Touching the Untouchable: Increasing Access to Archaeological Artefacts by Virtual Handling

提供触觉信息的计算机界面为交互式博物馆展示提供了令人兴奋的可能性，在这种展示中，参观者可以处理博物馆物品的虚拟复制品。以这种方式体验对象提供了一个参与过去感官世界的机会，并为各种博物馆参观者提供了新的无障碍形式。拟议的研究集群的重点是博物馆对象的虚拟处理，选择考古纺织品作为案例研究。新的触摸技术提供了处理这些稀有和脆弱物体的虚拟复制品的机会。此外，这种计算机系统比大量收集的真实的物品更便于携带，因此为无法参观博物馆的公众团体提供了巨大的推广潜力。一看到纺织品，就自然希望处理它-纺织品的机械和表面特性最好通过操作来了解。因此，考古纺织品是一个特别好的选择人工制品的虚拟处理。方便的是，当前的接口技术特别适合表示纺织品等轻便、灵活的物体。该集群的总体目标是提高对虚拟处理考古纺织品潜力的认识，从而提出一项或多项重大研究提案，以开发和实施这些技术。该集群计划涉及来自至少12个机构的24名参与者（加上新的研究人员和研究生），其中包括一个由6人组成的“核心团队”，负责整体战略。该集群将汇集纺织考古、博物馆陈列、计算机接口等领域的专家，确定目前可以实现的目标，通过未来的合作可以切实实现的目标，以及需要进一步发展的技术和方法。

Computer interfaces that provide information to the sense of touch offer exciting possibilities for interactive museum displays in which the visitor can handle virtual replicas of museum objects. Experiencing objects in this way provides an opportunity to participate in the sensory worlds of the past and offers new forms of accessibility for a wide range of museum visitors. The focus of the proposed research cluster is this virtual handling of museum objects, with archaeological textiles selected as a case study. New touch technologies offer the chance to handle virtual replicas of these rare and fragile objects. In addition, such a computer system is far more portable than a large collection of real objects and so offers significant outreach potential for public groups unable to visit the museum. On seeing a textile it is natural to wish to handle it - the characteristic mechanical and surface properties of textiles are best understood by manipulation. Hence archaeological textiles are a particularly good choice of artefact for virtual handling. Conveniently, current interface technology is particularly suited to represent light, flexible objects such as textiles. The overall aim of the cluster is to develop an improved understanding of the potential for virtual handling of archaeological textiles, leading to one or more major research proposals to develop and implement these techniques. The cluster is planned to involve 24 participants (plus new researchers and research students) from at least 12 institutions, including a 'core team' of six who are responsible for overall strategy. The cluster will bring together specialists in the areas of textile archaeology, museum display, computer interfaces, etc., to establish what is currently achievable, what is realistically achievable through future collaboration, and what technologies and techniques need further development.