Doonav

Doonav is a AR prototype turning public spaces into shared stories using Snap assets, AI, and mapped scenes. Built for fast creation, real-world play, and social connection.

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Inspiration

Our inspiration was accessibility. We wanted to explore how location-based AR could become easier to use and easier to make for both creators and everyday users. How fast can you build something? How intuitive is it to interact with? We were especially curious about how prebuilt assets, AI tools, and existing Snap infrastructure could make immersive storytelling more open and inclusive.

What it does

Doonav is a prototype for location-based AR scenes built using Snap Spectacles, Snap assets, AI-generated content, and mapped environments. It turns real-world public spaces into interactive AR experiences that are designed to be fast to create, easy to access, and social by design.

How we built it

We explored five approaches:

  • Using only Snap assets
  • Generating scenes entirely with AI
  • Building from photographs of real spaces
  • Adapting one of our existing location-based projects
  • Testing mapped Snap Lens Studio locations

We tested in Dublin and LA using Snap Spectacles to evaluate real-world usability. We didn't hard-code multiplayer functionality, but we designed every element with shared experiences in mind.

Challenges we ran into

  • Accessibility assets for creators were limited
  • Some Snap assets failed to load or interact properly
  • Scenes looked much better at night than during the day
  • We had no real-time multiplayer sync, so we simulated shared experiences using mirrored setups

Accomplishments that we are proud of

  • Rapidly prototyped diverse AR scenes with different build methods
  • Developed a practical workflow to test AR in remote and real-world locations
  • Learned what worked – and didn’t – across tools, locations, and conditions
  • Built with a mindset of accessibility-first and multiplayer-later

What we learned

  • AR creation tools need better support for accessibility and visual consistency
  • Not all assets are reliable – fallback design is essential
  • Shared AR starts with shared intent, even if it’s not yet live-multiplayer
  • Lighting conditions matter more than expected, especially for immersion

What's next for Doonav

  • Implement real multiplayer syncing for live shared experiences
  • Build an accessibility-first template system for AR scene creation
  • Expand testing into more types of public space and social contexts
  • Refine onboarding and feedback loops to make spatial storytelling easier for everyone

Why "Doonav"?

Doonav = Do (action, participation) + Nav (navigation, movement, place)
It stands for active exploration of shared space... the foundation for multiplayer, location-based AR 😎

Built With

  • lens
  • snap
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