UVee
UVee is an augmented reality experience designed to promote urban biodiversity by helping city residents support local bee populations. Through guided AR interactions, real world feedback, and reward driven engagement, UVee encourages small, sustainable actions such as planting pollinator friendly flora, avoiding harmful pesticides, and participating in community conservation efforts aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land.
Project Description, My Role, and Outcome
UVee was a collaborative UX and interaction design project that explored how augmented reality can transform environmental awareness into everyday action. The project responds to the rapid decline of urban bee populations caused by habitat loss, pesticide use, and limited public involvement, all of which threaten biodiversity, food security, and ecological balance.
The core design challenge was motivating behavior change in dense urban environments where people often feel disconnected from nature or unsure how to contribute. UVee addresses this by guiding users through tangible, achievable actions using immersive AR experiences that situate environmental impact directly within their surroundings. Rather than relying on abstract data or guilt based messaging, the app reinforces positive behavior through visual feedback and reward systems.
UVee targets young professionals, students, families, and urban gardeners who are interested in sustainability but constrained by time or space. Key features include AR guided planting support, real time feedback when interacting with real world objects, and a gamified reward system using badges and impact meters. User testing showed strong engagement with rewards and real time AR feedback, while revealing the need to simplify onboarding and remove unnecessary educational and time lapse features.
My role involved research synthesis, behavioral framing, and interaction design. I contributed to defining the behavioral goals, translating research into design opportunities, and iterating on wireframes and prototypes based on testing insights. I also helped analyze user feedback to refine feature prioritization and improve clarity and motivation.
The outcome was a high fidelity AR prototype that demonstrates how immersive technologies can encourage sustained environmental action. UVee presents a hopeful, actionable model for using AR to reconnect urban residents with nature and empower them to support pollinators through small, consistent behaviors. Future iterations include localized gardening guidance, hive support partnerships, and expanded user testing to further strengthen engagement and impact.
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