RealiTree

At vrisch, we believe that the best technology in the world should deepen our connection to nature and create spaces where we can learn from it.

In RealiTree, commissioned by Österreichische Bundesforste (ÖBf) to celebrate their centennial year, we brought that vision to life—an experience that transforms urban spaces into interactive, living conversations with the forest.

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:
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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
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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
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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
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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.‍

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More info about RealiTree
Experience RealiTree

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Curious how immersive tech and AI can redefine the way your audience learns ? Let’s create meaningful, engaging experiences together with technology with purpose and  interactions that matter. Contact us!