• Michaela Kaniber (Bavarian State Minister of Food, Agriculture and Forestry) and Wolfgang Grubwinkler (mayor of Eggenfelden) opened the augmented reality educational trail in Eggenfelden’s Bürgerwald.
• The project was implemented within one year.
• A completely new software had to be developed for the realization of the project.
• Target groups are school classes, families and interested adults.
• The devices can be booked free of charge via the website bw.eggenfelden.de

The forest, which covers a total area of 60 hectares, is equipped with animated and interactive 3D models and graphics at a total of ten stations. It will take visitors about two hours to complete the three-kilometer tour. In terms of content, the nature trail provides a completely new insight into the forest ecosystem. For example, the visitors can look at a leaf and experience photosynthesis via a 3D animation of the process. At another station, they can examine the inner life of an anthill and learn about its structure.

In order to create such sophisticated AR experiences, up until now comparable applications had to be programmed manually for months. With ARaction, a designer or technology-savvy person can now create complex AR presentations in space without writing a single line of code. Project development phases can thus be shortened immensely; the focus during development is on the essentials – the presented content. In addition to the software, ARaction also offers its customers a comprehensive conception and design service: the company then designs and creates the entire AR experience – from the storyboard to animated 3D models.
In addition to its tasks as a software and service provider, ARaction GmbH also wants to assume social responsibility. “Despite all our enthusiasm for new technologies, it is very important for us to take social issues into account when planning digitization. After all, digitization changes jobs and the whole of life. Entrepreneurs and politicians have the opportunity to lead the way with holistic solutions. We want to help shape the digital future of the world,” the managing director emphasizes.

The environmental conditions in the forest were certainly the greatest challenge. Constantly varying light situations, the change of seasons and the changing vegetation – all this pushes previous AR technologies to their limits. To master these challenges, our team has combined so-called ‚SLAM algorithms‘ with optical markers. With our software, we were then able to quickly create our location-based AR presentations on site and reliably place complex 3D animations in correct perspective into the area.