diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5b42402..6a7807f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@
- An audio-first adaptive walking experience.
- You move. Lira moves with you. The world responds. Bond grows.
+ An AR-designed adaptive walking experience.
+ You move. Lira meets you in the world. The world responds. Bond grows.
> **Concept visual.** The hero communicates product direction and is not evidence of implemented application graphics or AR functionality. See [`docs/assets/BRAND_GUIDE.md`](docs/assets/BRAND_GUIDE.md).
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ The launch product remains intentionally small enough for one developer to under
| πΆ | **Real movement** | Walking is the launch activity and primary gameplay input. |
| β¨ | **Persistent companion** | Lira is the single companion and responds through a bounded behavior vocabulary. |
| π | **Adaptive world** | Seeded events emerge from movement, context, familiarity, energy, and pressure. |
-| π§ | **Semantic audio** | Audio communicates presence, discovery, pressure, transition, and Bond. |
+| π§ | **Semantic audio** | Audio communicates presence, discovery, pressure, transition, and Bond as a supporting channel. |
| π | **Bounded pursuit** | Tension exists without punishment, coercion, or an enemy-platform expansion. |
| β€οΈ | **Bond** | One persistent progression measure represents the relationship with Lira. |
diff --git a/WAYKIN_SPEC.md b/WAYKIN_SPEC.md
index e94d37b..eee964a 100644
--- a/WAYKIN_SPEC.md
+++ b/WAYKIN_SPEC.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
## Product Contract
-Waykin is an audio-first adaptive walking experience in which one persistent companion, Lira, and one bounded pursuit-pressure state respond to how the user moves.
+Waykin is an AR-designed adaptive walking experience in which one persistent companion, Lira, and one bounded pursuit-pressure state respond to how the user moves. AR is the primary designed session surface when the device supports it. Semantic audio remains a required supporting presentation channel. Movement remains the sole gameplay authority.
The current product is a solo-developer MVP vertical slice. Complexity belongs in deterministic data and configuration, not in additional platforms or generalized systems.
diff --git a/docs/SOLO_MVP_SCOPE.md b/docs/SOLO_MVP_SCOPE.md
index d4408f8..353413f 100644
--- a/docs/SOLO_MVP_SCOPE.md
+++ b/docs/SOLO_MVP_SCOPE.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
## Product Promise
-Waykin is an audio-first adaptive walking experience where the real world quietly appears to notice, remember, and respond through Lira, Bond, bounded phenomena, and concise session memories.
+Waykin is an AR-designed adaptive walking experience. One companion, Lira, meets you in the world as you walk. Movement is the game. AR, audio, map, and HUD are presentation channels β with AR the primary designed surface when the device allows. The real world quietly appears to notice, remember, and respond through Lira, Bond, bounded phenomena, and concise session memories.
The first release should make a user finish a walk and want to go out again tomorrow to see what happens.
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Local field-test receipts may observe existing runtime signals for bounded engin
- One coherent world interpretation: the world quietly responds to movement.
- One persistent progression measure: Bond.
- One deterministic event-generation mechanism.
-- One audio-first semantic presentation path.
+- One multi-channel presentation path (AR primary when available, audio as required supporting channel, 2D presence and map as fallback).
- One deterministic Demo Mode.
- One physical-device walk path.
- Minimal session, summary, and memory UI.
diff --git a/docs/design/AR_MVP_FREEZE.md b/docs/design/AR_MVP_FREEZE.md
index 9cc9a0e..ef0d49c 100644
--- a/docs/design/AR_MVP_FREEZE.md
+++ b/docs/design/AR_MVP_FREEZE.md
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
```yaml
document_id: WAYKIN-AR-MVP-FREEZE-001
-version: 1.2
-date: 2026-07-29
+version: 1.3
+date: 2026-08-05
status: FROZEN_FOR_ENGINEERING
evidence_class: SIMULATOR_PLUS_CODE
outdoor_physical_ar: PARTIAL_DEVICE_2026_07_20_HISTORICAL
@@ -12,12 +12,15 @@ outdoor_pass: REQUIRES_REWALK_ISSUE_41
packaged_companion: MESHY_EMBER_FOX_WALK_V1
mesh_authority_pr: 246
main_tip_at_refresh: 7df3a16
+phase_0_identity: "#254 (docs only; does not lift this freeze)"
```
## Purpose
Declare AR presentation **complete for MVP engineering** so pathfinding and HealthKit can proceed without AR feature creep. Mesh/runtime shipping under approved issues (e.g. #246) is **package + loader maintenance**, not a freeze exit.
+**Phase 0 product identity** (#254) updates binding language from audio-first to AR-designed. That change is documentation only and does **not** authorize feature expansion under this freeze.
