About CommunitAR and Our Research on Participatory Augmented Reality

Built environment features, such as sidewalks or trees, play a crucial role in promoting physical activity and walking. Research, however, indicates that racial/ethnic and lower socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods often have inequitable access to these features, contributing to environmental and health disparities. Participatory approaches in planning and public health have been used to address these inequities by engaging communities in improving walkability-related built environment characteristics.

The rise of web technologies and the widespread use of mobile devices have created unique opportunities for citizens to collaborate in decision-making through electronic- and mobile-participation methods. Augmented Reality (AR) is an innovative technology that enhances the intuitive and interactive nature of these digital participatory platforms.

Our research aims to expand the knowledge of built environment features that may contribute to creating healthier and more walkable neighborhoods in multiethnic communities. We also intend to explore the potential of AR in participatory platforms to engage disadvantaged communities. To that end, we’ve developed CommunitAR, a mobile AR app that allows residents to virtually shape their neighborhood by interactively adding features, such as trees or sidewalks, to express their preference in situ – in real time.

Unlike passive methods of participation, such as observational data collection, or traditional active approaches like interviews and committee meetings, interactive methods take advantage of the affordability and accessibility of digital technologies to foster higher levels of participation. We believe CommunitAR and its interactive features offer underrepresented residents a platform to amplify their voices in decision-making.