UrbanQuest

UrbanQuest

UrbanQuest

Smart footwear integrated with a digital navigation system that enhances the urban experience.

Smart footwear integrated with a digital navigation system that enhances the urban experience.

Smart footwear integrated with a digital navigation system that enhances the urban experience.

UrbanQuest transforms urban exploration with its innovative interactive footwear device and digital services. Step away from traditional navigation and enjoy a hands-free journey through the city.

UrbanQuest allows you to navigate effortlessly using intuitive foot gestures, controlling digital maps to find directions or discover hidden spots—all without the distraction of mobile devices. Vibrations underfoot guide you, making every city exploration engaging and memorable. Perfect for both locals and travelers, it offers a new way to interact with your surroundings and forge unforgettable experiences.

UrbanQuest transforms urban exploration with its innovative interactive footwear device and digital services. Step away from traditional navigation and enjoy a hands-free journey through the city.

UrbanQuest allows you to navigate effortlessly using intuitive foot gestures, controlling digital maps to find directions or discover hidden spots—all without the distraction of mobile devices. Vibrations underfoot guide you, making every city exploration engaging and memorable. Perfect for both locals and travelers, it offers a new way to interact with your surroundings and forge unforgettable experiences.

Sponsored by KANO & STEM

Team & Project Type

Designer: Evan Zhang

PM: Bruno Schillinger (Kano & STEM)

Sponsored Academic Project

Mar-Jun 2023 (3 Months)

Designer: Evan Zhang

PM: Bruno Schillinger (Kano & STEM)

Sponsored Academic Project

Mar-Jun 2023 (3 Months)

Project Scope

Design Research

User Research

Industrial Design

UX/UI Design


Design Research

User Research

Industrial Design

UX/UI Design


Focus Areas

#footwear

#interaction

#navigation

#foot-gesture


#footwear

#interaction

#navigation

#foot-gesture


Tools

Rhino

Keyshot

Figma

Adobe Suite

Physical Computing

Rhino

Keyshot

Figma

Adobe Suite

Physical Computing

Project Brief

Project Brief

How can we reimagine a new way of navigation to enhance the interaction between people and the city in a more fun way?

How can we reimagine a new way of navigation to enhance the interaction between people and the city in a more fun way?

Problems I am focusing on

Over-reliance on Screen

Over-reliance on Screen

Over-reliance on Screen

9 Hours

9 Hours

9 Hours

According to recent studies, Gen Z averages up to 9 hours per day on digital devices.

Distracted Walking

Distracted Walking

Distracted Walking

20%

20%

20%

An observational study has found that around 20 per cent of pedestrians in Melbourne are distracted by smartphones.

Disconnection from Reality

Disconnection from Reality

Disconnection from Reality

50%

50%

50%

A study shows that nearly half of teens are online almost constantly, leading to a sense of disconnection from real-life interactions.

Research

Research

Primary Research

Primary Research

to understand how people use navigation software

to understand how people use navigation software

Secondary Research

Secondary Research

to explain why we need to enrich the forms of digital navigation

to explain why we need to enrich the forms of digital navigation

Primary Research

Primary Research

Workshop: What do you use google map for? And how do you use it?

Workshop: What do you use google map for? And how do you use it?

Workshop: What do you use google map for? And how do you use it?

Key Insight

Key Insight

Key Insight

· Google Maps focuses on efficiency, but users may prefer freedom to explore.

· Map apps rely heavily on visuals, overlooking other sensory potentials.

· Users often miss areas outside the suggested route.

Secondary Research

Secondary Research

Literature Research

Literature Research

Literature Research

“The physical act of moving your arm and feeling the paper under your finger gives your brain haptic and sensorimotor cues that contribute to the formation and retention of the cognitive map.”

“Why Paper Maps Still Matter in the Digital Age”

The MIT Press

February 5, 2019

Precedents Analysis

Precedents Analysis

Precedents Analysis

Stanford researchers have developed a self-navigating smart cane for the visually impaired, featuring a motorized wheel at the tip that provides real-time feedback.

Equipped with sensors like GPS, accelerometers, magnetometers, and gyroscopes, it tracks location, speed, and direction.

The Ashirase navigation system for the visually impaired uses a smartphone app and a 3D vibration device with a motion sensor, attached inside the shoe.

It provides navigation via foot vibrations, guided by GNSS positioning and motion data.

Key Insight

Key Insight

Key Insight

We need an alternative way of navigating that allows people to move their body and keep real-life interactions with the city.

These two precedents demonstrate the technical feasibility of creating alternative ways of navigating.

They are aimed at vulnerable groups, having great potential to become daily wearable products for majority.

