(Reiya)
Ology Cards for the American Museum of Natural History
UI/UX · Product · Real-world · Collaborate
We redesigned OLogy’s science cards so kids don’t just read — they interact.
By scanning physical OLogy cards, children unlock lightweight 3D AR scenes and simple interactions, turning collecting into hands-on discovery.
OLogy cards are designed to spark curiosity through short, collectible science facts.
However, the experience largely stopped at reading — once the card was flipped, curiosity faded quickly.
Kids loved collecting cards, but there was no strong interaction loop connecting physical cards to deeper exploration.
Early exploration showed the issue wasn’t visual richness or animation density.
What kids wanted was a clear action–reward loop:
A physical trigger that immediately unlocks a digital moment.
We introduced an AR card system in which each physical OLogy card serves as a trigger.
Scanning a card reveals a lightweight 3D scene, simple interactions, and a micro-quiz — turning curiosity into action.
AR scenes are intentionally lightweight.
Kids explore through familiar gestures — drag, zoom, tap — without instructions.
Each interaction ends with a small reward, encouraging continued exploration.
The interface stays minimal to avoid competing with physical cards.
Clear affordances and limited actions help children focus on exploration rather than navigation.
- Marker-based AR for stable scanning on shared devices
- Lightweight 3D optimized for entry-level tablets.
- One-question quiz to keep sessions short and repeatable
- Designed for quick, repeatable scans rather than long sessions
In testing, children quickly understood how to scan and interact without guidance.
They spent more time exploring content and were more willing to scan additional cards.
I led visual design across the card system and AR overlay UI, and co-shaped product decisions through rapid prototyping and feedback from kids and educators.
- Museum exhibit tied to physical spaces
- Classroom mode for shared devices
- Accessibility improvements for different reading levels