SpecJams

SpecJams is an AR music app for Spectacles, letting users jam together by tapping 3D objects in the real world. It enhances social connection and creativity in shared real-world physical spaces.

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Our Presentation Deck: Spec Jams

Find our Demo Video on Youtube here: 🥳🎵🎤 SpecJams - Demo

Also find a dedicated Multiplayer Demo Video on Youtube here: SpecJams - Multiplayer Demo using the Sync API

Inspiration

We were inspired by the universal appeal of music as a way to connect people. While VR allows digital collaboration, we wanted to bring that experience into the real world, leveraging the lightweight form factor of Spectacles to create spontaneous, social interactions. The idea of combining real-world presence with creative digital tools felt like a perfect blend of AR’s potential.

What it does

SpecJams allows users to create music collaboratively in real-world settings using AR glasses. By interacting with simple 3D objects like cubes, spheres, and cylinders, users can generate beats, melodies, and rhythms. Tapping objects triggers musical elements, and together, users can build unique soundscapes, all while staying connected in a shared physical space.

How we built it

We built SpecJams using the Spectacles Lens Studio platform for AR development. The 3D objects were modeled and programmed to respond to user taps, with audio integration synced to interactions. Our team collaborated on the design, coding, and user interface within a tight timeline, optimizing for Spectacles’ lightweight hardware and limited battery life.

Challenges we ran into

We faced challenges optimizing the app for Spectacles’ 30-minute battery life while ensuring smooth performance. Designing intuitive interactions with simple 3D objects and synchronizing audio in real-time across multiple devices was also tricky. Additionally, balancing creativity with simplicity to maintain user engagement required careful planning.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud of creating a seamless, real-time collaborative music experience in AR, something that’s never been done before. The integration of sound and 3D interactions within a lightweight platform like Spectacles feels like a big win. Seeing our idea come to life and watching people jam together was incredibly rewarding.

What we learned

We learned a lot about designing this AR experience to leverage digital interactions in the real-world. Developing for Spectacles highlighted the importance of a intuitive user experiences and optimizing for a short experience regarding the battery life of about 30mins. We also gained insights into synchronizing audio and visuals on the Spectacles.

What's next for SpecJams

Next, we want to add more instruments and sound effects, allowing users to do different jam sessions. We envision SpecJams becoming a memorable experience that you enjoy playing again and again, sparking musical creativity and social connection.

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Built With

  • interactionapi
  • lensscripting
  • lensstudio
  • spectacles
  • syncapi
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Updates

posted an update —

In the second iteration of the project we are aiming to go for a multiplayer version to build an experience that is like a "Guitar Hero for Spectacles".

You launch the "SpecJams" lens, tap "Multiplayer", the session is opened, other players can join and while joining an instrument appears for every player. You can pinch or tap it to play a sound and jam together.

In this version we are still in single player mode and implemented an animated tone timeline that indicated when to play a sound to stick to the rhythm.

Pinch

The next step is to look into creating an actual multiplayer project.

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posted an update —

Our first research in terms of doing a jam session through spectacles: Place objects into the world, and if you interact with them (by pinching them or tapping them) they play an instrument sound, which is the base layer to jam with instruments together. We also managed to translate them in the scene in the first version of the project.

Pinch

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