Applying Technology to Learning: Visualizing Environmental Data Through Augmented Reality

Creating digital twins of physical environments provides an effective way to visualize data collected by environmental sensors. This research introduces the development of an Augmented Reality (AR) application that uses iOS devices equipped with LiDAR technology, along with Unreal Engine 5, a gaming engine, to generate interactive digital twins. The combination of digital twins and AR supports data visualization directly within the physical space, allowing for the visualization of environmental data in educational settings, with the goal of helping students better connect environmental measurements to the spaces they occupy. The iPhone's LiDAR sensor captures point clouds that record depth, geometry, and surface characteristics of the physical environment. Meanwhile, integrated cameras can collect various sets of color information, including visible light and thermal imagery. This data will directly mapped onto the reconstructed environment in the digital space, resulting in a digital twin that is rich in both structural details and contextual surface data. Unreal Engine's networking and visualization capabilities enable the seamless transfer of captured information from mobile devices and various environmental sensors to the digital twin. This allows users to view, analyze, store, and share environmental data easily. This work presents an AR application that serves as both a research tool and an educational platform. The system collects Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) data, which includes temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, and other factors, and projects these datasets onto the digital twin of the scanned space. Teachers and students can interact directly with the visualized data within AR, thereby supporting STEM learning, especially learning about building science and technology and generating actionable insights for their schools. Additionally, these visualizations can aid in decision-making regarding building performance and occupant well-being. Beyond its analytical capabilities, the application engages students and educators with STEM concepts through hands-on interaction with environmental data and immersive AR technology. By merging LiDAR-based spatial scanning with real-time environmental monitoring, this research presents a proof-of-concept system demonstrating the potential of digital twin technologies not only to enhance indoor environmental awareness but also to expand access to data-driven learning experiences.