Milestone 1 - Laying down the groundwork

This first week of development consisted of brainstorming various AR project ideas that can be achieved within our three-week timeframe. We debated between two main concepts: a persistent world markup app for 3D annotations in real life and an emotion detection and expression tool—Express AR.

While the world markup idea was interesting, we felt it lacked novelty and social impact compared to Express AR. Our primary concern with Express AR was the feasibility of implementing reliable emotion recognition software within our limited time. Fortunately, our initial concerns proved unfounded. By leveraging the MoodMe Unity SDK, we successfully implemented a simple expression detection system as the framework for the project.

Aimed towards children, Express AR aims to help them learn and recognize emotions in real time. Children with neurodivergence or social communication challenges may have a hard time recognizing emotions, which are important to gain implicit insights into conversations. Understanding emotions is crucial for social interactions, yet traditional methods—such as flashcards and emotion charts—require a proctor, making independent practice difficult. Express AR aims to harness augmented reality, allowing users to practice with instant feedback in a way that allows children to independently refine their recognition skills. Beyond individual learning, we envision Express AR as a conversation tool that provides real-time emotional insights about the person a user is speaking with.

We aim to offer individual and organizational packages:

• For organizations (e.g., classrooms, therapy clinics): A subscription-based model providing comprehensive digital resources for enhanced emotional learning.

• For individuals: A free version with core features, with optional emotion flashcard packs available for purchase to expand the learning experience.

With the foundation set, we’re excited to dive into the next phase of development. Stay tuned for more updates!