Folder with all materials: https://drive.google.com/open?id=139YZrn3w1nXtU2p8...

GitHub: Due to large ammount of memory that 3D models consume we could not use GitHub, all the code can be found in google drive folder, file Your_Planet.zip, with other data.

Introduction

NASA is gathering and analysing an astonishing amount of satellite data, however it is struggling to popularize it. We believe that the main obstacle in this process is the presentation aspect that makes it inaccessible for an average user, and we have a modern, modular and scalable solution for that problem.

We are a multinational, multicultural and diversity specialized team of students of the University of Primorska in Koper. Coming from different faculties and levels of study we believe we have a perspective broad enough to successfully appeal to maximal audience while still highlighting importance of NASA’s data and providing enjoyable user experience.

Our Vision

Ure Planet is a game that utilizes NASA’s Satellites data and AR technology to immerse users into beauty and dangers of our planet.

Technology unique to our approach is using AR functionality to present the data, as overlaid on a 3D model of planet earth. This data will not only consist of satellite imagery but will also include several overlays such as average temperature, snow cover and rain. User has access to various challenges, placed on the surface of the planet in a form of POI. Challenges are assigned to a limited amount of categories, each category connected to a minigame and a specific type of event , however they are placed on the map according to live data from the NASA’s depositories, such as reports on tropical storms, wildfires, record temperatures etc. Those challenges will be delivered to the user in form of mini games that utilize motion control provided by device’s gyroscope and accelerometer. Additionally upon choosing such a challenge, user will be presented with statistics and information about real event connected to the challenge. If such data is available also historical graph from “GLOBE” will be attached with user friendly explanation.

Pic1: Mock up presenting how will the events be presented to the user.

Pic2,3: Mock up presenting challenge selection screen with sample information about the event, all transitions all the way to the level of minigame are fluent.

Furthermore the levels of the minigame will be generated based on height maps of the area that the event is happening or available spherical images, depending on the exact circumstances of the minigame. Sample minigame scenario goes as follows:

1. You are equipped with a water hose, AR is displaying a spherical picture of a location close to the real fire location, your goal is to look around, find and extinguish fires overlayed on the picture.
2. Two points on a 3D height map transferred into AR are chosen as school and a town, player, put into aerial perspective has to remove the snow by tilting or swiping the screen in order to draw the most efficient path between those points. As we are able to showcase the 3D heightmap, terrain difficulty, calculated by number of turns and altitude changes is used to determine the final score.

The game will pull data from the NASA repositories to educate users on current world events. Additionally a weekly challenge mode will be introduced allowing players to explore 5 latest events and register sum of minigames scores on online leaderboards.

Music would be provided by last years competitor’s open source project, https://songsat.ca that can convert satellite imagery into music, providing unique ambience for each playthrough.

Technicalities

As the technology, we use marker-based AR to recreate this experience by anchoring the digital planet earth to the real world using a real physical map. The sensors on the handheld device will be used to control and manipulate the digital environment throughout the whole experience.

In the future, URE PLANET will be integrated with the Magic Leap AR headset to make the experience more immersive while enhancing the engagement of the user.

Selection of software based on capabilities and our team’s knowhow::

Unity 3D game engine, due to its multi platform capabilities and low licensing costs

Vuforia for handheld AR development, both android, and ios

Lumin for the magic leap AR experience

Data we need to obtain from NASA:

Worldview: https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov

-Events Overlay

-Fire detection

-Snow Coverage

-Temperatures

Earthdata https://search.earthdata.nasa.gov/search

-Heightmaps

Globe https://vis.globe.gov/GLOBE/

-Hydrosphere and Atmosphere measuring facilities current and international data, photography, and geographical information.

Tech Demo:

End word

We believe that quite literally changing the perspective from which we see earth is the best approach to popularize usage NASA’s satellite generated data as well as generate interest in its unique features and problems. Due to the usage of modern and largely open source software, this approach can easily be further developed according to trends and needs