Reconciling the dissonance between Historic Preservation and Virtual Reality through a Place-based Virtual Heritage system.

This study explores a problematic disconnect associated with virtual heritage and the immersive 3D computer modeling of cultural heritage. The products of virtual heritage often fail to adhere to long-standing principles and recent international conventions associated with historic preservation, heritage recording, designation, and interpretation. By drawing upon the geographic concepts of space, landscape, and place, along with advances in Geographic Information Systems, first-person serious games, and head-mounted Virtual Reality platforms this study envisions, designs, implements, and evaluates a virtual heritage system that seeks to reconcile the dissonance between Virtual Reality and historic preservation. Finally, the dissertation examines the contributions and future directions of such a Place-based Virtual Heritage system in human geography and historic preservation planning and interpretation

Audio augmented objects and the audio augmented reality experience

This thesis explores the characteristics, experiential qualities and functional attributes of audio augmented objects within the context of museums and the home. Within these contexts, audio augmented objects are realised by attaching binaurally rendered and spatially positioned virtual audio content to real-world objects, museum artefacts, physical locations, architectural features, fixtures and fittings. The potential of these audio augmented objects is explored through a combination of practice-based research and ethnographically framed studies. The practical research takes the form of four sound installation environments delivered through the use of an augmented reality mobile phone application that are deployed within a museum environment and in participants’ homes. Within these experiences, audio augmented objects are capable of being perceived as the actual source of virtual audio content. The findings also demonstrate how the perceived characteristics of real-world objects and physical space can be altered and manipulated through their audio augmentation. In addition, audio augmented museum objects present themselves as providing effective interfaces to digital audio archival content, and digital audio archival content presents itself as an effective re-animator of silenced museum objects. How audio augmented objects can function as catalysts for the exploration of physical space and virtual audio space within both the home and museum is presented. This is achieved by the uncovering of a sequence of interactional phases along with the uncovering of the functional properties of different types of audio content and physical objects within audio augmented object realities. By way of conclusion, it is proposed that the audio augmented object reality alters the current, popular experience of acoustic virtual reality from an experience of you being there, to one of it being here. This change in the perception of the acoustic virtual reality has applications across an array of audio experiences, not just within cultural institutions, but also within various domestic listening experiences including the consumption and delivery of recorded music and audio-based drama

Digital Creativity and the Regional Museum: Experimental collaboration at the convergence of immersive media and exhibition design

This paper presents the findings of the Within the Walls of York Gaol, an interdisciplinary and collaborative practice-based research project which was established to examine the intersection between emerging forms of immersive media, game design and contemporary archaeological exhibition design. The project was a collaboration between researchers and practitioners at York Museums Trust, The University of York, and the University of Glasgow and used co-design methods to design and produce two immersive installations in the prison cells at York Castle Museum in collaboration with community groups.The project sought to re-think the role of the museum within regional creative economies and to argue for the importance of the regional museum as a hub for digital design and innovation. Through innovative forms of collaborative research practice the project was able to develop new understandings of the ways in which collaborative approaches to the design and development of interactive digital media can be used to build skilled communities of practice around regional museums. The project took a critical stance to the use of immersive media technologies and led to the development of innovative and highly distinctive digital immersive installations which emerged in response to the specific opportunities and design requirements of museums and their audiences.This paper will set out the findings of this project as well as identifying new creative directions and new forms of collaborative design practice which can be adopted and adapted for use across the museum sector

The Acoustics of Ely Cathedral’s Lady Chapel : a study of its changes throughout history

The Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral, built in the 14th century, is considered one of the greatest architectural achievements of medieval England. The Lady Chapel is a semiindependent space connected to the north of the cathedral choir. Its interior is a great example of the Decorated Gothic style, being also the largest Lady Chapel and one of the widest stone vaulted spaces in England. This work presents the study of the acoustic behaviour of Ely Cathedral’s Lady Chapel throughout history, which has been undertaken using both on-site measurements and simulation techniques. Three different acoustic models were created for the purpose of this work. The acoustic model of the Lady Chapel in its current state was adjusted and validated by taking as a reference a set of room impulse responses registered on site. Then, the model was carefully modified to recreate the acoustics of the space at different points in history: as it was in its origins, before being heavily damaged during the Reformation in the 16th century; and when it was fully furnished to be used as the parish of Holy Trinity, as it remained until the beginning of the 20th century. A comprehensive study is undertaken based on a comparative analysis of the acoustic parameters derived from the simulated room impulse responses, and the results are discussed focussing on the architectural alterations and the interior arrangement modifications undertaken to serve the great varieties of uses it has had over time