Hardware

ColorColab will require three main pieces of hardware: an iPad, a Magneo “magnifying glass” augmented reality interface, and a steel stand.

The stand is a steel stand that has three shelves, and an charging iPad holder. The stand is to be placed 0.5 meters away from the statue — close enough to signal to visitors it is related to a specific artifact, but also far enough to let users stand between the stand and the sculpture to explore the artifact itself. The stand will not be screwed into the ground, as it will be made of steel and thus heavy enough to not be knocked over.

The iPad and the Magneo will be available in the stand next to the sculpture to be explored. While the Magneo simply lies on one of the shelfs of the stand, the iPad will be connected on its bottom to the charger on the stand. The iPad and the magnifying glass will not be physically ligated to the stand. Rather, they will have a security chip system that will be activated if the user takes them more than 3 meters away from the stand (and the user will be warned about this in the stand itself —“Don’t take me too far away from my home”). The iPad will not have a passcode, so the user can immediately access it.

Unlike other AR systems, which use head-mounted or head-up displays, the "magnifying glass" approach—a type of Handheld Augmented Reality—employs a palm-sized video see-through device to present computer augmented view of the real world. This configuration's advantages over traditional configurations include that the user doesn't have to put on any cumbersome headgear. Like a magnifying glass, the user can easily move the device around and compare real and augmented images.

Furthermore, the choice to utilize a separate interface for the AR (as opposed to using the iPad and its built in camera for the AR interface) comes from the goal of sparking curiosity in the users in an intuitive, almost child-like way for users of all ages. The shape of a magnifying glass is intuitive for almost any person, regardless of age or social background. 

The Magneo device was specifically designed for children with its unique round-shaped screen, which enables children-focused exploratory learning. Its minimalist design enables learning and fosters curiosity in children and adults, as it makes exploration fun dn interactive and stimulates creativity. Magneo has achieved numerous Global awards, including the German iF 2015 Design Award, the Italian A’Design Award, the 2017 US CES Annual Innovation Award, and the 2017 TopDigital Awards.