Living in Hamilton, on the nature-filled campus of McMaster University, has reminded us of the importance of our Earth. Though climate change is a very relevant topic online nowadays, it often goes in through one ear and out through the other. Why is this? Why are we notoriously bad at understanding the numbers activists and news networks mention? One cause is due to the value a number holds. It is a relative value, like time.

For example, if asked to imagine the number 2000, you may think it is a large number, you may think it is a small number, and maybe you won’t think anything of it. However, if the request was to imagine 2000 people or imagine 2000 grains of sand, your perception of the number 2000 changes. It changes differently for each of us and each situation. 2000 grains of sand can be held in your two hands, while 2000 people might reside in a 2 km by 2 km residential area. Let's try letting numbers show us their value instead of assigning value to them.

On The Surface is a product designed to help people better understand the challenges our environment is facing, using Augmented Reality (AR). On The Surface encourages users to walk outside into an environment that contains the dazzling Earth and us, trying to help re-polish Earth's shine. On The Surface shows you what environmental preservation organizations mean. We provide an engaging experience that will push essential environmental efforts forward efficiently and energetically - while allowing users to take a breath of fresh air and savour simple, yet stunning scenery around them.

Users will venture to the nature that surrounds them, and through Augmented Reality, understand what it means when says we are losing 15 billion trees a year. There will be a lingering sense of urgency when allowed to experience the harm that rising oceans mean. Instilled is the feeling that we need to do something to help. At the same time, users can experience the beauty of forests, lakes, fauna - all of nature's finest - from the comfort of your neighborhood park, or front yard.

On The Surface develops an appreciation for our Earth and all that it has to offer while wanting to protect it long before we experienced it, long while we enjoy it, long after we passed it on to the future caretakers of our beautiful planet.

How we built it

On The Surface was created using Figma as a mobile app prototype and Echo3D to host and disply models in Augmented-Reality.

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