HistARy - Augmented Reality historical tours

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Combining Augmented reality and digital twin technology, we will bring back to life ancient historical buildings, and the people that inhabited them. It is often hard to to imagine how buildings would have looked when you are just looking at a small piece of wall, but with the use of a mobile phone or tablet, users will quickly be immersed in the sounds and scenes of the area, as it was centuries ago.Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that enhances our real-world environment by adding virtual objects or information to it in real-time. Essentially, it merges the physical world with the digital world to create a new, hybrid experience. Combining CGI architectural imagery, animated characters, and sounds and conversations, users will gain a much better understanding of the area they are in.For the purpose of this project, we will look at the local ruins of Lewes Priory, a site that dates back to 1078, and one of 29 Cluniac houses/ruins in England. We will create a digital twin of the various ruins, using a specialist camera. A digital twin is a virtual model of a building that has been created using information from photography and lasers , sensors, cameras, and other data sources. In particular we will scan the Dormitory, the Church, and the 12th century toilet block. These areas are chosen as the ruins of each can still be seen on site, and provide a reference for the user.We will then create accurate , to scale, CGI models of each area, and using AR software we will place these models on top of the 3D scan. We will also add some CGI Monks and place them in the building, perhaps in their bedroom, or going about their work.Lewes Priory already have a wealth of sound files, either of historians describing the buildings, or actors recreating scenes that may have happened. We will use these resources within the tour, so that as users move around, getting closer to two monks for example, they will hear their conversation.Users will be able to access the tour via an app that can be downloaded on-site. They will then point their phone/tablet at the on-site sign describing the building, and the software will recognise where they are. The user will then be able to move around the space, seeing and hearing the location as never before.