Concept Development

Concept Development

Smart footwear integrated with a digital navigation system that enhances the urban experience.

Haptic and Food Gesture Design

Haptic and Food Gesture Design

Vibration Pattern

Vibration Pattern

Research

Research

Research

Verify

Verify

Verify

Develop

Develop

Develop

Vibration Pattern

Vibration Pattern

Vibration Pattern

Vibration Patterns

Vibration Patterns

The way it communicate...

Foot Gesture Interaction

Foot Gesture Interaction

How to make interaction more intuitive?

Workshop: Make Your Shoes

“Make Your Shoes” workshop explores foot gestures as a medium for intuitive interaction. I recruited participants from diverse backgrounds to ensure the gestures were intuitive across cultures. They were asked to create shoes and test gestures based on various prompts.

Defined Foot Gestures

Defined Foot Gestures

It is not only a footwear device, but also a foot-gesture interface.

Pairing

Start the journey

End the journey

Switch Modes

Mark this place

Random

Share the location

Hello!

Footwear Device Design

Footwear Device Design

Development

Development

Engineering Feedback

Feedback from thte Client

Feedback from thte Client

Bruno Schillinger

Product Manager at Kano & STEM

Bruno Schillinger

Product Manager at Kano & STEM

Traditional Charging

Traditional Charging

Piezoelectric Generator

Piezoelectric Generator

Modular and Detachable

Modular and Detachable

Make it FUN to Play with

Make it FUN to Play with

Iteration

I studied the feasibility of piezoelectric power generation. To create a more intuitive user experience, I have decided to adopt this charging method.

To avoid a sense of strangeness and anxiety, I adopted a modular design with Kano color schemes for a more pleasant assembly and disassembly experience instead of directly exposing electronic components to users.

CMF--Physical Device

CMF--Physical Device

UrbanQuest App Design

UrbanQuest App Design

UI System

UI System

“...Are soft both physically and psychologically.”

-- Kano & STEM

“...Are soft both physically and psychologically.”

-- Kano & STEM

Primary

#E8E3D5

Primary

#E8E3D5

Background

#F1F0EC

Background

#F1F0EC

Background

#F1F0EC

Primary Variant

#615E58

Primary Variant

#615E58

Surface

#FFFFFF

Surface

#FFFFFF

Text

#252421

Text

#252421

Error

#FF775B

Error

#FF775B

Text Light

#BDBDBD

Text Light

#BDBDBD

Correct

#96ECA6

Correct

#96ECA6

Headline

Roboto Bold 28

Headline

Roboto Regular 28

Title

Roboto Regular 22

body

Roboto Regular 14

Mobile App Interfaces

Mobile App Interfaces

The primary user interaction takes place through the shoes, while the app focuses on device management and activity records. Based on user research, I iterated on the interface multiple times to ensure strong usability and an improved integrated experience.

Define

Define

Break Down the System

Navigating

INPUT

GNSS data

OUTPUT

Vibration Pattern

Interacting

INPUT

Motion Data

OUTPUT

Digital Features

Experience Flowchart

Experience Flowchart

UrbanQuest innovates with a Compass Mode where users’ shoes indicate the direction, like a compass. It encourages users to choose their own paths and explore the city freely.

WWWWH

WWWWH

Who

Who

Lifestyle: Urban enthusiast

Travel: Adventure seeker

Personality: Curious, adventurous

Social: Sociable, community-oriented

Where

Where

Urban Area

When

When

Daily Commuting

Travelling

Why

For a more intuitive screenless navigation experience and personalized urban exploration.

Why

Why

For a more intuitive screenless navigation experience and personalized urban exploration.

How

How

The vibration feedback in the sole provides navigation information, and dynamic capture technology identifies the user’s foot gestures for interaction.

User Journey

User Journey

Unboxing

Register

Register & Pairing

After registering, users will be guided to pair their UrbanQuest device via QR code.

Pairing with Devices

Learning Gestures

Users can learn new gesture commands from the Gesture Library and add them to their device based on their personal usage habits.

Gesture Management

When users put on their UrbanQuest Shoes, they can learn and practice gestures, with the guidance empowered by embedded sensors.

Gesture Learning

Walk with UrbanQuest

On the Explore Page, users can search for places, or choose a type of destination for random exploration. Users can check the areas they have unlocked and the places they have saved at any time.

Explore Page

Vibration Pattern

Turn Right

Go Straight

Go Back

Stop

Correct Direction

Gesture Control

E.g. Save this Location

Explore the City

Two ways of Navigation

Navigation Mode

Exploring with Compass Mode

Explore History

Users can find the cities they have visited in the History section, and review the places they saved and the locations where they met with friends during their travels.

More to Explore!