Street-Aware Augmented Reality Patterns for User Safety

Here’s a blurb from my recap of a recent prototype around AR patterns for user street safety:

As we develop augmented reality, can we do it in such a way that mitigates user safety concerns before they pop up? I’ve previously pointed out that the uniqueness of AR lies in its capacity to align with and interact with the physical environment. AR principles and patterns should harness this unique interactivity. Can we use this interactivity within every AR experience to subtly draw attention to surrounding hazards, instead of distracting from the environment?

And here’s a short description of the prototype:

Imagine a phone-based AR game that involves a character running just ahead of you. Using your device, you steer the runner, lining her up to collect the coins that lie ahead of her. This could be a really absorbing experience: every surface, every part of the city now becomes a playground. But it could also put users in harm’s way: as they steer the runner through the streets, their attention gets draw into the game environment and away from potential hazards ahead. The game has been developed to take that into account. The character is sensitive to the dangers of public spaces, and vigorously reacts to them.

You can read more about the prototype here.