Changing environmental behaviors through smartphone-based augmented experiences

Abstract

A significant part of the population is still not aware of the sustainability problems that our planet is facing, so it is important to inform people about the theme while persuading them to change their behavior and acquire pro-environmental attitudes This work intends to alert citizens to these issues in a fun and immersive way through the use of mobile devices, more specifically smartphones, and augmented reality technology which will provide the user with informative insight about the surrounding environment, while highlighting the environmental threats This paper presents a system that works like an environmental scanner, allowing users to inspect their surroundings with their mobile devices in search of pollution sources When detected the system provides users with additional information and allows them to virtually clean these pollution sources In addition it is intended to positively reinforce pro-environmental actions using a system of rewards and a virtual character that will interact and motivate the users © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.