideration of interaction limitations (gloved hand)
Verglass's unobtrusive design prioritizes comfort.
The goggles incorporate existing avalanche safety technology, including radio beacon detection and RECCO reflection.
