UNDERSTANDING UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAMMETRY FOR MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY THROUGH IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL REALITY

Underwater archaeological discoveries bring new challenges to the field, but such sites are more difficult to reach and, due to natural influences, they tend to deteriorate fast. Photogrammetry is one of the most powerful tools used for archaeological fieldwork. Photogrammetric techniques are used to document the state of the site in digital form for later analysis, without the risk of damaging any of the artefacts or the site itself. To achieve best possible results with the gathered data, divers should come prepared with the knowledge of measurements and photo capture methods. Archaeologists use this technology to record discovered arteacts or even the whole archaeological sites. Data gathering underwater brings several problems and limitations, so specific steps should be taken to get the best possible results, and divers should well be prepared before starting work at an underwater site. Using immersive virtual reality, we have developed an educational software to introduce maritime archaeology students to photogrammetry techniques. To test the feasibility of the software, a user study was performed and evaluated by experts. In the software, the user is tasked to put markers on the site, measure distances between them, and then take photos of the site, from which the 3D mesh is generated offline. Initial results show that the system is useful for understanding the basics of underwater photogrammetry

Using 3D modelling and game engine technologies for interactive exploration of cultural heritage : an evaluation of four game engines in relation to Roman archaeological heritage

Developments in information technology have challenged the traditional model of museums, libraries and similar venues acting as relatively passive ‘learning spaces’ for the public to access ‘knowledge’ as an exchange between tutor and learner, or in this context curator and visitor enabling them to offer more immersive and interactive modes of transfer. This article examines the development of a 3D model built from plans of a Roman edifice and its transfer into four game engines as vehicles for independent navigation around the ‘virtual building’. The game engines are evaluated in respect of their ability to enhance visitors’ experience by using an on-site facility when visiting a museum constructed over the physical remains. Cost and licensing override technical factors such as audiovisual and functional fidelity or composability and installing the system on a PC is preferable to more specialist game control devices if a broad user base is targeted

Right Game, Wrong Place? A Case Study: Using a Gamified AR Application in a Heritage Context to Promote Engagement and Learning

This chapter describes an experiment in the use of gamified processes within a downloadable smartphone augmented reality (AR) application situated in a heritage context of national (UK) significance. The AR project incorporated two distinct game modes, both of which were designed to simultaneously provide users with information and motivate continued engagement. The learning gained from the AR project pertains specifically to three core threads; the first, being of fundamental importance to gamification, is that of challenge and how this links to user motivation, audience ability and prior knowledge. The second considers methodology, specifically the observation of ‘representative’ and ‘expert users’ and how a comparison of these can provide insight. The final, and most significant, thread reflects upon gamified content in relation to context, user expectation and environmental influences. The conclusion may assist others who seek to use gamification in any context by its exploration of the mistakes made and successes encountered in this case study

Right Game, Wrong Place? A Case Study: Using a Gamified AR Application in a Heritage Context to Promote Engagement and Learning

This chapter describes an experiment in the use of gamified processes within a downloadable smartphone augmented reality (AR) application situated in a heritage context of national (UK) significance. The AR project incorporated two distinct game modes, both of which were designed to simultaneously provide users with information and motivate continued engagement. The learning gained from the AR project pertains specifically to three core threads; the first, being of fundamental importance to gamification, is that of challenge and how this links to user motivation, audience ability and prior knowledge. The second considers methodology, specifically the observation of ‘representative’ and ‘expert users’ and how a comparison of these can provide insight. The final, and most significant, thread reflects upon gamified content in relation to context, user expectation and environmental influences. The conclusion may assist others who seek to use gamification in any context by its exploration of the mistakes made and successes encountered in this case study

Digital 3D Technologies for Humanities Research and Education: An Overview

Digital 3D modelling and visualization technologies have been widely applied to support research in the humanities since the 1980s. Since technological backgrounds, project opportunities, and methodological considerations for application are widely discussed in the literature, one of the next tasks is to validate these techniques within a wider scientific community and establish them in the culture of academic disciplines. This article resulted from a postdoctoral thesis and is intended to provide a comprehensive overview on the use of digital 3D technologies in the humanities with regards to (1) scenarios, user communities, and epistemic challenges; (2) technologies, UX design, and workflows; and (3) framework conditions as legislation, infrastructures, and teaching programs. Although the results are of relevance for 3D modelling in all humanities disciplines, the focus of our studies is on modelling of past architectural and cultural landscape objects via interpretative 3D reconstruction methods

Ακούσας Νόει: Ηχητική εγκατάσταση στο Μουσείο της Αρχαίας Κορίνθου με διαδραστικά μέσα

