🐾 AR Virtual Pet for University Students - Personal Diary

Course: COMP4461 Human-Computer Interaction
Project: Project 3 - AR Virtual Pet for University Students
Role: Brainstorming Lead, Questionnaire Designer & Presentation Creator
—

📋 Project Overview

This project is an AR Virtual Pet System designed specifically for university students to provide emotional support, stress relief, and companionship during their academic journey. The system leverages Augmented Reality (AR) technology to create an immersive pet-owning experience that adapts to students’ daily routines and emotional needs.

Key Features:

• 📱 AR-based pet visualization in real-world environments
• 🎓 Integration with student daily life (study sessions, campus exploration)
• 💭 Emotional support and stress management features
• 🎮 Interactive mini-games and activities
• 📊 Pet growth system reflecting user engagement
• 🏆 Achievement system and social features

🎯 My Contributions

1. Brainstorming & Concept Development (Primary ownership)

I played a central role in the ideation phase, facilitating team discussions and shaping the core concept of the AR virtual pet system:

• Target audience analysis: Identifying university students’ pain points and emotional needs
• Feature ideation: Generating creative features that balance engagement with academic life
• User scenario mapping: Developing realistic use cases for different student situations
• Competitive analysis: Researching existing virtual pet and AR applications
• Design constraints identification: Understanding technical and user experience limitations

2. Questionnaire Design (100% ownership)

I was responsible for designing and conducting user research through structured questionnaires to validate our design decisions:

• Pre-design survey: Understanding students’ relationship with pets and AR technology
• Feature preference survey: Prioritizing features based on user needs
• Usability evaluation questionnaire: Collecting feedback on prototype interactions
• Data analysis: Synthesizing findings to inform design iterations

3. Presentation Design (100% ownership)

I created the final presentation materials that communicated our project vision, process, and outcomes:

• Visual storytelling: Crafting a compelling narrative about our design journey
• Information architecture: Organizing complex information into digestible slides
• Visual design: Creating consistent, professional presentation aesthetics
• Demo preparation: Planning the flow of live demonstrations

💡 Brainstorming Journey: From Concept to Design

Phase 1: Problem Space Exploration

Initial Challenge: How can we create a meaningful AR experience for university students that fits into their busy, stressful lives?

Key Questions We Explored:

• What emotional needs do university students have that aren’t being met?
• How can AR technology enhance (not disrupt) their daily routines?
• What makes a virtual pet relationship feel authentic and rewarding?
• How can we balance entertainment with their academic responsibilities?

Insights from Discussion:

User Need 1: Stress Relief
- Students face high academic pressure and need accessible stress relief
- Traditional pets are not allowed in dorms or are too demanding
- Quick, meaningful interactions are preferred over lengthy commitments

User Need 2: Companionship
- Many students feel lonely, especially those away from home
- Desire for emotional connection without judgment
- Need for consistent, reliable presence

User Need 3: Routine Building
- Students struggle with maintaining healthy habits
- Gamification can motivate positive behaviors
- Visual progress tracking is encouraging

Phase 2: Feature Brainstorming

Method: Crazy 8s + Affinity Mapping

We generated over 50 feature ideas in our brainstorming sessions, then grouped and prioritized them:

Category 1: Core Interaction Features

✅ AR Pet Placement
- Place pet anywhere in real environment using smartphone camera
- Pet responds to physical space (sits on desk, hides under bed)
- Realistic lighting and shadow effects

✅ Emotional Expression System
- Pet displays emotions based on care level and user mood
- Facial recognition detects user's emotional state
- Pet provides appropriate responses (comfort when sad, excitement when happy)

✅ Care Activities
- Feeding, playing, grooming
- Study companion mode (pet sits quietly during study sessions)
- Walk the pet around campus (AR treasure hunt)

Category 2: Student-Specific Features

✅ Study Buddy Mode
- Pet enters "quiet mode" during study sessions
- Pomodoro timer integration
- Rewards focus time with pet interaction

✅ Stress Relief Mini-Games
- Quick 2-3 minute games for study breaks
- Pet-based meditation and breathing exercises
- Stress level tracking with pet mood correlation

✅ Campus Exploration
- AR scavenger hunts around campus
- Discover hidden pet items and accessories
- Social features (see others' pets at popular locations)

Category 3: Long-Term Engagement

✅ Pet Growth System
- Pet evolves based on care quality and interaction frequency
- Multiple growth paths based on user's interaction style
- Visual customization unlocks

✅ Achievement & Collection System
- Earn badges for consistent care
- Collect pet accessories and environments
- Seasonal events and special items

