Pulse is not just another app but a revolution in urban exploration. It's crafted to be your trusted companion for every genuine city discovery. By blending gamification with immersive AR, Pulse encourages you to venture off the beaten track and dive deep into authentic experiences.
It’s about striking the right balance: harnessing the power of technology without letting it overshadow the thrill of exploration. No more predictable routes or endless scrolling through reviews.
Personal
Discovery Paths
Leaderboards &
Achievements
Augmented Reality
Exploration
Storylines
Typeface
Friendly and modern, the clear readable design ensures users get info quickly, while its rounded style keeps the interaction fun and approachable.
Colors
Primary
#FF9900
Secondary
#FFC300
Tertiary
#999999
Text
#333333
Background
#F5F5F5
When I first moved to Dublin, I felt a bit lost. I didn't know where to go, what to see or what to do. So, I just started walking around and had an idea.
I wanted to create an app that encourages people to truly interact with their surroundings, find hidden gems, and make exploring cities feel like an adventure.
I started out with the usual research, but I quickly realized: surveys, interviews and walls of post-it's won't cut it this time.
I knew that to design an app that truly tackled all aspects of urban exploration, I needed to experience the challenges firsthand. So, I packed up and traveled to a few cities I've never been to before.
Along the way, I watched how travellers navigated unfamiliar cities, took notes, sketched out ideas and tested early concepts I developed on the go. It was a game changer – experiencing the actual struggles was crucial in shaping my design decisions, as it allowed me to identify problems that users face in the real world.
One key insight from the trip was how often travellers miss out on spontaneous discoveries because they either over-plan or rely too heavily on their phones for directions, which led me to design Pulse more as an intuitive companion that seamlessly guides users while encouraging real-world engagement rather than reliance on screen time.
Based on the insights gathered during my trip and inspired by already existing videogames, I developed a set of features designed to make exploration feel spontaneous and rewarding.
Each feature directly addresses the challenges I observed, making Pulse an app that actively encourages users to look up and engage with the city around them.
These are some of them:
Discovery Paths
One of the biggest takeaways from my research was how often travelers stick to familiar routes and miss out on hidden spots.
To fix this, I created an XP-based feature that rewards users for venturing into new streets and areas. Color-coded dots on the map make it easy to see what’s been explored and what’s still waiting to be discovered.
AR Lens
Another major insight was how heavily people rely on their phones, missing out on what’s right in front of them. The AR Lens feature helps users find hidden rewards and points of interest by scanning their surroundings, bringing real-world curiosity back into the experience.
Location Marker
This feature helps travelers identify clusters of bars, restaurants, galleries, and more, making it easy to explore vibrant areas without over-planning. By heading to a hotspot, users can choose which location seems best in real-time.
The video below showcases an early version of the Pulse prototype. While it provides a clear walkthrough of the app’s core features like Storylines and Location Markers, it reflects where my skills were a year ago. Since then, I’ve developed more advanced motion design and interaction techniques that I plan to integrate into future iterations of the project, ensuring an even smoother and more dynamic user experience.
Pulse isn’t just about giving users directions or listing places to go—it’s about creating a journey that feels personal and interactive. By encouraging users to discover cities on their own terms, Pulse opens up the possibility of finding hidden gems and creating memories that can’t be planned. The goal is to make exploration feel effortless yet meaningful, shifting the focus from the phone screen to the real world.
In the future, Pulse has the potential to go even further. Expanding to more cities and regions globally will unlock new storylines and unique cultural experiences. Integration with wearables, like smartwatches, could make exploring even more seamless by reducing screen time, while more advanced AR features could bring cities’ histories and hidden details to life in ways that are both educational and immersive.