Chiara Evangelista

Technological approach for cultural heritage: augmented reality

Augmented reality (AR) systems allow the user to see a combination of a mixed scenario, generated by a computer, in which virtual objects are merged with the real environment. The calibration between the two frames, the real world and the virtual environment, and the real time tracking of the user are the most important problems for the AR application implementations. Augmented reality systems are proposed as solutions in many application domains. In this paper we addressed the aspect related to the development of AR applications in the cultural heritage field. Possible future applications are described, including the use of haptic interfaces in AR systems, designed at PERCRO.

Design of information landscapes for cultural heritage content

The presentation of cultural heritage information is typically addressed with the use of web pages eventually integrated with specific visualization of 3d models that complete the textual information. The problem with this type of information is its extent, its complexity and the connection between the various concepts. This paper presents an Information Landscape system for the fruition of this type of information through a virtual environment, available both for desktop and immersive visualizations.

The virtual museum of sculpture

This paper presents the Virtual Museum of Sculpture (VMS) of Pietrasanta, a permanent Virtual Reality installation enabling users to interactively explore a museographical diffused virtual space. The virtual environment hosts several digital 3D models of sculptures realized by important Italian artists of the XX century, connected for historical and cultural reasons with the town of Pietrasanta, a renowned place near the marble quarries of Alpi Apuane. The VMS is currently being enriched of new content, aimed at promoting local art and culture, with the perspective of developing guidelines for an integrated methodology sharing museological and ICT know-hows, targeted to the design of specific virtual applications and to the qualitative evaluation of their social impact as a novel important means of communication and learning.

Social Networks and Web-based Serious Games as Novel Educational Tools

Abstract This paper presents the concept and the work in progress of SONNA, a research project aiming to analyze the impact of social networks, web 2.0 and interactive multimedia as tools for learning. The overall architecture, the technical details of the platform and the storyboard of two samples interactive web-based serious games are also presented, highlighting challenges and current issues.

Information landscapes for the communication of ancient manuscripts heritage

The MUBIL project involves museums, libraries and ICT academy partners with the aim of developing a consistent methodology enabling the use of Virtual Environments as a metaphor to present manuscripts content through the paradigms of interaction and immersion. This paper presents the results of MUBIL research applied to the case of an ancient travel journal written by the Norwegian scholar Lilienskiold presented under the form of Information Landscape (IL). In ILs information is distributed onto several ideal planes enabling the access to the book content in different ways: digitization of the original pages, transcriptions, 3D animations, explanatory movies, audio narrations, excerpts of text, glossary entries and 3D models, explored with a guided navigation or in a free interaction mode, all concur to the realization of an enriched experience which is expected to become an important aid to the communication of this undiscovered heritage.

Building 3D interactive environments for the children's narrative: a didactic project

A didactic project based on computer technology and advanced computer graphics combined with an active classroom experience is presented. The final purpose is the creation and the test of a new authoring tool for building 3d interactive environments inside a narrative context.In the paper we will describe our didactic project, the current technology implementation and the final interactive application realized.

A Virtual Laboratory An immersive VR experience to spread ancient libraries heritage

This paper presents the evolving embodiments of “A Virtual Laboratory”, a VR-based videogame simulating an experiment of medical distillation in a medieval alchemy lab. Players are encouraged to acquire the knowledge needed to master the operations to be performed by consulting the digital representation of an ancient treatise on distillation hosted at the Gunnerus Library of Trondheim, The game is part of a larger project called MUBIL1 aimed at disseminating the knowledge of the Librarys collections of ancient books and manuscripts.

Interactive Digital Storytelling for Children’s Education

The adoption of ICT for personal and business use has encouraged the growth of interactive learning as well as its application in a number of education and training scenarios. Designing effective syllabi for interactive learning projects helps to ensure that desired leaning outcomes are achieved without incurring a significant loss of time or money. Educational Stages and Interactive Learning: From Kindergarten to Workplace Training provides a record of current research and practical applications in interactive learning. This book reviews all aspects of interactive learning, investigates the history, status, and future trends of interactive learning, introduces emerging technologies for interactive learning, and analyzes interactive learning cases in various educational stages and learning situations. Readers interested in the technologies and pedagogical applications of interactive learning will find this book a comprehensive reference for the understanding of notions, theories, techniques, and methods related to the research and development of interactive learning.

AMICA: Virtual Reality as a tool for learning and communicating the craftsmanship of engraving

We hereby present the progress of the work ongoing on AMICA, a project aiming at disseminating to the public at large the activities related to the craft of engraving and printmaking by means of an Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) system. The final platform will constitute not only a means for communicating and promoting such activities, but also an interactive learning tool to be used in vocational courses.

Interactive Storytelling for Children Education

In latest years there is a consisting trend in creating educational opportunities for schools increasingly rich and involving for children. Constructivism and technology represent an important combination to define innovative educational courses. Storytelling is the fundamental link to convey the use of technology in didactic paths purposely conceived and structured for children, exploiting their natural fondness to use elements of their everyday culture and communication. This project paper presents our experience in setting up and using a technology-based communication methodology for learning, so as to let children discover about drawing, one of the most ancient communication techniques. Starting from texts and stories, selected based on their age, children learn how to interpret and translate into images the content they wish to communicate, building the storyboard of their digital tale, and using their creativity on texts, images and other components in order to realize a multimedia application.