CONICO

Bogotá | On the Way to the Sun

Awards & Nominations

CONICO has received the following awards and nominations. Way to go!

Global Nominee

FLAMES

High-Level Project Summary

The challenge to which we propose this solution is "On the way to the Sun". Our FLAMES project consists of a 3D video game in which virtual reality is used as the main tool to capture the attention and allow the user to feel immersed in the game. We propose the use of senses such as sight, smell, hearing and touch in order for the user (in this case the young population) to live a unique experience learning about how the Parker Solar Probe was the first object created by humans to enter the sun's atmosphere. This solution solves the challenge and is important because young people can learn and have fun at the same time, in a safe environment.

Link to Final Project

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BZBKx0kA1oPPVPfblZ18ZVC2oMxU2ApVpN8BQGtY3cc/edit?usp=sharing

Link to Project "Demo"

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1CH34EVtFWtw3ery7y5Jp-dk1Eg0rxdi-xDxqa2zjSI8/edit?usp=sharing

Detailed Project Description

FLAMES is a 3D video game that combined with virtual reality will allow users to live a unique experience learning about science. The game consists of 7 consecutive stages in which young people have the opportunity to learn and have fun in an environment where technology and science play a fundamental role.



  • Stage 1 proposes a challenge to help the astrophysicist Eugene Parker to take his article to the astrophysical journal through a maze that will have some doors with locks, if not answered we will return to the beginning.



  • Stage 2 poroposes players assemble each part of the Parker Solar Probe with the help of astrophysicist Eugene Parker. Here players will be able to learn curious facts about the probe, such as the functioning and importance of its protective shield.



  • Stage 3 challenges players to assemble the rocket in order to complete the mission. Once the challenge is completed, players will have the chance to be crew members of the mission and experience the rocket launch.



  • Stage 4 focuses on the probe's journey to the sun. In this case, they will face challenges that consist of finding a series of hidden elements in the solar system. Additionally, it is possible to explore planets such as Venus to learn curious facts that involved the parker solar probe.



  • Stage 5 will allow the user to explore the sun. Thanks to the arrival of the Parker Solar Probe, here it will be possible to learn what elements our star is composed of as well as identify smells and experience temperature changes.



  • Stage 6 is a memory game that will focus on explaining and teaching curious facts about phenomena such as dust, solar wind, auroras and solar eclipses. 



  • To finish the game we have stage 7, in which we want to make known the importance of testing the theory that Parker raised.


On the other hand, in order to have an incredible gaming experience, we propose the use of the following devices:


  • A gamer chair for virtual reality → by means of which we want the players to experience the sensation of zero gravity.
  • A virtual reality helmet → which focuses on senses such as sight, hearing and smell.
  • Sensory gloves → through which we want players to feel vibrations when touching objects and also experience sensations of heat due to high temperatures.


Another aspect that we want to highlight of the solution, is that we want this game to be inclusive, so we propose against sign language as part of the languages that can be selected. In addition, This game will start with sound and will have artificial intelligence in order to assist visually impaired people in case they require an auditory guide.


The tools we propose to bring this solution to a real implementation are:


  • Unity 3D 
  • Blender for the design of the game elements.

Space Agency Data

The data provided by NASA were implemented throughout the game, taking into account that by passing each level the character would collect a certain amount of data that would help him to build his next spaceship with the appropriate characteristics to reach the surface of the sun and not succumb to the high temperatures, revealing the importance of the discoveries of Parker and the Parker space probe, and thus culminating with the video game.


Hackathon Journey

Participating in the Space Apps was a sensational experience, the fact of finding people who share the same taste towards space sciences and everything that has to do with them, is very helpful for both personal and professional growth due to the exchange of knowledge, opinions and others. On the other hand, Space Apps brings out the best in everyone because the high competitiveness that exists, generates the feeling of challenging ourselves and give everything to be at the height of competition, thus breaking our own limit.

References

Sun images



Aurora image



Delta IV Heavy rocket parts image



Delta IV images



Venus image



NASA International Space Apps Challenge image



Earth image


  • https://images.nasa.gov/


Solar system image:


  • https://images-assets.nasa.gov/image/PIA12114/PIA12114~medium.jpg


Solar Parker Probe images



Solar panel image



Toolbox image



Senses images



Gloves image


Image that inspire us to design a video game with stages



Dynamic solar wind image



Dust near the sun image


  • https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/dust-free_zone.png


Observations of energetic particles image



Solar eclipse image



Interactive images


  • https://www.canva.com/


Unity logo


  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unity_(game_engine)


Blender logo


  • https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:Logo_Blender.svg


Information and collected data



Information and collected data



Information about Eugene Parker



Information about digital smell simulator



Information about virtual reality - sight


  • https://business.oculus.com/


Image and background design



Tool to create QR Code



Slides presentation




  • Astronauts (blue and gray)
  • Eugene Parker caricature
  • Labyrinth prototype
  • Chair (design)
  • Helmet (design)

Tags

#sun, #probe, #parker, #videogame, #3d,

On the Way to the Sun

On April 28, 2021, during its eighth flyby of the Sun, Parker Solar Probe did what no other human-made object has ever done: it “touched” the Sun—meaning the spacecraft flew through the Sun’s upper atmosphere (the corona) and sampled particles and magnetic fields there. Your challenge is to develop a creative way to tell young audiences the inspiring story of Parker’s record-breaking journey from Earth to the Sun and all the perils it overcame on the way.