Augmented reality for Chocolate

Chocolate Touch uses augmented reality technology to create an interactive exhibit at Cadbury World’s Purple Planet exhibition where you not only turn objects to chocolate in front of your eyes, you can also play with them.

As you face a projected image of yourself on a large display, a series of six cards set out in front of you appear on-screen as intriguing objects. Be prepared for amazement when you pick up the simple card bearing a symbol, then see it transformed on the display using a beautiful 3D chocolate effect.

Fun objects in 3D

You can play with a virtual top hat, a pair of Groucho Marx-style glasses, not to mention the chocolate teapot. The Groucho glasses are complete with nose and moustache which not only turn to chocolate, but also give the appearance of being worn when held up to the face. Lifting an object higher makes it grow to comic proportions.

The simplicity of the human interface of Chocolate Touch is central to its success. A wide-angle camera mounted in the top of the screen streams live video to the central processor but the camera is discreetly hidden as you play the game.

Three robust metal posts hold the marker cards making the interface not only accessible to young, old and disabled — it is also able to cope with large groups of eager children wanting to play with the exhibit at any one time.

How was it developed?

I used software called DART – The Director Augmented Reality Toolkit  to create the tactile experience and adjusted it to create the “feel” of lifting the objects. I also created the amazing 3D chocolate effect that is paramount to the success of the experience. I also had to do a lot of research and development into the type of cameras and lenses that would work best. When this project began, very few people were using augmented reality, in fact, this is one of the first public uses of AR technology in the UK, so a lot of hard work went in to figuring out all the technology. Designers from Newangle created the 3D models of the objects. Newangle were the creative lead on the projects.

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