MIT Reality Hack is one of the largest XR hackathons in the world, and in 2024 I joined as part of Niantic’s sponsorship. Over the course of five days in Cambridge, I supported developers from all backgrounds as they built AR and VR projects—many for the very first time.
My biggest moment was stepping on stage to present about building location-based AR with Niantic 8th Wall and VPS. More than 80 people filled the room—overflowing into the hallway—to learn how to create real-world AR on the web. I live-coded a demo and walked participants through the foundations of developing with A-Frame and three.js, giving them the confidence to start experimenting with location-based AR themselves.
Beyond public speaking, I spent most of the hackathon roaming the main hall, checking in with teams, debugging code, and helping participants launch their first AR experiences. There’s something electric about watching someone go from “I don’t know where to start” to shipping an interactive prototype in just a few days.
I also designed and developed the official Hack Map.
Built with Niantic Maps for web and VPS, the Hack Map helped hundreds of hackers navigate the MIT campus, find events, and even discover hidden AR activations at statues along the way. It was Pokémon Go-style wayfinding for the hackathon itself—fully on the web.
One of the teams I mentored extensively, Noir, went on to place second overall. Their project activated large-scale murals with AR, allowing people to leave community notes and engage with street art in an entirely new way. See their project overview and trailer on Devpost.
MIT Reality Hack was another reminder of why I love this space so deeply: the chance to hand people tools, share knowledge, and watch them push the edges of what’s possible.