PROJECTS/
The Last Three
MobileAR Application for iOS
Overview
Australian artists Gillie and Marc created a sculpture to raise awareness for the rapid extinction of the Northern White Rhinos. In response, INDE joined forces with the Goodbye Rhinos initiative to develop this AR application for iOS devices that provided users with a unique chance to interact with “The Last Three.”
“In our exploration of technology, we see AR as a key tool in the armory of conservation, bringing issues around animal welfare to life for a new generation. While never a replacement, it offers a perfect combination of real-world experience with digital discovery.”
— Alex Poulson
CEO
Want to discuss an idea, project, or campaign?
Discover what’s possible!
User
Experience
From the app’s welcome page, users can freely access information about the initiative and their mission. But the focal point of the app is the Meet The Last Three feature, through which users can engage and learn about Earth’s last three Northern White Rhinos. Users then have capability to “meet” and interact with individual rhinos, all via either an on-site or off-site experience.
When the “on-site experience” option is selected, a display pinpoints AR content locations using GoogleMaps. At a certain proximity from any of these locations, a notification is issued to the user to open the app, and if the user is in range, the content will activate and the user will be immersed in the AR experience.
When the user selects the “off-site experience” option, they use their device to “scan” their environment. An indicator will appear when scanning is complete to designate placement of the AR content. When the rhino appears, it will slowly eat and move in place while the user can move around it. As the device moves, the placement indicator will continuously update.
The application also offers users information about the Africa Reserve and allows them a quick and easy opportunity to make a donation.
App screen designs
Challenges
INDE used sophisticated randomised motion takes and combined them with traditional animation techniques to achieve the desired caliber of realism.
This app takes advantage of the exceptional environment mapping capabilities of Apple's ARKit. Models appear on real-life surfaces as never before. By utilising the CPU and GPU, we created a distinct advantage over previous solutions. Now you can, for example, easily place a 3D object on an uneven surface.
Besides the 4096*4096 pixel texture applied to the 3D model, Unity3D's PBR shaders were utilised to achieve the realistic specularity. The resulting materials and shaders respond dynamically to any environment's lighting conditions.
Learn more about the initiative
We’re on the verge of witnessing the imminent extinction of the Northern White Rhino. From a population of 40,000, the species have been reduced to only two remain - Najin and Fatu - making them the rarest animals on the planet.
Rhino horns are worth more than their weight in gold, so Najin and Fatu are under constant threat from poachers. Monumental sculpture artists Gillie and Marc have made the world's tallest rhino sculpture to inform, and inspire and mobilize a global community to rise up and affect real change against the sale of rhino horns.
“The Last Three,” installed in the heart of New York City in March of 2018, depicts Najin, Fatu, and Sudan -- the last remaining male of the species, who has since passed away. The sculpture continues to raise awareness and funding to protect Najin and Fatu, and to encourage participation in petitioning Chinese and Vietnamese governments to eliminate rhino horn demand.
Learn more about our MobileAR products
Services
📝 Concept & Design
We’re soup to nuts! INDE’s full-service project engineering capabilities start here: our creative development team turns ideation into working concept design. Equipped with a wide range of global experience after a decade in the marketplace, our foresight to integrate real-world limitations at conceptualisation sets us apart.
💻 Content & VFX
As one of the few AR developers that creates its own content, we pride ourselves on providing full 2D and 3D models and animation in real time or pre-rendered formats, built right alongside the AR software for speedier and higher-quality integration.
🎬 Global Content Production
Not satisfied with simply designing and developing three-dimensional content for all of our AR platforms, INDE is also capable of organising live production shoots -- in AR-ready green screen or volumetric capture -- for original content with talent.
⚙️ Hardware Design
Hardware buildouts and product lines such as BroadcastAR and HeroMirror are designed and built by us in-house, right here at INDE. Offering the unique opportunity to create and adapt hardware for new potential applications for any project across the globe.
🌎 Global Installation and Support
For over a decade, INDE has assured its installation capability anywhere in the world, and in so doing, has become the trusted name in event-based and permanent AR production globally, with deployments to almost 50 countries. All of our products and systems come provided with dedicated support, on-site and remote, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.