BLEACHED
World Coral Bleaching Data Visualization in VR
/ 2023 / Group Project
Haixu He, Zhaoheng Guo, Yiming Qin, Xuanlu Liu, Jeongmin Lee
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Project Brief
This team-based coursework is my first experience developing a VR application as an XR student at Goldsmiths. Our goal is to offer an educational experience to a diverse audience, raising awareness about coral bleaching and encouraging people to take environmental issues more seriously. Our demo provides users with background information and knowledge about bleaching issues while visualizing real data in a VR environment for an immersive exploration experience.
In this project, I primarily served as a visual director and technical designer, crafting the app's basic journey and integrating ideas from my teammates to optimise the user experience. As VR app development presents unique challenges, I also acted as a bridge between the technical and design aspects of the project. Our 5-person-team consists of members from various disciplines, including art, design, media, and architecture.
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What Is Coral Bleaching?
Coral bleaching is a phenomenon that occurs when corals, the tiny marine animals that build the colourful and intricate structures known as coral reefs, become stressed and expel the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues. This algae provides the coral with essential nutrients and gives the coral its vibrant colours. When the algae are expelled, the coral turns white, hence the term "bleaching."
Coral bleaching is often caused by environmental stressors, with the most significant factor being elevated water temperatures. This can result from global warming, El Niño events, or localised heat waves. Other factors that can contribute to coral bleaching include pollution, excessive sunlight, and changes in ocean chemistry due to ocean acidification.
When corals bleach, they lose their primary source of food and become more susceptible to disease. Prolonged or severe bleaching can lead to the death of corals and the collapse of the entire coral reef ecosystem, which in turn affects the millions of marine species that depend on coral reefs for food, shelter, and breeding grounds. Coral reefs are also vital for coastal protection, tourism, and fisheries, making their health and survival crucial for the well-being of human populations as well.
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How Does The Bleaching Event Affect Us?
1. Biodiversity:
Damaged or destroyed coral reefs due to bleaching can lead to declines in marine biodiversity and the potential extinction of some species.
2. Fisheries:
Healthy coral reefs are essential for robust fish populations, which are crucial for food security and livelihoods for millions of people.
3. Coastal Protection:
Coral reefs serve as natural barriers protecting shorelines from erosion, storm surges, and flooding, ensuring safety for coastal communities.
4. Tourism:
Bleaching can diminish the appeal of coral reef destinations, leading to economic losses in local economies that rely on tourism.
5. Climate Change Mitigation:
Healthy coral reefs help reduce the impacts of climate change by capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
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ABZU BY Giant Squid
Topostix - Strange Worlds BY CRAIG TAYLOR
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Aesthetic & Visual References
Our primary inspirations for graphic style and data visualization are ABZU and TOPOSTIX. ABZU demonstrates the creation of a beautiful underwater environment while maintaining a small app size. TOPOSTIX highlights the potential for immersive data experiences, transforming abstract information into an interactive environment. We aim to let users explore data by visualizing it in VR, allowing them to experience it first-hand.
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THE FINAL DEMO
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App Journey Analysis
BLEACHED features three scenes: the lobby, underwater, and data. Users start in the lobby and can access the other two scenes by snapping their fingers at floating 3D icons. They can choose to explore data or swim among corals first.
In this report, I will discuss the three different scenes in separate chapters, providing more details about each.
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APP LOOP
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Highlight Features
1. Hand Pose :
Our app focuses on exploring the virtual ocean, and we wanted to maintain immersion without relying heavily on UI elements. Users can return to the lobby by using hand signals, imitating real-life deep-diving communication.
2. Swimming Simulator :
We designed a unique locomotion method by simulating swimming movement, adjusting gravity and friction parameters for a realistic experience. This interaction enhances immersion and enjoyment.
We designed a unique locomotion method by simulating swimming movement, adjusting gravity and friction parameters for a realistic experience. This interaction enhances immersion and enjoyment.
3. Ai Music :
We used AI tools to generate natural sounds and remix them into background music.
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( video by Marcel van den Berg )
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Return to the lobby from different scenes
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Technical Implementation
As we use Quest 2 as the testing device for our team. We decided to develop our demo based on the Oculus Integration package. Although it is limited in that we can only run our demo on Oculus devices, the package saves us tonnes of time in building a basic interactive framework. It is also very friendly to the beginner of VR developer as we can find very detailed instructions in the documentation on the official website.
Another core package we used is the Flat Kit shader. It is the foundation for us to create the illustration-style environment and boost the visual of low-poly assets.
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I / III
Lobby Scene
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The lobby scene features three screens displaying information about coral bleaching. Users can point at screens to scroll through images and text. The lobby serves as a digital library, with a remote-control panel for users to choose content.
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two floating landscape for accessing to different scenes
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II / III
Data Scene_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The number of moderate (up to 30% of corals affected) and severe coral bleaching events (more than 30% corals) measured at 100 fixed global locations. Bleaching occurs when stressful conditions cause corals to expel their algal symbionts.
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Data Visualization Method & Iteration
We obtained open data from World In Data, which provides CSV files that can be analysed in Python. Python also converts data input into sources accepted by 3D modelling software, generating data models. Applying materials to these models in the game engine and added stylish animations and UI graphics to it.
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DEPRECATED VERSION OF VISUALIZED BLEACHING EVENTS DATA
DETAILS OF 4 TYPES OF DATA CORAL
( EACH ONE REPRESENTS DIFFERENT REGIONS )
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Initially, we creatively experimented with generating data models by shaping data with corals, but user testing showed that this approach was confusing. We ultimately abandoned this idea.
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FINAL USED VERSION OF VISUALIZED BLEACHING EVENTS DATA
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We designed hot points for some of the highest data values, highlighting iconic bleaching events from specific years and regions. These events may have been the main reasons for the dramatic increase in bleaching during those periods. Users can access related information by poking the hot points.
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III / III
Ocean Scene
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details of environment
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Bleaching Simulation
Data can be an abstract way to describe bleaching results. Although we've converted numbers into 3D models, some users may still struggle to understand the data's meaning and the severity of coral bleaching. We designed an interaction that allows users to see the actual changes in the ocean by grabbing different bubbles and placing them on their heads.
This interaction utilizes a post-processing component, storing different local volumes in the bubbles to simulate various levels of bleaching results.
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three floating bubbles for simulating
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Documentary & Simulator
To simulate bleaching results as accurately as possible, we referenced a Netflix documentary. The three bubbles represent the impacts of different temperature increases on coral bleaching. By using these references and simulations, we strive to create an engaging and informative experience for users while raising awareness about the importance of addressing coral bleaching and its consequences.
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different stages of bleaching
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Summary & Reflection
Throughout the development process, we faced challenges in balancing user experience, technical implementation, and aesthetic design. We drew inspiration from existing VR experiences like ABZU and TOPOSTIX and employed various software tools and packages to enhance the visual quality and functionality of the app.
Reflecting on the project, I believe we successfully created an engaging and informative VR application that helps users better understand the issue of coral bleaching and its impact on the environment. The project also offered valuable learning experiences, particularly in collaborating with a diverse team, iterating on design ideas based on user feedback, and navigating the technical aspects of VR development.
Moving forward, we could explore additional ways to refine and expand the application, such as incorporating more data sets, enhancing user interactions, or integrating new features to further boost user engagement. Overall, the project demonstrated the potential of VR as an educational tool and served as an exciting opportunity for our team to contribute to raising awareness about crucial environmental issues.
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