A Pipeline for the Implementation of Immersive Experience in Cultural Heritage Sites in Sicily

Modern digital technologies allow potentially to explore Cultural Heritage sites in immersive virtual environments. This is surely an advantage for the users that can better experiment and understand a specific site, also before a real visit. This specific approach has gained increasing attention during the extreme conditions of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. In this work, we present the processes that lead to the implementation of an immersive app for different kinds of low and highcost devices, which have been attained in the context of the 3DLab-Sicilia project. 3DLab-Sicilia’s main objective is to sponsor the creation, development, and validation of a sustainable infrastructure that interconnects three main Sicilian centers specialized in augmented and virtual reality. The project gives great importance to the cultural heritage, as well as to the tourism related areas. Despite the presentation of the case study of the Santa Maria La Vetere church, the process of the final app implementation guided by the general pipeline here presented is general and can be applied to other cultural heritage sites

A Case Study for the Design and Implementation of Immersive Experiences in support of Sicilian Cultural Heritage

Virtual Reality (VR) is a robust tool for sponsoring Cultural Heritage sites. It enables immersive experiences in which the user can enjoy the cultural assets virtually, behaving as he/she would do in the real world. Covid-19 pandemic has shed light on the importance of using VR in cultural heritage, showing advantages for the users that can visit the site safely through specific devices. In this work, we present the processes that lead to the creation of an immersive app that makes explorable a famous cultural asset in Sicily, the church of SS. Crocifisso al Calvario. The application creation process will be described in each of its parts, beginning from the digital acquisition of the cultural asset to the development of the user interface. The application is provided for three different VR devices: smartphones equipped with cardboards, headsets, and CAVE. The paper is supported by the 3dLab-Sicilia project, whose main objective is to sponsor the creation, development, and validation of a sustainable infrastructure that interconnects three main Sicilian centres specialized in augmented and virtual reality

Dataset of user interactions across four large pilots on the use of augmented reality in learning experiences

Augmented Reality in education can support students in a wide range of cognitive tasks–fostering understanding, remembering, applying, analysing, evaluating, and creating learning-relevant information more easily. It can help keep up engagement, and it can render learning more fun. Within the framework of a multi-year investigation encompassing primary and secondary schools across Europe, the ARETE project developed several Augmented Reality applications, providing tools for user interaction and data collection in the education sector. The project developed innovative AR learning technology and methodology, validating these in four comprehensive pilot studies, in total involving more than 2,900 students and teachers. Each pilot made use of a different Augmented Reality application covering specific subjects (English literacy skills, Mathematics and Geography, Positive Behaviour, plus, additionally, an Augmented Reality authoring tool applied in a wide range of subjects). In this paper, we introduce the datasets collected during the pilots, describe how the data enabled the validation of the technology, and how the approach chosen could enhance existing augmented reality applications in data exploration and modelling

The ARETE Ecosystem for the Creation and Delivery of Open Augmented Reality Educational Resources: The PBIS Case Study

Augmented reality (AR) is rapidly emerging as an increasingly useful technology in educational settings. In the ARETE (Augmented Reality Interactive Educational System) H2020 project, consortium members designed and implemented an ecosystem aimed at supporting teachers in building a collaborative learning environment through the use of AR in order to improve educational experiences. In particular, one of the pilot projects aims to introduce AR into school behavior lessons for the first time, leveraging the Positive Behaviour Intervention and Support (PBIS) methodology. Specifically, in this paper we will discuss the proposed architecture within the ARETE project that incorporates AR technology into the learning process of behavior lessons to support the teaching, practice and reinforcement phases of expected behaviors. Through the combination of different technologies and systems, it is possible to create an example of a technological and innovative ecosystem designed for creating behavioral lessons in AR

Question Answering with BERT: designing a 3D virtual avatar for Cultural Heritage exploration

Recent technological developments are changing how people experience physical and virtual environments. Technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), today, are impacting daily life and are being used in various domains including Cultural Heritage. Applying intelligence to applications using these technologies, through AI and Deep Learning can provide a more immersive user experience. In this paper, we propose the design of a system that realize an avatar with question-answering capabilities, for the specific purpose of giving help in immersive navigation of cultural heritage sites. It is based on a BERT model tailored to the Italian language and will use the Unity platform for the implementation. The system in its current state works as a prototype and will be used soon inside virtual tours of Sicilian Cultural Heritage sites

