AR CATALOG: KONTAKT SIMON APP

Kontakt Simon SA manufactures and distributes electrical installation equipment and electricity distribution systems. The company’s product range includes mainly electrical installation equipment: sockets, connectors, floor boxes and practical electronic components. They combine functionality with high aesthetics and are used in homes and offices, as well as in industrial and public buildings. Our job was to develop an unordinary app: an AR catalog for mobile phones.

Client

Kontakt Simon SA

Sector

Electric industry

Retail

Services

AR / MR

Technology

ARKit / ARCore

Unity 3D

Challenge

Provide an electrifying customer experience

In what ways can AR apps prove useful for product-oriented companies? With a little creativity, you can think of at least a few solutions. The client wanted to make the company’s product catalogs more attractive, interactive and insightful at the same time. An AR catalog is the perfect solution for this request!

The first phase of the project consisted in providing the client with an MVP that would include the following features:

Scanning of a selected page from the product catalog. Interactions with a 3D connector model (rotation, scaling) generated with a trigger image.
Access to the product’s technical documentation and a wiring diagram.
Interactive 3D model of the connection diagram, complete with appropriate colors and functionalities.

Process and project scope

Scope

The project lasted for six months and was run in Scrum from the very beginning. Each sprint lasted two weeks. Our team of programmers and graphic designers was part of an international team of people responsible for the entire production.

Process

Our task was to simulate real objects, then put them into the AR catalog app. We started with obtaining the objects and technical documentation from the client. Access to expert knowledge was also vital.

Collaboration

In cooperation with the client, we created a detailed description of the expected functionalities of the app. We also showed the client our previous work and chose elements worth implementing for the needs of the MVP.

Then, we developed the AR catalog app on the basis of mock-ups. Project documentation was so accurate that the client could immediately test a fully-functional application. The only thing that needed improvement was the UI scale. We did not use agile methods – it was rather a classic waterfall. Sometimes such solutions work better.

Technology

By scanning a selected page containing a “trigger image”, the AR catalog app’s user can see a three-dimensional product model (in this case, a connector). Having chosen an appropriate model, they can easily check how it will look on a wall.

It is also possible to create technical documentation regarding the product’s assembly. When installing the connector on their own, users can display a colorful, three-dimensional and interactive model of the connection diagram.

Business value

Hard-wired to excel in augmented reality

Although the client already had their own mobile application for browsing the company’s product range, the trick was to expand the app with an AR module to add the functionalities mentioned above. By adding features based on ARKit and ARCore, it also became possible to select products and position them in actual space.

The current MVP presents the basic functionalities of the application, such as scanning a page from the catalog to access the 3D models, connection diagrams and connection models. In our AR catalog, all elements are interactive.

The solution we proposed can be applied by professionals who need access to the technical documentation of a given device. It perfectly complements other marketing tools and allows users to connect their devices on the basis of a colorful 3D connection diagram.

From the menu level, the user gets access to additional content downloaded from the manufacturer’s website. Another handy addition is the ability to test the connector connected to a light bulb and turn on the light.