WOL

Wol transforms your space into a redwood forest and introduces you to an AI-enabled owl you can converse with about the forest and its ecosystem. Running on Meta Quest Pro or a mobile device, it offers a unique take on differentiated learning: powered by AI and driven by user interaction, conversations with Wol explore new learning pathways every time.

The project is a collaboration between Liquid City, Niantic, 8th Wall, Inworld, and Meta — Inworld’s advanced conversational AI models paired with 8th Wall’s webAR capabilities for seamless deployment straight from the browser.

Process

I joined at early ideation and stayed through development, contributing to the lesson plan and UX flow before leading 3D. As 3D lead I managed asset production, oversaw composition in Blender and 8th Wall, and coordinated a group of artists.

The three-month run from ideation to launch meant leveling up in Blender fast. Optimization was the hard part — the experience had to hold up across mobile web AR and web VR, which pushed us toward textured canopy elements and instanced ground meshes.

WOL won a Webby for Best Use of AR and AI and a Lovie Award in 2024, and was covered by The Verge.

Credits

• Creative direction — Keiichi Matsuda, Anna Mill, Jasper Stevens
• Tech — Jasper Stevens, Le Polish Bureau
• Art & music — Zhekun Wang, Rebecca Mock, Skillbard