✅ Social Features
- Visit friends' pets
- Pet playdates in AR
- Photo sharing and pet care tips

Features We Decided NOT to Implement:

❌ Real-time multiplayer battles
Reason: Too game-like, deviates from emotional support focus

❌ Cryptocurrency/NFT integration
Reason: Adds complexity without meaningful value for students

❌ Voice control for all interactions
Reason: Awkward in public spaces like libraries or classrooms

❌ Breeding system
Reason: Too time-consuming for busy students

Phase 3: User Scenario Development

I developed three detailed user scenarios to guide our design:

Scenario 1: Stressed Before Exam (Emma, Sophomore)

Context: 11 PM, studying in dorm room, feeling overwhelmed
Trigger: Opens app, pet notices tired expression
System Response:
1. Pet shows concerned expression, tilts head
2. Suggests taking a 5-minute break
3. Offers simple breathing exercise mini-game
4. After break, pet enters study buddy mode
Outcome: Emma feels less alone, takes productive break, resumes studying

Scenario 2: Lonely Weekend (Michael, Freshman)

Context: Saturday afternoon, roommate went home, feeling homesick
Trigger: Opens app, pet hasn't been fed since yesterday
System Response:
1. Pet shows hunger, but also excitement to see user
2. Feeding interaction provides small dopamine boost
3. Pet suggests walk around campus (AR treasure hunt)
4. Discovers other students' pets at campus landmarks
Outcome: Gets outside, mild social interaction through app, feels less isolated

Scenario 3: Building Study Routine (Aisha, Junior)

Context: Monday morning, wants to establish better study habits
Trigger: Sets up study session with pet
System Response:
1. Pet enters study buddy mode
2. 25-minute Pomodoro timer with pet sleeping peacefully
3. Break time: pet wakes up, plays mini-game
4. After 3 cycles, pet shows growth progress
Outcome: Builds positive association with study time, visual reward motivates consistency

📊 Questionnaire Design: Understanding Our Users

Survey 1: Initial User Research (n=120 students)

Objective: Understand students’ relationship with pets and AR technology

Key Findings:

# Demographics
Participants = 120 university students
Age Range: 18-25
Pet Ownership:
  - Currently own pets at home: 68%
  - Cannot have pets in current living situation: 82%
  - Would like a pet if circumstances allowed: 91%

# Emotional Needs
Top Stressors:
  1. Academic pressure (89%)
  2. Social isolation (67%)
  3. Uncertainty about future (78%)

Stress Relief Methods Currently Used:
  1. Social media scrolling (73%)
  2. Video games (52%)
  3. Calling family/friends (61%)
  4. Exercise (34%)

Openness to AR Technology:
  - Very interested: 42%
  - Somewhat interested: 39%
  - Neutral: 15%
  - Not interested: 4%

Critical Insight:

“Most students are open to AR technology, but 67% expressed concern about apps being ‘too demanding’ or ‘another responsibility.’ Our design must minimize obligation while maximizing emotional reward.”

Survey 2: Feature Prioritization (n=85 students)

Method: MaxDiff Analysis - Force students to choose between features

Results:

High Priority Features (Must Have):
1. Low maintenance requirement (Score: 8.7/10)
2. Stress relief mini-games (Score: 8.4/10)
3. Study timer integration (Score: 8.2/10)
4. Realistic pet emotions (Score: 7.9/10)

Medium Priority (Nice to Have):
5. Campus exploration features (Score: 7.1/10)
6. Pet customization (Score: 6.8/10)
7. Social features (Score: 6.5/10)

Low Priority (Can Skip):
8. Competitive leaderboards (Score: 4.2/10)
9. Daily login rewards (Score: 4.8/10)
10. Voice interaction (Score: 5.1/10)

Design Implications:

• ✅ Made pet care forgiving (won’t “die” if neglected, just becomes sad)
• ✅ Focused development on stress relief mechanics
• ✅ Integrated Pomodoro timer as core feature
• ✅ Invested in high-quality pet emotion animations
• ❌ Deprioritized competitive features
• ❌ Made daily rewards optional, not mandatory

Survey 3: Usability Evaluation (n=45 students, post-prototype)

Method: Think-aloud protocol + SUS (System Usability Scale)

Quantitative Results:

Overall SUS Score: 78.3 (Above Average)

Task Success Rates:
- Pet placement in AR: 93%
- Feeding interaction: 98%
- Finding study mode: 87%
- Understanding pet emotions: 82%
- Navigating menu: 76%

