Inspiring Explorers™ live up to their name
Inspiring the spirit of exploration in the next generation is one of the primary goals of the My Explorer Journal experience on the Antarctic Heritage Trust’s new AR app. Along with stories of the heroic early explorers, children are equally captivated by the young people on the Trust’s 2020 Inspiring Explorers Expedition™, whose expedition is also detailed in the Journal.
It’s no secret children love technology, and one of the exciting aspects of their engagement with My Explorer Journal, is viewing the augmented reality and 360° video content gathered from the Trust’s most recent Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ in 2020.
Children can experience the incredible sights and sounds of the majestic Antarctic environment through the eyes of the 2020 Inspiring Explorers™, with 360° footage taken from small inflatable boats called zodiacs, and the explorers’ kayaks, being brought to life in the Journal. They see what it was like for the explorers to share the pristine playgrounds of whales and seals, navigate between towering icebergs, and explore noisy penguin colonies.
In the Journal, children can read about each of the seven Inspiring Explorers™ who take them on this interactive journey, and watch video interviews with them, including two students from Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate, who along with their Deputy Principal, went on the expedition under a partnership with the Antarctic Heritage Trust.
The Trust has been running its Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ programme for seven years, providing numerous opportunities for young people to experience and challenge themselves in Antarctica and the polar regions.
“These expeditions make the legacy the Trust cares for highly relevant for young people, who once they identify with it, and value it, are more likely to be motivated to protect it. These expeditions not only change participants’ lives, they create a platform to share their stories with their communities and our global audience, and inspire the next generation of explorers,” says Francesca Eathorne, the Trust’s Chief Operations Officer.
Once they return to New Zealand from each expedition, the Inspiring Explorers™ start working on outreach programmes to share their personal sense of wonder about the Antarctic, their connection to the history and spirit of polar exploration, and the exciting things they witnessed and learned.
The diverse outreach offerings from the 2020 Inspiring Explorers™ included musical compositions, artwork and an interactive environmental adventure to Antarctica, delivered to New Zealand school children. The My Explorer Journal experience is also a product of this outreach programme. It is the creative vision of Inspiring Explorer™ Anzac Gallate (20), who is currently studying marine science and ecology at the University of Otago.
“Anzac has produced one of the most exciting outreach projects from an expedition to date, and he truly embodies someone whose passion for the Antarctic inspires the next generation of young explorers,” says Francesca.
Anzac’s innovative vision was made possible thanks to support from development partner StaplesVR.
How to access the app
The app is available to download for free from Google Play or the App Store.
The application is only available on surface tracking Augmented Reality compatible devices,
visit our store pages on your device to see if your device is compatible
