More than half of the world is projected to live in cities, disconnecting us from nature, while technology is an inevitability in the lives of future generations. So, rather than pit technology and nature against one another, why not use technology as a tool to educate?

Using this perspective, we took the familiar binoculars, one of the most iconic tools for wildlife observation, and enhanced it to invent the first-of-its-kind smart device.

It was designed to help kids see the natural world in a whole new gamified way, as both an analog way-finder, interactive device and a game console. Elevating the experience into thousands of personal adventures connecting children with wildlife and their digital counterparts.

By integrating technology with nature, younger generations can learn how to take action to protect wildlife and live sustainably.

With over half the world living in cities, there is a growing gap for children to learn more about wildlife, especially in the concrete jungle of Singapore.

Our idea was an interactive gaming learning experience through smart binoculars, transforming Mandai Wildlife Reserve into 28 hectares of digital playground.

After 25 months of research and testing, with 20,000 hours of development, Ranger Buddies Quest combines education and technology, thanks to a scientifically accurate visual study of 60 animal species, built alongside biologists, illustrators and child behavioural experts.

To fulfill our mission of using the lens of technology for conservation education, we had to conceptualize, design, develop, manufacture, maintain, and continuously improve a fleet of 250 smart binoculars. To do this, our team employed modern engineering principles, best practices and tooling.

Binocular development was done iteratively on all fronts. As we learned in the first year with the prototypes, the feature set improved gradually. Based on what we learned about children’s behavior, its form factor had at least 20 iterations and software UI changed continuously times based on the measured performance.

Further innovation came from connecting the multichannel experience. The result was an Internet-of-Things between our fleet of smart binoculars, connecting our in-park outposts, the mobile app on the parents phones, and our cloud backend. Making it a free-roaming experience for visitors where data is freely and reliably transferred between all these devices to create a unique experience.

Ranger Buddies Quest innovatively integrates physical and digital elements, using iconic binoculars and cutting-edge technology to educate future generations about conservation.

To fulfill our mission of using the lens of technology for conservation education, we had to conceptualize, design, develop, manufacture, maintain, and continuously improve a fleet of 250 smart binoculars. To do this, our team employed modern engineering principles, best practices and tooling.

Binocular development was done iteratively on all fronts. As we learned in the first year with the prototypes, the feature set improved gradually. Based on what we learned about children’s behavior, its form factor had at least 20 iterations and software UI changed continuously times based on the measured performance.

The development journey spanned 25 months, investing over 20,000 hours in crafting a device that combines GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and analog wayfinding. Further innovation came from connecting the multichannel experience.

The result was an Internet-of-Things between our fleet of smart binoculars, connecting our in-park outposts, the mobile app on the parents phones, and our cloud backend. Making it a free-roaming experience for visitors where data is freely and reliably transferred between all these devices, creating a park-wide gaming experience with scientifically accurate content for both kids and parents.

Mandai Wildlife Reserve launched Ranger Buddies Quest at the end of October 2023. In the first two months alone, over 2000 children went through the experience, used the binoculars and played the games, marking just the beginning of our mission to bring conservation education into the hands of future generations. Our quest continues beyond our parks to bring conservation education into every classroom in Singapore, inspiring a new generation of nature and wildlife conservationists.

Mandai Wildlife Reserve launched Ranger Buddies Quest at the end of October 2023. In the first two months alone, over 2000 children went through the experience, used the binoculars and played the games, marking just the beginning of our mission to bring conservation education into the hands of future generations. Our quest continues beyond our parks to bring conservation education into every classroom in Singapore, inspiring a new generation of nature and wildlife conservationists.