Iterative Prototyping of Urban CoBuilder: Tracking Methods and User Interface of an Outdoor Mobile Augmented Reality Tool for Co-Designing

• Main Authors: Hyekyung Imottesjo, Liane Thuvander, Monica Billger, Peter Wallberg, Gustav Bodell, Jaan-Henrik Kain, Stig Anton Nielsen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
• Series: Multimodal Technologies and Interaction
• Subjects: outdoor mobile augmented reality; iterative prototyping; user experience; user interface; game mechanics; collaborative urban designing
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2414-4088/4/2/26

This research presents results from a study developing a smartphone app, Urban<br />CoBuilder, in which citizens can collaboratively create designs for urban environments using<br />augmented reality technology and game mechanics. Eight prototypes were developed to refine<br />selected design criteria, including tracking strategies, design elements, user experience and the<br />interface with game mechanics. The prototypes were developed through an iterative design process<br />with assessments and incremental improvements. The tracking was especially challenging and<br />using multiple bitonal markers combined with the smartphone’s gyroscope sensor to average the<br />user position was identified as the most suitable strategy. Still, portability and stability linked to<br />tracking need to be improved. Design elements, here building blocks with urban functions textures,<br />were realistic enough to be recognizable and easy to understand for the users. Future studies will<br />focus on usability tests with larger user groups.