Using AR technology for immersive storytelling

Using AR technology for immersive storytelling

The Rise is an interactive children's book that blends two parallel stories communicated by a conventional storybook and an AR-enabled audiovisual narrative. It is a fictional story about the evolution of playing cards.
PERSONAL / 2022
Most kids today are extremely dependent on the internet and video content for learning instead of books. A book like this is an attempt to adapt the tangible experience of print media to the evolving landscape of technology for learning and storytelling
Mentors
Parag Chitale
Mathew Kurien

Experience card dribbles and shuffles

Experience card dribbles and shuffles

Since it’s a fictional story about the evolution of playing cards, the structure of the book is like a complex accordion. The tangible interaction with the book resembles the experience of card dribbles and shuffles.
01/03
The story revolves around the hierarchy of the suits that act like communities where the spades are the most powerful, followed by the hearts, the diamonds, and lastly, the clubs. The face cards in the deck are the actual characters in the book known as the king of hearts, the queen of diamonds, and the jack of clubs in the order of power.

Augmented reality & tangible interaction

Augmented reality & tangible interaction

The concept explores themes of power, control, and betrayal, all set within the dynamic world of the card deck. It centres around a high-stakes power struggle within a deck of cards, where each character represents a different suit and must decide whether to submit their power to become the most powerful in the exchange.
02/03
Through manipulation and strategy, characters rise and fall, with a surprising twist that reveals the true mastermind behind the chaos. The blend of mystery, deception, and transformation is brought to life in both a traditional narrative and an immersive AR experience which is an audio visual narrative, adding an interactive layer that enhances the plot.

Intersection of design and technology

Intersection of design and technology

The story text has the symbols of Spades♠️, Heart♥️, Diamond♦️or Club♣️ wherever the words are mentioned. This makes it easier for kids to make associations while reading. Eg. King of Heart♥️
03/03
The AR version for the book was executed on Artivive. On the last page, after reading the book like a conventional story book, there are instructions and a QR code to download the Artivive app. With the Artivive camera held over the illustrations, the reader is expected to revisit the book as instructed. The visuals of the book are animated with a voiceover and a new story where plot twists are introduced.
After thought - ‘A book that is not just a book’ was the given brief. The book was supposed to be experimental and inspired by a prompt word. The prompt I was given for this classroom project was ‘Gnossienne’ from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. Kindly find the detailed script for the printed book and the audio-visual version - link.
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