Our latest project in Directed Studies was to write a paper that contained a design fiction idea and analysed research paper that is related to it. A “design fiction” is an idea or concept that a person comes up with that serves a purpose to improve everyday life. It is something that does not already exist but could possibly, in the future.
I focused my studies and design fiction around the topic of urban space and augmented reality. Our project was directed at enhancing and improving an urban setting and so I believed that by designing a space within the city that would incorporate augmented reality would really enhance a feel within a city.
Firstly I researched a number of papers. Some on the effects urban gardens on the people who frequent the these gardens mental and physical health and some on augmented reality, this gave me the information I would need to develop realistic uses for augmented reality within urban gardens. An example of these is a paper named “Augmented reality:an overview and five directions for AR in education. Journal of educational Technology Development and exchange”. This paper outlined future/ possible uses for augmented reality, clearly differentiated augmented reality from virtual reality and explained how it can be used to enhance every day experiences. After reading the papers I felt I had gathered sufficient information to be incorporated into my design fiction.
My design fiction was an idea which allowed users within an urban park to download augmented reality clips to be viewed from a hand held device, this would turn a person’s walk through the park into a magical adventure. Users would be able to escape reality by scanning QR bar codes on their phone to see the park come alive through the display screen on their device.
Creating this design fiction was very beneficial and interesting my topic has really encouraged me to look further into it.
DarraghDuggan 