AR Dental Experience

Use augmented reality to demonstrate how the role and design of an object evolve to serve the needs of users across multiple life stages. You will use marker-based augmented reality to tell the story of how our behavior around an object/product changes over time.

Object Choice & Project Statement

A toothbrush is an important tool in our everyday lives, and it is essential for our overall health and quality of life. As we age and gain more independence, we also take increased responsibility for our wellness. In the beginning, our parents are responsible for our dental care, and as we grow, we learn to take care of our own teeth, gums, and sometimes, dental appliances. And since dental care is so important, how can we learn about it in a more fun and memorable way?

This project aims to create an immersive and interactive learning experience, where people can experience how toothbrush features and dental care change over a lifetime to suit differing needs.

Why Augmented Reality?

Although my project task required the use of AR, I needed a compelling reason to use the technology for this project. My thought process was this:

Despite having been around for a while, augmented reality still feels like novel technology. Dental care isn’t the most fun thing to learn about, so augmented reality’s feeling of newness acts as a catalyst to generate interest. Also, 3D Models of toothbrushes in AR feel more like actual products than viewing 3d models on a screen.

Final Result

Here is some documentation of the final experience. Please turn on your sound for the video!

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 6.08.40 PM.png

Digital Assets

3D Models

I created these toothbrushes in Autodesk Maya, with one to represent each stage of life: infant, child, adult, and older adult.

2D Information Panels

These panels are used to describe the usage of each toothbrush. The designs of the panels capitalize on characteristics of the toothbrush itself or the users.

Storyboard

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 6.45.39 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 6.45.48 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 9.49.06 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 9.49.21 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 9.49.31 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 9.49.40 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 6.47.32 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 6.47.19 PM.png

First Version

I implemented my storyboard in Adobe Aero. Please turn on your sound for the video.

All Digital Assets

Animation + Voiceover

Initial User Testing Issues

Please turn on your sound to watch the video.

I initially made a marker that was stuck to the top of an electric toothbrush case. Users would scan the marker to access the experience.

Marker

Summary of Issues

Adobe Aero only lets you use a marker after scanning a QR code. This eliminates the point of the marker.

The AR experience disappears if you’re too far from the marker.

The AR experience is too big when you first scan the marker.

Documentation of Issues

Other Suggestions

I received feedback that I should add instructions for the experience and print an anchor point for people to attach the experience to.

Experience Revisions

I created physical assets for the revised AR experience.

Updated Marker

I decided to use Aero's given QR code since unique markers didn't work well

Anchor

The anchor is meant to show where to place the AR experience.

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 11.40.41 PM.png

Instructions

I created printed instructions on how to interact with the experience and how to troubleshoot errors.

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 11.35.27 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 11.35.04 PM.png

Setup

This is the setup with all physical elements.

User Testing

All the animations, voiceovers, interactions, visuals, and instructions worked well. However, people said that it was uncomfortable to bend down to read the panels.

Final Experience

I changed the AR Experience to feel more like a museum exhibit: you stand and see the experience at eye-level. Also, I changed the experience so that it curves around the user instead of being straight. That way, a person can stand in one place and move their phone instead of walking along the timeline.

All Assets

As you can see, there's an arrow leading up from the ground, meaning you would anchor the experience to the ground and follow the vertical arrow to the models.

I chose the ground instead of a wall because if you anchor the experience to a wall, the curve will cause some parts to disappear through the wall.

Screen Shot 2024-01-15 at 5.20.16 PM.png

Final Video Experience (First-Person)

The removal of the table allows people to interact without needing to bend down. Please turn your sound on for this video!

Museum Exhibition

My work was showcased as part of a student museum exhibition. The design of my physical instructions had to change in order to match the exhibit theme.

Setup

A user would read the instructions and scan the QR code on the wall. Then, they would turn around and anchor the experience by their feet. The shelf with real toothbrushes acts as a haptic aid to the AR experience.

As you might notice in the rightmost image, when a user turns around to view the experience, there is a lot of visual clutter in the background. I was one of the first people to install my project, so the visual clutter was unexpected, but it is something I would account for in the future.