Flow Chemistry AR

Tags: Mixed Reality Chemistry Education Immersive Experience

Date: Jan. 2021 - May 2022 (period of my involvement)

My Role: Interaction Design, UI Design, Art Assets, and Audio Design.

Collaborator: Max Chen, Yichen Li, Hilson Shrestha, Noëlle Rakotondravony, Karen Royer, Laurie Mazza, Varun Bhat, Andrew Teixeira, Lane Harrison, Robert E. Dempski.

For: Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Intentional Design Studio

A HoloLens 2 mixed-reality training application that helps students assemble flow chemistry reactors through interactive, step-by-step holographic tutorials alongside real physical components.

Video WPI IDeaS Webpage GitHub

PROJECT INTRODUCTION

Flow Chemistry AR, later developed as FlowAR, is a mixed-reality training application for Microsoft HoloLens 2. The system helps students learn how to assemble modular flow chemistry reactors through immersive, step-by-step holographic instructions. Users can view animated guidance, listen to voice narration, and manipulate real components at the same time, creating a mixed-reality learning environment that connects digital instruction with physical practice. Traditional chemistry instruction often relies on batch-process examples and written protocols, while industrial and academic laboratories are increasingly interested in continuous and modular flow systems. Flow Chemistry AR addresses this gap by delivering hands-free, voice-controlled, self-paced guidance that combines digital animation with physical practice, letting users "learn by doing" in real time.

The early concept for this project emerged from brainstorming sessions in summer 2020 with collaborators from WPI's Intentional Design Studio (IDeaS), where I was working as a senior fellow. The project formally began in early 2021. During its first development phase, I contributed to interaction design, user interface design, visual and art assets, and audio assets for the prototype. My involvement continued through spring 2022, after which I shifted to other IDeaS project responsibilities and the project's continued development was carried forward by Max Chen and the broader team. This page therefore focuses on my early-stage design and prototyping contributions to the Flow Chemistry AR project.