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Heritage
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Immersive Virtual Reality for Heritage and Museums
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Immersive Virtual Reality for Heritage and Museums

A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408). This special issue belongs to the section "Digital Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 17565

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Bruno Fanini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CNR, ISPC, 34900 Rome, Italy
Interests: WebXR; immersive VR; 3D interfaces; spatial user interfaces; social VR
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alfonsina Pagano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale (ISPC), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), National Council of Research, Rome, Italy
Interests: user experience; interaction design; web accessibility; user evaluation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Daniele Ferdani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale (ISPC), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), National Council of Research, Rome, Italy
Interests: 3D modeling in cultural heritage; virtual reconstruction; virtual restoration; photogrammetry; virtual archaeology; medieval archaeology; virtual museum
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The recent advancements in immersive virtual reality experiences are creating fertile grounds and opportunities for crafting interactive applications for a multitude of scientific fields, including the heritage science domain.

Existing literature has already highlighted ongoing VR challenges related to  technical aspects, such as 3D performance and effective interaction models for immersive VR, as well as communication aspects, such as information visualization, narrative strategies for VR interaction, and gamified experiences. Additionally, perceptive and sensorial aspects are currently being studied, such as the sense of realism, technological and content accessibility, as well as cognitive processes applied to the immersive experience of the 3D-reconstructed past.

Recently, in the cultural heritage domain, VR applications have been experimented with both in research and dissemination activities. For instance, in the archaeology domain, immersive VR has been used in scientific tools where data (digital replicas of artifacts and sites or virtual reconstructions) can be explored, analyzed, or realistically reproduced/simulated. Immersive VR as a learning tool is also employed to simulate on-field activities and to teach concepts regarding archaeological or restoration fieldwork. Currently, more and more museums and cultural sites are enriching their exhibitions with multimedia itineraries and immersive experiences, radically changing the way that heritage is communicated to visitors. Stakeholders aim at improving the educational offering, promoting VR applications and applied games directly in the museum or at home to engage visitors and communicate through a vivid and effective cultural experience.

As the COVID-19 pandemic affected—and continues to affect—our lives, social VR is also another research branch that is being increasingly investigated in the heritage science domain, bringing a new dimension to the interaction models developed for such experiences, alongside new challenges, issues, and visions.

The goal of this Special Issue is to attract academics and researchers dealing with immersive VR technologies for the heritage science domain, fueling innovative developments in such directions and discussing methods, techniques, and approaches to design, develop, and evaluate immersive VR applications, in order to draft future standards and toolkits for effective immersive VR experiences.

Dr. Bruno Fanini
Dr. Alfonsina Pagano
Dr. Daniele Ferdani
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • immersive VR
  • WebXR
  • 3D interfaces
  • spatial user interfaces
  • social VR
  • user experience
  • interaction design
  • web accessibility
  • user evaluation
  • virtual reconstruction
  • virtual restoration
  • photogrammetry
  • immersive archaeology
  • virtual museums

