Steeped in sereniTEA: From Virtuality to Reality

Implementation

Theme

Connection

Team

Douglas Goldstein (Team Lead/ Immersive Designer)
Kahlil Calavas (Unity Developer)
Marc Pettersen (3D Designer)
Michelle Wu (UX Designer)
Mengying Luo (Experience Designer)

Introduction

“Life can be filled with stress, but how do we navigate it?”
Our aim is to craft a tea journey that provides individuals with a retreat from the external pressures, allowing them to uncover serenity through this mindful tea experience. Enable people to discover their inner peace in the virtual realm and carry it back into their reality

Why Tea

• The U.S. is the 2nd largest importer of tea in the world, following after Pakistan
• Over 159 million Americans are drinking tea; that's 48% of the population

How Tea Ceremony Helps

• A sensory experience with the aroma, taste, and warmth of the tea, which can have a soothing effect and promote relaxation
• Encourages people to focus on the preparation and consumption of tea, promoting mindfulness and a break from daily stressors
• Sharing a tea ceremony with others fosters social connection, which is crucial for mental health
• Offers a connection to traditions and a sense of belonging, which can positively impact mental well-being
• Involves moments of quiet reflection, which can be beneficial for managing stress and gaining perspective

Project Details

• Hardware: Meta Quest Headset & Controllers
• Target Platform: Android VR
• SDK: Meta Presence Platform
• Other Assets: Sketchfab, Blockade Labs Skybox

Implementation

Challenges We Ran Into

Our team spent a bit more time in scoping our project, initially exploring the connections between individuals and food before settling on our final topic. As a result, the time allocated for the design aspects is somewhat limited. While we've made progress, there are still areas for improvement, and additional elements need to be incorporated into this mixed reality experience.

What we learned

During this project, we figured out that teamwork is a big deal for making an exciting project. Even though we had limited time, everyone brought their skills to the table, and we ended up with a cool concept and engaging presentations. Our team vibe was on point, making everything click and creating a real bond among us. It totally resonates with this year's theme: connection.