Virus Detector

Project Brief & Deliverables

• Background: In consultation with the design team, each individual designer has developed, and explored different design concepts with a focus on areas within climate fiction, and AR. In a dystopian future, the human contribution to climate change has caused an increased spread of infections and pandemics. The diseases in my concept are mainly viral and bacterial infections caused by elevated water levels, increased carbon dioxide emissions, higher average temperature, etc. Through all iterations, analyzes, and reports in various sprints, I have now developed a final design concept that contributes to user awareness, and encourages to discussion and behavior change to stop the spread of infection.
• Purpose & Goal: This concept is based on technology within AR that we have not yet mastered today on mobile devices, but which will probably be available within 15 - 20 years. The app was inspired by the cli-fi sector, which focuses on the spread of diseases as a result of climate change and human behavior. Right now we are living through the Covid-19 pandemic and I myself would have liked to know for sure if there is someone infected sitting next to me on the park bench, at the gym or in the café.
• The goal of the concept is to spread information and awareness about different kinds of pandemics and diseases that we can all be thought to carry, but also to make people feel more secure about their health and potentially be able to stop the spread of infection. This could encourage the target group to maintain an active physical and social life without risking the health of other individuals.
• Target Group: The intended users of the concept are in the age category 18-25, because the probability is higher that this younger generation is more familiar with AR and how it works, but also because it is the generation that to a greater extent affects / experiences the consequences of climate change. Furthermore, the intended user uses a smartphone and is interested in exploring the genre Cli-fi, wants to know more about the climate and the environment or simply wants to take part in an exciting concept. The target group is very concerned about maintaining their active lifestyle without contributing to the spread of infection, and uses AR filters via instagram and snapchat daily since before.
• Problem Discovery: On this page you can read more about the design space I was exploring during this project and the concept of ideas it led to in the early stages of the design process.
• Solution Discovery: The ideation and prototyping phases of this project required a lot of iterations until the concept was mature enough to go through user testing, I'll take you through the whole design process and the design decisions that were made on this page.
• Prototyping: This page will present different filter dimensions in the prototypes that were created. I'll take you through the process of using analogue, digital and 3D prototypes in this process of developing the concepts.
• Research: In this part of the project I took a step back from creating a solution and started analysing "The Real, The True & The Ideal" purpose of the concept. This page also includes some reflections regarding ethical dilemmas and a SWOT analysis.
• Research Part II: "The True & The Ideal" is presented on this page.
• Video as Design Material: This phase of the design process includes user testing of different AR prototypes and scenario based recordings of the concept using a split screen technique.
• Knowledge Through Design: The last part of this project includes a retroperspective reflection on my design process, the complexity of the concept, my presentation of the concept and my future work as a designer.