In the north-west of Singapore, the Mandai Wildlife Reserve has delighted visitors for over 50 years. For children, a trip to the Singapore Zoo is always special. To make it even more memorable, Media.Monks created smart binoculars with a child-friendly interface. Built with Embedded Wizard, these binoculars merge playful design with advanced technology. ‘Ranger Buddies Quest’ lets young visitors embark on augmented reality adventures, bringing the zoo’s magic closer than ever.
The Mandai Wildlife Reserve, renowned for its commitment to conservation and educational initiatives, sought to enhance the experience for its youngest visitors. Media.Monks took up the challenge to develop a child-friendly experience that would seamlessly merge education, entertainment and technology, transforming a regular visit to the zoo into an unforgettable journey for children.
In ‘Ranger Buddies Quest’, children use smart binoculars to explore the Singapore Zoo, uncover wildlife secrets, and discover how they can help protect the planet. The interface on the binoculars allows children to choose from different missions and even create their own avatars, enhancing the personalized nature of the adventure. As they embark on each mission, the interface provides valuable information about wildlife, detailed mission instructions, and entertaining fun facts, fostering learning through play.
Seeking a UI library compatible with baremetal or FreeRTOS on the ESP32, Media.Monks chose Embedded Wizard for its rich IDE and build toolchain. This seamlessly leveraged the ESP32’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, enabling an interface that offered virtual, adventurous tours of the Singapore Zoo. Embedded Wizard’s strength in resource management became clear during development. By minimizing bitmap loading times and using on-the-fly loading, Media.Monks achieved smooth, real-time graphics that exceeded expectations.
The groundbreaking design of ‘Ranger Buddies Quest’ has garnered widespread acclaim, earning nominations in prestigious awards such as the Event Marketing Awards 2024 for ‘Best Gamification’ and Spikes Asia 2024 in the category ‘Applied Innovation’. Additionally, ‘Ranger Buddies Quest’ was honored in three categories at the esteemed Webby Awards 2024 for ‘Games – Public Service & Social Impact’, ‘Advertising, Media & PR – Experience Marketing’, and ultimately winning the People’s Voice in ‘Apps & Software – Connected Products & Wearables’. This recognition underscores the innovative prowess behind the project.
Media.Monks is a global creative digital production company known for its innovative work in the field of UI and UX services. They stand as a versatile and innovative partner that empowers brands to thrive in the digital landscape. Their comprehensive suite of services and solutions creates meaningful customer experiences that bring people together and leave a lasting impact. As technology advisors, developers, and scalers, Media.Monks plays a pivotal role in guiding digital products and organizations toward success.
The Mandai Wildlife Reserve in Singapore is a global wildlife gem. Since its opening in 1973, it has evolved into a premier rainforest zoo, garnering global accolades like Forbes Traveler’s best zoo and the Asian Attraction Award. In 2018, TripAdvisor ranked it among the world’s top 3 zoos. With 2,800 animals from 300 species, including crocodiles, Malayan tapirs, and white tigers, the zoo offers remarkable encounters in open enclosures that mimic natural habitats.
