Summary: | This research presents results from a study developing a smartphone app, Urban<br />CoBuilder, in which citizens can collaboratively create designs for urban environments using<br />augmented reality technology and game mechanics. Eight prototypes were developed to refine<br />selected design criteria, including tracking strategies, design elements, user experience and the<br />interface with game mechanics. The prototypes were developed through an iterative design process<br />with assessments and incremental improvements. The tracking was especially challenging and<br />using multiple bitonal markers combined with the smartphone’s gyroscope sensor to average the<br />user position was identified as the most suitable strategy. Still, portability and stability linked to<br />tracking need to be improved. Design elements, here building blocks with urban functions textures,<br />were realistic enough to be recognizable and easy to understand for the users. Future studies will<br />focus on usability tests with larger user groups.
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