Chatbot completion
Website + chatbot and virtual tour integration
Submission prep
Review after supervisor feedback on Wed May, 21st
Final outcome
Add here the development for the chatbot
Over the previous weekend, I managed to successfully scan the entire 5th floor of the CCI building using the Matterport Pro 3 camera.
Below is the floor plan showing all the scanned areas.
The scans were uploaded and rendered in the cloud overnight. On Tuesday (06/05/2025), I received access to the high-resolution tour from Lieven, who also gave me editing permissions.
The first step in editing was to check the alignment and make sure the navigation between spaces was smooth and accurate. I then ensured that no brand logos or people were visible in the images. After that, I used the blur tool to cover up some noticeable marks on the walls.
Finally, I added tags and extra information to highlight key areas such as the technical labs, study areas, toilets, and more.
Each tag includes a title and description to help users understand its purpose. I also added useful links to certain tags, such as lockers, laptop lockers, printers, and equipment in the Physical Computing and e-Textiles labs. This extra information aim to support not just prospective students exploring the space, but also current students who may be using these services for the first time.
After that, I noticed that the tag navigation was jumping randomly from one room to another, which made the experience feel disjointed. Fortunately, the editing system allows you to rearrange the order of the tags. After organising them logically, the final result felt much smoother and intuitive.
After reordering the tags, I explored the highlight feature in Matterport. Highlights offer a quick preview of key areas, allowing users to either begin the tour from these spots or browse through them for a guided overview.
Below are some of the highlight previews I created for the CCI virtual tour.
The Matterport platform also enabled the creation of distinct viewing experiences through its multiple-view layer feature. The main tour layer includes all embedded informational tags and interactive features, designed for comprehensive user engagement. For users preferring an unobstructed exploration of the CCI’s digital environment, a ‘No Tags View’ was added. This provides a streamlined virtual tour focused only on the spatial experience, without additional informational overlays.
Here’s the final version virtual tour ~ visit it here.
Here’s a preview of when I tried embedding the tour into a webpage ~ view it here.
In Week 8 (28/04/2025), I presented my final project as part of the formative assessment.
The feedback I received was highly valuable. My supervisor pointed out that I had overlooked the potential disadvantages or limitations related to implementing the course information chatbot. Additionally, they suggested expanding on how the concept could be adapted for other contexts, such as student induction processes or interactive experiences in art galleries. These comments gave me important direction for refining and strengthening the project’s scope and impact.
On Wednesday (30/04/2025), I visited the kit room to check the availability of 360 cameras for creating my virtual tour. While they didn’t have any 360 cameras for loan, the staff informed me that they had a Matterport camera, which had been used the previous summer to scan most of the CCI building. However, the virtual tour was never published because the fifth-floor scan wasn’t completed.
They mentioned that if my scan was successful, they would be happy to include it as part of their official virtual tour. The staff were incredibly supportive and, despite normally not loaning out this equipment to students, they made an exception for my final project, on the condition that the camera stayed within university premises.
On Friday (2/5/25), I had a Matterport induction session with Lieven. During the session, I experimented with the camera, first by placing a few scan points and later adding more to build a fuller virtual walkthrough. You can see both versions of the scan below.
Lieven was very helpful throughout the process, offering practical tips and guidance. He showed me how to avoid reflections that could reveal people in mirrors or glass, and advised me to use UAL branding on screens to make the tour look more professional and clean. His feedback really helped improve the quality and visual appeal of the scans.
On Saturday (03/05/2025), I successfully scanned the entire 5th floor of the CCI building using the Matterport Pro 3 camera. Before starting, I took time to clean and tidy up the facilities to make sure everything looked presentable. I began scanning at 2 PM and finished around 5 PM.
Originally, the virtual tour was scheduled to be developed after the chatbot. However, once I gained access to the Matterport camera and platform, the process became much quicker than expected. This allowed me to complete the tour earlier and shift my focus to the chatbot afterwards. To reflect this change and stay aligned with upcoming deadlines, I reviewed the initial Gantt chart. The revised version below captures this new timeline and helped me stay on track throughout the project.