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 5011 KiB  
Article
Enhancement and Communication of Ancient Human Remains through VR: The Case Study of Sexual Dimorphism in the Human Skull
by Roberta Manzollino, Saverio Giulio Malatesta, Danilo Avola, Luigi Cinque, Antonietta Del Bove, Laura Leopardi and Marco Raoul Marini
Heritage 2023, 6(5), 4120-4133; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6050217 - 4 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2557
Abstract
Over the last years, the exponential progress of technology introduced a broader population of researchers and developers to the use of Virtual Reality (VR) devices in numerous contexts, e.g., gaming, simulations, and culture dissemination. Recently, cultural heritage has also been supported by motivational [...] Read more.
Over the last years, the exponential progress of technology introduced a broader population of researchers and developers to the use of Virtual Reality (VR) devices in numerous contexts, e.g., gaming, simulations, and culture dissemination. Recently, cultural heritage has also been supported by motivational experiences and other improvements designed explicitly for specific users (visitors, researchers, and domain experts). In this context, we propose a protocol within a digital environment, using innovative, non-invasive, and non-destructive methods for the technological enhancement, education, and dissemination of ancient human remains. The presented case study is focused on sexual dimorphism in the human skull; several 3D models are digitally generated from female and male skull references exploiting an algorithmic approach with statistical analysis, e.g., Principal Component Analysis (PCA); then, the models are made available in a virtual environment with a Head Mounted Display (HMD) and can also be interacted with via a touchless approach (hands-free). Tests conducted with segmented populations provided promising results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immersive Virtual Reality for Heritage and Museums)
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20 pages, 9286 KiB  
Article
Understanding the Social Value of Geelong’s Design and Manufacturing Heritage for Extended Reality
by Kaja Antlej, Steven Cooke, Meghan Kelly, Russell Kennedy, Lauren Pikó and Ben Horan
Heritage 2023, 6(3), 3043-3062; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6030162 - 13 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2745
Abstract
Post-industrial cities often find themselves at a crossroads as to whether to find a new identity or embrace their industrial past. In late 2017, after the closure of major manufacturing plants in the region, the Australian city of Geelong was designated a UNESCO [...] Read more.
Post-industrial cities often find themselves at a crossroads as to whether to find a new identity or embrace their industrial past. In late 2017, after the closure of major manufacturing plants in the region, the Australian city of Geelong was designated a UNESCO City of Design and embraced a “Clever and Creative” strategy which acknowledged Geelong’s industrial and design past in responding to contemporary technological, demographic, and economic challenges. However, questions remain as to which versions of the past are valued by the local community and how these stories can be shared. To better understand the social value of design and manufacturing heritage in Geelong as well as to get initial feedback on how to interpret this type of heritage through novel immersive extended reality (XR) experiences, the researchers took a community-led approach. This paper reports on the results of the initial online community surveys (N = 55–137) and in-person stakeholder interviews (N = 5) with carefully selected representatives of the local government, education, heritage, tourism, and engineering sectors. The study’s outcome demonstrates the importance of design and manufacturing heritage for the local community’s identity. Moreover, this type of heritage provides a source of inspiration, learning opportunities for future creative problem-solvers, and economic opportunities through tourism. By engaging with the social value of design and manufacturing heritage, this paper argues that more effective and targeted storytelling, game-like applications, and other digital immersive experiences such as extended reality (XR) can be used to better engage with audiences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immersive Virtual Reality for Heritage and Museums)
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13 pages, 2547 KiB  
Article
An Online Dissemination Workflow for the Scientific Process in CH through Semantic 3D: EMtools and EMviq Open Source Tools
by Emanuel Demetrescu, Bruno Fanini and Enzo Cocca
Heritage 2023, 6(2), 1264-1276; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6020069 - 29 Jan 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1835
Abstract
This article explores the use of open source 3D tools to improve the transformation of the archaeological record into a virtual reconstruction. The goal of the research was to improve the dissemination of complete reconstructive Extended Matrix (EM) datasets, organized by epochs, to [...] Read more.
This article explores the use of open source 3D tools to improve the transformation of the archaeological record into a virtual reconstruction. The goal of the research was to improve the dissemination of complete reconstructive Extended Matrix (EM) datasets, organized by epochs, to allow a “time travel” experience, by means of the EMviq online service “metaphor”. This article presents an incremental version (ver. 1.3.1) of EMtools (add-on for Blender 3D) and a renewed version of EMviq. These two original open source (GPL3) tools have been developed, on one hand, to facilitate the process of semantic enrichment and source-based 3D modeling of cultural contexts (EMtools) and, on the other hand, to visually inspect data within immersive virtual reality viewers, online (WebXR), or via mobile devices (EMviq). An application case is shown to illustrate the entire work-flow from the archaeological stratigraphic reading to the representation of the virtual reconstruction of what a context must have looked like at a given time in antiquity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immersive Virtual Reality for Heritage and Museums)
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18 pages, 18483 KiB  
Article
Development of an Immersive VR Experience Using Integrated Survey Technologies and Hybrid Scenarios
by Francesco Gabellone
Heritage 2023, 6(2), 1169-1186; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6020065 - 27 Jan 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1839
Abstract
The paper was aimed to promoting and improving the knowledge of the Naples city’s monuments through an immersive visit experience, according to the paradigms of new digital languages. Thanks to the use of integrated technologies, some monuments of the city are presented in [...] Read more.
The paper was aimed to promoting and improving the knowledge of the Naples city’s monuments through an immersive visit experience, according to the paradigms of new digital languages. Thanks to the use of integrated technologies, some monuments of the city are presented in virtual way, with unusual viewpoints, that reveal previously unseen details, many of them not directly visible to tourists. A journey created by the use of integrated technologies, to discover historical facades and museums to be explored in total freedom, without physical constraints, without cognitive barriers. The technological basis supporting the visit consists of integrated solutions including digital photogrammetry, 3D modelling, virtual restoration and persuasive storytelling, all organised to provide a product for the general public, to be enjoyed with VR headsets. The available contents are organised on different reading levels, in according to three paths that include: a visit to the MANN (National Archaeological Museum of Naples), a visit within the virtual room dedicated to the most important museums of the city and a virtual walk through the decumani, the heart of historical centre. The virtual enjoyment of contexts no longer visible in original state or not accessible by tourists is resolved by the virtual reconstruction and re-location of artefacts in a virtual space, here called Virtual Room. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immersive Virtual Reality for Heritage and Museums)
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Other

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37 pages, 2447 KiB  
Systematic Review
A Survey on Computational and Emergent Digital Storytelling
by Georgios Trichopoulos, Georgios Alexandridis and George Caridakis
Heritage 2023, 6(2), 1227-1263; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6020068 - 28 Jan 2023
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6000
Abstract
The research field of digital storytelling is cross-disciplinary and extremely wide. In this paper, methods, frameworks, and tools that have been created for authoring and presenting digital narratives, are selected and examined among hundreds of works. The basic criterion for selecting these works [...] Read more.
The research field of digital storytelling is cross-disciplinary and extremely wide. In this paper, methods, frameworks, and tools that have been created for authoring and presenting digital narratives, are selected and examined among hundreds of works. The basic criterion for selecting these works has been their ability to create content by computational, emergent methods. By delving into the work of many researchers, the objective is to study current trends in this research field and discuss possible future directions. Most of the relevant tools and methods have been designed with a specific purpose in mind, but their use could be expanded to other areas of interest or could at least be the steppingstone for other ideas. Therefore, the following works show elements of computational and emergent narrative creation and a classification is proposed according to their purpose of existence. Finally, new potential research directions in the field are identified and possible future research steps are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immersive Virtual Reality for Heritage and Museums)
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