Στην συγκεκριμένη εργασία παρουσιάζεται η διαδραστική ηχητική εγκατάσταση που εφάρμοσα στο αρχαιολογικό μουσείο της Αρχαίας Κορίνθου, από τα μέσα Μαΐου έως το τέλος του Αυγούστου 2022. Στο πρώτο μέρος, αρχικά διατυπώνονται τα ερευνητικά ερωτήματα και περιγράφεται η μεθοδολογία της έρευνας. Στη συνέχεια γίνεται μια βιβλιογραφική ανασκόπηση για τις διαδραστικές ηχητικές εγκαταστάσεις και αναλύονται διεξοδικά εφαρμογές της Ελλάδας και του εξωτερικού. Έπειτα περιγράφονται οι τεχνολογίες ακουστικής διάδρασης για επαύξηση της μουσειακής εμπειρίας καθώς και ο ρόλος τους στα εκπαιδευτικά προγράμματα των μουσείων. Στο δεύτερο μέρος παρουσιάζεται ο τρόπος δημιουργίας των ηχητικών συνθέσεων και της εφαρμογής της διαδραστικής ηχητικής εγκατάστασης στο μουσειακό περιβάλλον. Τέλος, γίνεται ανάλυση των δεδομένων της έρευνας και αξιολόγηση των αποτελεσμάτων αποτιμώντας την επίδραση της εγκατάστασης στους επισκέπτες του μουσείου.This thesis presents the interactive sound installation I implemented at the archaeological museum of Ancient Corinth, from mid-May to the end of August 2022. The first part is comprised of the research questions and the methodology I followed to answer these questions. After, a literature review of interactive sound installations is presented followed by a thorough analysis of their application in both Greece and abroad. It is then followed by a description of interactive sound technologies for the enhancement of one’s museum experience as well as their role in the educational programs of the museums. In the second part, I focus on creation of the sound compositions and its implementation in the museum. Finally, the research data is analyzed, and the results are evaluated, assessing the impact of the installation on the museum's visitors

Mobile heritage practices. Implications for scholarly research, user experience design, and evaluation methods using mobile apps.

Mobile heritage apps have become one of the most popular means for audience engagement and curation of museum collections and heritage contexts. This raises practical and ethical questions for both researchers and practitioners, such as: what kind of audience engagement can be built using mobile apps? what are the current approaches? how can audience engagement with these experience be evaluated? how can those experiences be made more resilient, and in turn sustainable? In this thesis I explore experience design scholarships together with personal professional insights to analyse digital heritage practices with a view to accelerating thinking about and critique of mobile apps in particular. As a result, the chapters that follow here look at the evolution of digital heritage practices, examining the cultural, societal, and technological contexts in which mobile heritage apps are developed by the creative media industry, the academic institutions, and how these forces are shaping the user experience design methods. Drawing from studies in digital (critical) heritage, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), and design thinking, this thesis provides a critical analysis of the development and use of mobile practices for the heritage. Furthermore, through an empirical and embedded approach to research, the thesis also presents auto-ethnographic case studies in order to show evidence that mobile experiences conceptualised by more organic design approaches, can result in more resilient and sustainable heritage practices. By doing so, this thesis encourages a renewed understanding of the pivotal role of these practices in the broader sociocultural, political and environmental changes.AHRC REAC

Acquisition 3D et visualisation d'objets culturels pour les applications de la réalité augmentée

Au cours des dernières décennies, le domaine de la reconstruction 3D a connu une croissance rapide et de nombreuses techniques ont été présentées par les scientifiques. L'enveloppe visuelle et la stéréovision sont deux de ces techniques, et sont classées parmi les techniques IBMR. Les enveloppes visuelles utilisent la forme d'un objet dérivée des images prises sous différents angles pour créer un modèle 3D approximatif de l'objet. La stéréovision calcule la dimension 3D (profondeur) en comparant deux images de la même scène qui ont été prises sous deux angles différents. Les pixels correspondants dans les deux images sont ensuite calculés pour déduire une carte de disparité qui est utilisée pour déterminer les profondeurs. Les deux techniques présentent des inconvénients lorsqu'elles sont utilisées seules, et l'un des objectifs de cette recherche est de surmonter ces problèmes et de développer une technique de reconstruction 3D efficace et robuste. Notre étude a abouti à la proposition d’une méthode innovante pour estimer l'enveloppe visuelle. Deux approches ont été combinées, à savoir, « la correspondance de caractéristiques » et « l’approche par bloc ». Ce qui a permis de reconstruire des objets avec des gains considérables de temps et sans perte de qualité. Nous avons utilisé les informations géométriques présentes dans les images pour réduire l'espace de recherche des algorithmes stéréoscopiques, réduisant ainsi le temps d'exécution de plus de la moitié du temps initial. Dans le cadre de cette recherche, nous avons eu l’occasion de reconstruire des objets culturels réels et d’intégrer leur modèles 3D à des applications de réalité augmentée.