Master25 | Senior Thesis

TalkDrop is an augmented reality application created to address the issue of disconnection between students of different majors. The app allows users to leave short voice messages in the URBN Center lobby for fellow peers. Instead of trying to create another text-based scrolling social media platform, we looked for a less formal, more playful solution. In our research, we found hearing another’s voice evokes feelings of intimacy, while the anonymity allowed even the most anxious students to contribute.

In my role as developer, I worked with C# in Unity to create the iOS app. Within the app, users can listen to each other’s recordings and create their own, customizing the look and placement of their “drop” in 3D space. Users localized the app by scanning our installation, then watched as drops populated all around them. This encouraged students to congregate around the Social Object installation, respond to an open-ended starter prompt, and connect over their shared experiences of listening and discovery.

A positive environment was essential for the success of these new connections, and our app, so the development team also built a moderation version. This version did not require localization, allowing moderators to listen to and delete drops anywhere and at any time.