Retro Boomin'

A library of retro tech reimagined
Sample Retro Tech and AR QR Code
Apple Vision Pro Interface

Inspiration

When we heard that the theme was retro-future, we were inspired by the recent surge in AR/VR media, with the release of the Apple Vision Pros. We thought we could reinvent the past by teaching people about past technology with a twist. We were driven to make an interactive and fun experience, that teaches people of what technology looked like and was like back when technology was starting to boom, while also showing how people in the past might've envisioned what technology looks like today.

What it does

Retro Boomin' provides an interactive and fun experience for users to learn about the history of some of technology's most influential and fascinating tech with a modern twist. With the use of AR/AI, we have made learning about history engaging and memorable, with interactive AR experiences to visualize old tech, and AI for giving in-depth explanations of the history behind the tech.

How we built it

We built Retro Boomin' using HTML, CSS, JS, and NodeJs for the main website design and functionality. We used FireBase for database functionality. We used Figma and Miro to plan out the website. We used AI(GPT, DallE, Duet, etc.) to generate descriptive information on the history of a product and to generate images of what people in the past may have thought that technology would look like in the future. We used Spline Design to incorporate 3D web design into our software. We used Meta Spark Studio for an interactive AR experience.

Challenges we ran into

We ran into a lot of challenges with AR as none of us had made anything related to it before. We had to learn from scratch and get through each error with a calm, patient mind. It was also one of our first times dealing with 3D objects in general, so we had to learn how to navigate through that, to make what we originally envisioned.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of how fluid and fun our 3D objects, animations, and AR experiences turned out. We were honestly surprised at the amount of work we got done whilst still learning how to use a lot of the tools we used to make the software.

What we learned

We learned how to use 3D objects efficiently throughout various media to achieve an exciting experience. We learned how to designate the right people to the right task so that we can finish the most that we can in the time given. We also learned that AI API's can be a bit tricky to use, and that it may be a time-consuming process.

What's next for Retro Boomin'

Retro Boomin' aims to incorporate the tools we used for this project into a more efficient and intuitive tool for online businesses to let their customers view their products from the comfort of their homes. With the use of AR and 3D objects, we plan to make software that creates a 1:1 scale of how the product will look like when its in the customer's hands.