Time on Task:
- First-time pet setup: Avg 2.3 minutes (Target: <3 min) ✓
- Starting study session: Avg 24 seconds (Target: <30 sec) ✓
- Playing mini-game: Avg 3.1 minutes (Target: 2-5 min) ✓

Qualitative Feedback Themes:

What Users Loved ❤️:

"The pet actually made me want to study more because I could unlock new things."
- Theme: Positive reinforcement through gamification

"I felt less guilty taking breaks because the pet encouraged it."
- Theme: Permission to rest

"The AR felt magical when the pet interacted with my desk."
- Theme: Sense of wonder

"I didn't feel alone in my room anymore."
- Theme: Emotional companionship

Pain Points 😓:

"I couldn't find how to change the pet's accessories at first."
- Issue: Customization menu too hidden

"Sometimes the AR tracking lost the pet."
- Issue: Technical stability

"I wished I could see my pet's history of growth."
- Issue: Missing progress visualization

🎨 Presentation Design: Telling Our Story

Slide Structure

I organized the presentation into a compelling narrative arc:

Act 1: The Problem (Slides 1-5)
- Opening: Relatable student stress scenarios
- Statistics on student mental health
- Existing solutions and their limitations
- Our opportunity: AR + Emotional Design

Act 2: Our Solution (Slides 6-12)
- Product vision and core experience
- Key features walkthrough with visuals
- User scenarios with storyboards
- Technical implementation overview

Act 3: Validation (Slides 13-18)
- Research methodology
- User survey insights
- Usability testing results
- Design iterations based on feedback

Act 4: Impact & Future (Slides 19-23)
- Project outcomes and learnings
- Future development roadmap
- Broader implications for AR + wellbeing
- Q&A

Key Design Decisions

1. Visual Language

Color Palette:
- Primary: Soft blue (#6FAADB) - Calming, trustworthy
- Secondary: Warm orange (#FFB347) - Friendly, energetic
- Accent: Mint green (#9DE3C5) - Fresh, growth

Typography:
- Headers: Poppins (modern, friendly)
- Body: Inter (readable, professional)

Imagery:
- AR mockups showing pet in realistic environments
- Student-focused photography
- Minimal illustrations for concepts
- Actual prototype screenshots

2. Data Visualization

Survey Results → Clean bar charts with key findings highlighted
User Journey → Timeline with emoji emotional states
Feature Priority → Bubble chart showing importance vs. effort
Usability Scores → Gauge charts with benchmark comparisons

3. Demo Flow Planning

Live Demo Sequence:
1. Open app → Show empty room in AR
2. Pet placement → Demonstrate spatial awareness
3. Feeding interaction → Show responsive animations
4. Study mode activation → Timer + quiet pet behavior
5. Break time mini-game → Quick stress relief
6. Pet growth display → Show progress visualization

Backup Plan:
- Pre-recorded video if AR tracking fails
- Static screenshots with narration
- Clickable prototype for interactive backup

💭 Reflection and Learnings

What Went Well

1. User-Centered Brainstorming:

• Starting with user pain points (not technology) led to more meaningful features
• Scenario-based thinking helped us stay grounded in reality
• Early prioritization saved development time

2. Structured Research Process:

• Questionnaires at different stages (pre/mid/post) provided continuous validation
• Quantitative + qualitative mix gave full picture
• Sample size (120+ initial participants) gave statistical confidence

3. Evidence-Based Presentation:

• Real data made our claims credible
• User quotes added emotional authenticity
• Visual mockups helped audience imagine the experience

Challenges Faced

1. Balancing Depth vs. Breadth:

• Problem: Too many feature ideas, limited development time
• Solution: Ruthless prioritization using survey data
• Lesson: “Do one thing excellently” beats “do many things mediocrely”

2. AR Technical Constraints:

• Problem: Some brainstormed features weren’t technically feasible
• Solution: Consulted with development team earlier in brainstorming
• Lesson: Involve technical experts in ideation, not just execution

3. Survey Fatigue:

• Problem: Lower completion rate on third survey (45 vs 120 initial)
• Solution: Shortened questionnaire, added completion incentive
• Lesson: Respect participants’ time; every question must earn its place

4. Presentation Time Constraints:

• Problem: 20 minutes for months of work
• Solution: Focus on journey (problem→solution→validation) not details
• Lesson: Good presentation = what to leave out, not put in

What I Would Do Differently

1. Earlier Prototyping:

• I focused too much on research before building
• Should have created low-fidelity AR prototype earlier for tangible feedback
• Paper prototypes could have validated interactions faster

