The majestic Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri), the remarkable Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus), the charismatic Commerson’s Dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii), and the little-known Antarctic Sea Cucumber (Psolus spp.) are just some of the species brought to life through ARA. Designed primarily for school-aged and youth audiences, the project uses collectible cards to introduce the rich biodiversity of Antarctica in an engaging and interactive way.
To experience ARA, users simply need one of the project’s physical cards—distributed by the BASE Millennium Institute at science fairs and public outreach events—or they can download the digital version from the project’s website. After scanning the card’s QR code with a smartphone camera (Android or iOS), users are directed to a web page. Finally, by turning the card over and scanning its front side, the featured species comes to life through an augmented reality experience.
Antarctica in Augmented Reality (ARA) was developed by InvadeLab, a Chilean EdTech and creative technology company specializing in interactive Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences for education and science communication. The project also received scientific guidance from six researchers at the BASE Millennium Institute.
