Inspiration
On the morning of October 7th, we woke up to the sound of sirens. It's funny, but we're kinda used to it—getting into a shelter for a minute or two and going back to sleep. But this time was different; the shooting above Israel's sky was massive, and all these texts and videos started pouring in. Israel faced a surprise attack by the Hamas organization, resulting in casualties of more than 1,500 human lives, most of which were civilians. We realized Israel is entering a time of collective trauma like never before, a time where stories of fallen heroes can be overlooked. Therefore, we’ve decided to harness the tools of the geospatial creator by Google, and do our best to help this situation. One of the most influential experiences we had at the Burning Man festival in Nevada is the "Temple". A huge sacred place, built for only seven days (before being burnt to ashes), allowing people to leave something behind: a picture, a text, an object of some sort, giving participants a unique everlasting memorable experience of shared release. We aim to do the same.
What it does
MemoriAR creates unique memorial spaces, each featuring an artistic statue, information about the fallen, and a personalized touch with pictures or a set of memories accompanied by music that resonates with the contributor's liking.
How It Works
There are two roles: the visitor and the contributor. Contributors have the creative freedom to place a MemoriAR wherever they believe is an appropriate representation, aligned with the fallen individual's wishes and character. It's a harmonious blend of personal expression and communal remembrance, fostering a digital space for healing and connection. Visitors to the platform experience an augmented reality (AR) map displaying various memorial sites spread across public spaces. These sites, presented in 3D, offer an immersive and multiplayer experience. Visitors can pay their respects by interacting with the digital environment—lighting a candle (limited to one per person), entering their name to express support for the grieving family, and engaging with what other visitors have left at the site
How we built it
We teamed up with a dear friend who had lost her cousin, embarking on a user-centric journey to develop an MVP. Putting our ideas to the test at real-world events, such as the 30-day Memorial Day across various locations in Israel, we gathered valuable insights. Armed with this information, we crafted a lean version that aligns with our initial purpose.
Challenges we ran into
Dealing with harsh realities, difficult conversations, operating in a country at war, and overcoming long-distance collaboration challenges. Also, we faced an emotional toll and VPS support limitations in Israel.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Validating our initial assumptions, while getting impactful feedback, digging into the geospatial creator workflow and most importantly get a warm greetings from the families saying how meaningful this process is for them.
What we learned
Throughout our journey, we discovered the profound impact of creating and assisting families during their darkest moments. One contributor expressed a sense of contribution and empowerment. Losing some interactions proved that more isn't always better; by reducing gamification elements, such as a full inventory of models to choose from, or countless candles placement, we heightened the purpose-driven experience.
What's next for MemoriAR
Our ambitious goals include contributor mode expansion, note implementation for personalization, advanced anchoring with Niantic's ARDK, iOS compatibility, connected maps, and scaling our user base to foster a great communal experience.
In envisioning the future, our heartfelt goal for MemoriAR is to be a platform where every story is being heard, where each individual truly feels a part, and where every family experiences the embrace of a supportive and loving community.
Log in or sign up for Devpost to join the conversation.