2. Competitive Analysis Depth:

• We looked at apps, but didn’t deeply analyze their retention strategies
• Should have interviewed users of similar apps about why they stopped using them
• Would add “exit interview” questions for lapsed users

3. Cross-Cultural Considerations:

• Our research was campus-specific
• Didn’t consider international students’ different relationships with pets
• Would include questions about cultural attitudes toward virtual companions

4. Presentation Rehearsal:

• First run-through was only 2 days before presentation
• Demo technical issues weren’t discovered until late
• Should have done multiple dry runs with non-team audiences

Key Takeaways

About Brainstorming:

• 🧠 Constraints boost creativity: Limiting scope to “university students” made ideas sharper
• 🧠 Scenarios > Features: Stories about Emma and Michael were more useful than feature lists
• 🧠 Kill your darlings: The best ideas don’t always make it; data should decide

About Questionnaire Design:

• 📊 Closed + Open questions: Numbers give scale, words give understanding
• 📊 Timing matters: Ask different questions at different project stages
• 📊 Incentivize thoughtfully: Response quality > quantity

About Presentations:

• 🎤 Show, don’t tell: One good demo beats ten feature descriptions
• 🎤 Data tells stories: Numbers + human quotes = persuasive narrative
• 🎤 Plan for failure: Have backup for every live demo

Future Improvements

For the Product:

1. Multiplayer AR Pet Playdates: Synchronous AR sessions where pets interact
2. Integration with University Systems: Connect to class schedules for smarter study reminders
3. Mental Health Resources: Partner with campus counseling for crisis support
4. Accessibility Features: Voice control for users with motor impairments, colorblind modes

For the Research:

1. Longitudinal Study: Track engagement over full semester (not just 2 weeks)
2. Diary Studies: Have students record their emotional state before/after interactions
3. Comparison Study: AR pet vs traditional stress relief apps
4. Dropout Analysis: Why do some users stop using the app?

For the Presentation:

1. Interactive Elements: Let audience try AR placement themselves
2. Emotional Arc: Add more student testimonials throughout
3. Future Vision Video: Show where this technology could go in 5 years
4. Open Source Component: Offer design kit for other AR pet creators

🤖 AI Usage Acknowledgment

AI Tools Used

1. ChatGPT (OpenAI) - Used for:
   • Brainstorming session note organization
   • Survey question phrasing suggestions
   • Grammar and clarity checks on presentation text
2. Midjourney (Image Generation) - Used for:
   • Concept art for pet designs
   • Mood boards for visual style exploration
   • Presentation background graphics
3. Grammarly - Used for:
   • Questionnaire language refinement
   • Presentation script proofreading

Human Contributions

All core intellectual work was human-driven:

• ✅ Brainstorming concepts and user scenarios
• ✅ Questionnaire structure and research methodology
• ✅ Data analysis and insight synthesis
• ✅ Presentation narrative and information architecture
• ✅ All strategic decisions and prioritization
• ✅ AR interaction design and experience flow

AI was used only as a productivity tool, not as the primary creator or decision-maker.

📚 Skills Developed

Through this project, I strengthened:

Soft Skills:

• 💬 Facilitation: Leading productive brainstorming sessions with diverse opinions
• 🎯 Prioritization: Making tough calls on what features to cut
• 🗣️ Communication: Translating complex research into accessible presentations
• 🤝 Collaboration: Working with designers, developers, and researchers

Hard Skills:

• 📊 Survey Design: Creating unbiased, actionable questionnaires
• 📈 Data Analysis: Using MaxDiff, SUS, and qualitative coding
• 🎨 Presentation Design: Visual storytelling and information hierarchy
• 🔍 User Research: Conducting interviews and usability tests

HCI-Specific Skills:

• 🧑‍💻 User-Centered Design: Letting user needs drive decisions
• 🔄 Iterative Design: Using feedback loops to improve product
• 🤔 Critical Thinking: Questioning assumptions about user behavior
• ⚖️ Ethical Design: Considering potential negative impacts of engagement mechanics

🎓 Course Integration

This project applied HCI concepts from our course:

Final Thoughts:

This project taught me that good design starts with deep empathy. Every feature we built came from understanding a real student need. The brainstorming, research, and presentation weren’t separate phases—they were continuous conversations with our users, with each other, and with the technology’s possibilities.

AR virtual pets might seem trivial, but for a lonely freshman in a new city, a tired senior pulling an all-nighter, or an anxious student before exams, that little digital companion could be the friend who helps them through tough moments. That’s the power of thoughtful, human-centered design.

Last Updated: November 2025