HEART MOBILE LEARNING

The widespread diffusion of mobile technologies in today’s society and the technological developments of recent years offers new opportunities for learning providing innovative techniques and tools in education. In this paper, we will introduce HeARt, an augmented reality mobile Learning system to support university medical students in their learning activities during an anatomy laboratory. Students usually use, in their daily anatomy laboratory, a physical human heart model to investigate and learn about heart anatomy. Even though these models are perfect education tools to observe details and touch "with hands" all the heart sections, they need a supplementary encyclopaedia to learn all heart details. In literature there are several examples of Virtual Reality models and systems developed to learn about human heart anatomy in all its details and sections, moreover, some of them are an excellent reproduction. However, such of these educational support does not address one of a very important aspect of learning anatomy: the manipulation of reality. Our system, using the Augmented Reality technology, will provide in the same time some educational contents visually connected to the physical organ, giving the opportunity to manipulate the physical human heart model or, with some adaptation, to a real organ

The Potential of AR Solutions for Behavioral Learning: A Scoping Review

In recent years, educational researchers and practitioners have become increasingly interested in new technologies for teaching and learning, including augmented reality (AR). The literature has already highlighted the benefit of AR in enhancing learners’ outcomes in natural sciences, with a limited number of studies exploring the support of AR in social sciences. Specifically, there have been a number of systematic and scoping reviews in the AR field, but no peer-reviewed review studies on the contribution of AR within interventions aimed at teaching or training behavioral skills have been published to date. In addition, most AR research focuses on technological or development issues. However, limited studies have explored how technology affects social experiences and, in particular, the impact of using AR on social behavior. To address these research gaps, a scoping review was conducted to identify and analyze studies on the use of AR within interventions to teach behavioral skills. These studies were conducted across several intervention settings. In addition to this research question, the review reports an investigation of the literature regarding the impact of AR technology on social behavior. The state of the art of AR solutions designed for interventions in behavioral teaching and learning is presented, with an emphasis on educational and clinical settings. Moreover, some relevant dimensions of the impact of AR on social behavior are discussed in more detail. Limitations of the reviewed AR solutions and implications for future research and development efforts are finally discussed

The Potential of AR Solutions for Behavioral Learning: A Scoping Review

In recent years, educational researchers and practitioners have become increasingly interested in new technologies for teaching and learning, including augmented reality (AR). The literature has already highlighted the benefit of AR in enhancing learners’ outcomes in natural sciences, with a limited number of studies exploring the support of AR in social sciences. Specifically, there have been a number of systematic and scoping reviews in the AR field, but no peer-reviewed review studies on the contribution of AR within interventions aimed at teaching or training behavioral skills have been published to date. In addition, most AR research focuses on technological or development issues. However, limited studies have explored how technology affects social experiences and, in particular, the impact of using AR on social behavior. To address these research gaps, a scoping review was conducted to identify and analyze studies on the use of AR within interventions to teach behavioral skills. These studies were conducted across several intervention settings. In addition to this research question, the review reports an investigation of the literature regarding the impact of AR technology on social behavior. The state of the art of AR solutions designed for interventions in behavioral teaching and learning is presented, with an emphasis on educational and clinical settings. Moreover, some relevant dimensions of the impact of AR on social behavior are discussed in more detail. Limitations of the reviewed AR solutions and implications for future research and development efforts are finally discussed

A Case Study for the Design and Implementation of Immersive Experiences in Support of Sicilian Cultural Heritage

Virtual Reality (VR) is a robust tool for sponsoring Cultural Heritage sites. It enables immersive experiences in which the user can enjoy the cultural assets virtually, behaving as he/she would do in the real world. The covid-19 pandemic has shed light on the importance of using VR in cultural heritage, showing advantages for the users that can visit the site safely through specific devices. In this work, we present the processes that lead to the creation of an immersive app that makes explorable a famous cultural asset in Sicily, the church of SS. Crocifisso al Calvario. The application creation process will be described in each of its parts, beginning from the digital acquisition of the cultural asset to the development of the user interface. The application is provided for three different VR devices: smartphones equipped with cardboards, headsets, and CAVE. The paper is supported by the 3DLab-Sicilia project, whose main objective is to sponsor the creation, development, and validation of a sustainable infrastructure that interconnects three main Sicilian centres specialized in augmented and virtual reality

Augmented Reality Gamification for Human Anatomy

This paper focuses on the use of Augmented Reality technologies in relation to the introduction of game design elements to support university medical students in their learning activities during a human anatomy laboratory. In particular, the solution we propose will provide educational contents visually connected to the physical organ, giving also the opportunity to handle a 3D physical model that is a perfect reproduction of a real human organ