RealiTree

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀, 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵.

Austrian forests are under pressure from climate change, biodiversity loss, and shifting human demands. Yet most communication tools still struggle to make these challenges feel immediate and personal.

That’s why, together with the Österreichische Bundesforste (Austrian Federal Forests) and GeoSphere Austria we created RealiTree: a WebAR experience that lets the forest speak for itself.

Through AR and conversational AI, people meet guardians of the forest—an oak, a squirrel, an owl, and more—who share wisdom, ask questions, and turn knowledge into action.

𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀: Characters are weather-aware and adapt their advice to the day’s conditions (FEATURE AVAILABLE IN AUSTRIA ONLY).

No apps. No friction. Just a QR code and a chance to see forests differently.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲

As the Bundesforste marks 100 years of dedicated forest management, the challenge was clear: How can we make forest knowledge accessible to those seeking reliable, engaging insights to care for forests and shape their future? Forests face complex challenges—climate change, biodiversity loss, competing demands for resources—and to protect them, people need to understand them. RealiTree was designed to bridge that gap, inviting people into a forest conversation that unfolds right where they are.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁

RealiTree is a browser-based AR experience that turns any environment into a forest dialogue. Users scan a QR code on wooden Enzi seats in Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier, Schönbrunn's zoo, and on displays across Austria’s cities—or receive the experience as a shared link from a friend—and step into a conversation with forest beings. Characters like Elda Oak, who carries centuries of wisdom, and Tina Fir, who channels the urgency of climate action, guide users through an experience that is both personal and collective.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆

The experience is built on an architecture that combines immersive technologies, AI, and storytelling to create real-time, meaningful interactions: ‍

• 𝗪𝗲𝗯-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗥: Users step directly into the AR forest through their smartphones—no installations, no accounts. This ensures accessibility for everyone.

• 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮: In collaboration with GeoSphere Austria, live weather data and local climate information are woven into dialogues, grounding each interaction in the user’s immediate environment.

• 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗜: The characters respond with dynamic, personality-driven dialogue, trained exclusively on knowledge bases from the Bundesforste, GeoSphere Austria, and Austria's Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management. No internet browsing is used, ensuring the highest quality of responses and avoiding false information. Every personality was designed by a Behavioural Systems designer with decades of experience in narrative design and storytelling, ensuring that each character became a rounded, meaningful, engaging, and knowledgeable voice in the conversation—crafted through careful prompt engineering to bring them fully to life.

• 𝗔𝗜 + 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆:‍ Every forest being was first envisioned through generative capabilities and then polished and personalized by digital artists to keep the balance between human-made and artificially-generated content.

• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁 & 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Within the chat windows that open during each interaction, the 2D character images are gently animated to reflect how these forest beings might naturally respond in the real world, inspired by how each species might express itself in the forest environment. For instance, Eddie Squirrel might show playful energy by flicking his tail or looking mischievous, while Konrad Owl might tilt his head and blink slowly to convey deep thought. And when it comes to plant-based characters like Tina Fir, we approached the question of how to represent emotion by drawing on how a tree might react to the elements—gentle movements like swaying branches or shimmering light that echo a sense of presence and calm. Our team used generative video techniques to create these nuanced animations and refined them by hand with talented media artists such as Stephanie Meisl, ensuring every loop of movement invites the user to stay connected and present in the experience.

• 𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄: Our team built an efficient backend system that ensures all user interactions remain concise and impactful, minimizing energy usage while maximizing the quality of the learning experience. Characters also ensure that users are mindful of the planet’s resources—after a number of exchanges, they gently remind users that every digital conversation consumes energy and invite them to continue with meaningful questions. This reminder is part of our commitment to mindful use of technology, and if users try to provoke or disrupt the conversation repeatedly, characters kindly but firmly end the interaction for a time, reinforcing respect and focus.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

RealiTree begins with Elda Oak welcoming each visitor, setting the tone for a reflective journey. A short, engaging quiz then serves two vital purposes: It orients users on how to navigate this immersive world and reveals what they already know about forests—insights that help the Bundesforste refine their educational work. Importantly, no personal data is collected.After the quiz, visitors unlock the full forest conversation. Characters—like Eddie Squirrel, Konrad Owl, Antonia Ant, and Tina Fir—share insights on biodiversity, recreation, sustainable forest management, and climate challenges. These conversations share facts, invite personal reflection, and encourage visitors to see themselves as participants in nurturing forest ecosystems.The Creative and Production

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀

Our small, motivated team approached this project with deep curiosity and ambition. We pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in immersive storytelling—combining generative AI, real-time AR, and narrative design in a way that few examples existed for. We learned quickly, shared knowledge openly, and ensured every detail was driven by the forest’s story, not by the technology alone. This dedication allowed us to create an experience that feels natural, engaging, and, most of all, purposeful.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁

For the Bundesforste, RealiTree offers a space to share knowledge and invite every visitor to learn how they can care for these living communities. For users, it’s an entryway into a forest dialogue that asks them to think, feel, and see themselves as part of a shared ecological future.For vrisch, RealiTree is a clear expression of how we approach every project: using advanced technologies and storytelling to deepen human connection. It’s a forest dialogue that grows with every interaction, and every future is nurtured with the care and attention it deserves.‍

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲! https://www.realitree.at/

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