💬 About this Project
Delmolecule is an educational mobile application that utilizes augmented reality to visualize 3D molecular shapes, specifically designed to aid students' understanding of molecular geometry. As the designer for this project, I was responsible for crafting the user interface and experience to ensure it was intuitive and engaging. Developed in partial fulfillment of the course CHEM 200: Undergraduate Thesis at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, under the advisorship of Ralph Lauren Alomia and Hazel Joyce Ramirez, the primary goal of Delmolecule is to enhance remote learning experiences and assess the impact of augmented reality on students’ conceptual understanding of molecular geometry.
🏆 Key Contributions
- Mobile App Design: I was responsible for designing the user interface, ensuring an intuitive and user-friendly experience.
- Wireframing: Led the creation of lo-fi wireframes to map out the basic user flow and layout.
- AR Integration: Developed AR functionality using Apple’s ARKit, allowing students to visualize molecular models in 3D in the real world.
- Feature Development: Designed essential features such as the "Learn More" module for additional educational content, a quiz section for knowledge testing, and a settings page for user customization.
- Light and Dark Modes: Implemented both light and dark modes (design) for accessibility and user comfort.
🚀 How It Started
The project began as a thesis requirement for the course CHEM 200 at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. The idea was to create a tool that would make molecular geometry more accessible by using Augmented Reality to display 3D models. This interactive approach was chosen to enhance students’ ability to visualize complex molecular structures, thereby improving their understanding of the subject.
🎯 Purpose
Delmolecule was created to provide an interactive and engaging educational experience by enabling students to explore molecular geometry through augmented reality. The application also aimed to measure the effectiveness of AR in enhancing students' conceptual understanding and task value, especially in remote learning environments.
🎨 Design Process
- Wireframing: Designed lo-fi wireframes to structure the user interface and ensure it was easy to navigate for users.
- UI Design: Developed a clean, modern interface that aligned with the app’s educational purpose while keeping the design simple and user-friendly.
- AR Integration: Integrated AR functionality using Apple’s ARKit to allow users to visualize 3D molecular shapes in real time.
- Features: Created features like the "Learn More" module for in-depth molecular knowledge, a quiz section to assess learning, and a customizable settings page for a personalized experience.
🏅 Project Outcome
- Developed an educational application that uses augmented reality to help students visualize 3D molecular shapes, improving their conceptual understanding of molecular geometry.
- Integrated learning modules and quizzes to provide an engaging and interactive experience for students.
- Implemented both light and dark modes to ensure the app was comfortable to use in various lighting conditions.
- The app successfully demonstrated the potential of augmented reality to enhance remote learning and was well-received by users as an effective educational tool for learning molecular geometry.
🔚 Conclusion
Delmolecule serves as a proof of concept for the use of augmented reality in education, specifically in the field of molecular geometry. The project met its objective of enhancing students' understanding of the subject, while also contributing valuable insights into the effectiveness of AR as a learning tool in remote education.
