Multispectral

The electromagnetic spectrum holds secrets beyond the light we can see. Use this lens to understand how we can learn about our universe by looking at things in a different light

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Inspiration

Every time a new image is revealed from the JWST or other telescopes, it's as if my favorite celebrity posted on social media. Groundbreaking images are revealed every day that can teach us so much about our place in the universe. The more I researched the telescopes and their images, I found that colors are often codes for specific chemical compounds, and each telescope has the ability to target something specific. I wanted to create something that felt literally like a lens into another world, and that is what augmented reality does best. If only our eyes could see the full spectrum, who knows what we could learn?

What it does

The lens gives the user the ability to choose different sections of the electromagnetic spectrum to view. Each section reveals something different about the crab nebula.

How we built it

Many of the 3D forms were started in cinema4D, built with particles and volume builders. Then those forms were brought into lens studio, and I used many procedural materials to bring out the quality of the nebula. Noise textures, vertex displacement, rim lights, hair, and vfx were all used to create a unique look.

Challenges we ran into

Nebulas are, well, nebulous. Its specifically challenging to create materials for objects that are otherworldly. Because there are no set systems in place for rendering a nebula, I had to get creative with the types of materials, geometry, and vfx could come together to get the desired look.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I'm proud of my ability to create these materials and replicate the real NASA images, but also take a little artistic liberty. UI interaction, behavior scripts, and tweens are not my strong suit but they came together well in this final lens.

What we learned

You can make complex forms with really simple geometry and some material trickery. It's all magic tricks in AR!

What's next for Multispectral

Augmented reality is such a powerful tool in visualizing science, and I hope to create more iterations on the theme. What is currently beyond our perception? It's a big universe out there.

Built With

  • cinema4d
  • lensstudio
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