+
## In scope (frozen as shipped)
| Surface | Implementation |
@@ -39,7 +42,7 @@ Declare AR presentation **complete for MVP engineering** so pathfinding and Heal
- Multi-companion AR, marketplace assets
- Navigation map UI, AR glasses
- New companion mechanics
-- Broad AR session UX redesign before Phase 0 product-law reconciliation
+- Broad AR session UX redesign before Phase 0 product-law reconciliation (Phase 0 is tracked under #254; still does not lift this freeze)
### Authorized mesh package history
@@ -85,6 +88,7 @@ When this freeze is accepted:
- [CONTINUATION_PLAN.md](CONTINUATION_PLAN.md) v5.0
- [AR_PRODUCT_REDESIGN_MAP.md](AR_PRODUCT_REDESIGN_MAP.md) β SUPPORTING redesign planning (does not lift freeze)
+- [AR_APP_REDESIGN_PLAN.md](../plans/AR_APP_REDESIGN_PLAN.md) β Phase 0 identity work tracked under #254
- [LIRA_AR_PRODUCTION_RIG.md](LIRA_AR_PRODUCTION_RIG.md)
- [AR_REPLAY_VALIDATION.md](../AR_REPLAY_VALIDATION.md)
- [ACTIVE_WORK.md](../collaboration/ACTIVE_WORK.md)
diff --git a/docs/design/receipts/INDOOR_AR_HYBRID_SMOKE_20260805T164200Z_PHASE0_PENDING.md b/docs/design/receipts/INDOOR_AR_HYBRID_SMOKE_20260805T164200Z_PHASE0_PENDING.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4bef5e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/design/receipts/INDOOR_AR_HYBRID_SMOKE_20260805T164200Z_PHASE0_PENDING.md
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+# Indoor Ember Fox AR smoke receipt (PENDING human device)
+
+```yaml
+document_id: WAYKIN-INDOOR-AR-HYBRID-SMOKE-RECEIPT
+date_utc: 2026-08-05T16:42:00Z
+git_sha: # fill after git pull + git rev-parse HEAD on post-#255 main
+git_short: # fill
+phase_0_pr: 255
+phase_0_issue: 254
+code_lineage_note: Install exact main HEAD after #255 merges. Do not reuse historical 7df3a16 PENDING as the install target.
+device_model: # fill on device
+ios: # fill
+operator: # fill
+evidence_class: NOT_COMPUTABLE
+outdoor_qa: NOT_COMPUTABLE
+companion_runtime: MESHY_EMBER_FOX_WALK_V1
+visual_reference: docs/design/receipts/DEVICE_MESH_REFERENCE_PRABU_IMG_2534.md
+protocol: docs/design/INDOOR_AR_HYBRID_SMOKE.md
+status: PENDING_HUMAN_DEVICE
+note: After Phase 0 (#255) merges, git checkout main && git pull --ff-only, record full SHA, install that build, then fill this receipt. Set evidence_class OBSERVED only from direct device sight (note indoor). Never invent outdoor PASS.
+```
+
+## Automated pre-device gates (laptop)
+
+Run on the tip you will install:
+
+```bash
+git checkout main && git pull --ff-only
+SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
+echo "tip=$SHA"
+make check-lira-usdz
+make validate
+# optional: bash scripts/indoor_ar_smoke_prep.sh
+```
+
+| Check | Result |
+| ----- | ------ |
+| Exact tip SHA recorded | |
+| `make check-lira-usdz` | |
+| `make validate` | |
+| Phase 0 identity present on tip | yes (after #255) |
+
+## Visual gold standard
+
+Compare to Prabu device still:
+
+- Receipt: [DEVICE_MESH_REFERENCE_PRABU_IMG_2534.md](DEVICE_MESH_REFERENCE_PRABU_IMG_2534.md)
+- PNG: [evidence/IMG_2534_prabu_ember_fox_device.png](evidence/IMG_2534_prabu_ember_fox_device.png)
+- Expect: stylized fox mesh, **not** procedural spheres
+- Operator strip should show `animated_usdz` (or equivalent) and animation playing when follow is active
+
+## Device results I1βI14
+
+| ID | Check | Result | Notes |
+| -- | ----- | ------ | ----- |
+| I1 | Cold launch / clean install | | |
+| I2 | Session start; persistence healthy | | |
+| I3 | AR full-screen + Pause/End | | |
+| I4 | Procedural fallback only during load | | timing: |
+| I5 | Ember Fox replaces fallback | | match Prabu look? |
+| I6 | Single companion after replace | | anchor count: |
+| I7 | Height / ground contact | | |
+| I8 | Skeleton animation | | strip labels: |
+| I9 | Stationary pause / idle | | |
+| I10 | Closing distance / follow anim | | |
+| I11 | Plant / replant / interrupt / background | | |
+| I12 | End session + arPresentation receipt | | schema: |
+| I13 | Audio under intended policy | | |
+| I14 | No severe hitch / thermal / re-decode | | |
+
+Mark each: **PASS** / **PARTIAL** / **FAIL** / **NOT_COMPUTABLE**.
+
+## Extra capture fields
+
+| Field | Value |
+| ----- | ----- |
+| Installed commit SHA (full) | |
+| Time to fallback | |
+| Time to authored replace | |
+| Anchor count before/after | |
+| Screenshot / recording ref | |
+| Overall | |
+
+## Failures β new bounded issues
+
+-
+
+## Explicit non-claims
+
+- Outdoor #41 COH / glare
+- GPS integrity
+- Battery / thermal PASS (unless OBSERVED rows filled)
+- Closing #247 without this tipβs SHA recorded
+
+## Operator order
+
+1. Merge Phase 0 PR #255.
+2. `git checkout main && git pull --ff-only` β record **full** `git rev-parse HEAD`.
+3. Install that exact Debug build on physical iPhone.
+4. Follow `docs/design/INDOOR_AR_HYBRID_SMOKE.md` v2 (Ember Fox).
+5. Fill I1βI14; set `evidence_class: OBSERVED` only if completed on named device (note indoor).
+6. PR the filled receipt; do not claim outdoor PASS.