AR/VR
Summary
Virtual reality is a computer stimulated of an image or an environment that allows a user to interact with it physically as one would interact in the normal world. It's like being present in a different world that completely made out of digitalized material. In simpler words, it is an artificial world but presented in such a way that it would make anyone into thinking that this is an actual world. Virtual reality is used for both educational and recreational purposes. VR headsets are used to allow a user to see this whole model in a way as if the person is standing inside that world accompanied by various sounds effects giving it that realistic effect. It is a really interactive stimulation as one can pick up objects, swing them, throw, walk around the place; something that is most seen done in video games. For educational purposes, VR could be used in multiple ways. One may use it to create an interactive galaxy with all the planets in it. Some more humanities specific could be a VR version of a cultural heritage site.
Augmented reality is a mode that one would use to superimpose an image, audio, object etc onto what we see in the real world. While VR is mode that one would be immersed in, augmented reality adds to the reality we are living in. The use of AR is widespread just like VR, but it is slightly different. Like VR, AR can be used for recreational purposes. The Pokemon Go game is one ideal example of AR that millions of people enjoyed playing. AR can be also be used for non-recreational purposes as well. For example, to see how a specific furniture item would look in the house before actually buying the team, some furniture stores like Ikea have an AR app that allows customers to place their desired furniture item in their household so that they can virtually see how it would look like prior to purchasing the product. These are just a few examples of AR but there are many more purposes that it is used for.
Key-words: AR, VR, app, software, visualize, modification, tools, headset, site, technology, reconstruction, model, light, texture, immersion, digital, photogrammetry, micro CT scanning, layers, originality, category.
a) VR: One project that was talked during class was an exhibit in Washington that featured an experience to virtually be present in Berlin during the COLD war. In this project, we learned that visitors were able to catch wall jumpers and destroy walls with a virtual sledgehammer. (https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2017/10/vr-and-ar-transforming-learning-and-scholarship-in-the-humanities-and-social-sciences) The purpose is to give an opportunity to travel back in history and provide a virtual experience of something they won't be able to encounter in real life.
AR: An important augmented reality project discussed in class was the AR reconstruction of the Eremitani church that was initially damaged during WW2. Through digitalization and AR, researchers were able to redesign and reconstruct the whole church. We can see in this youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeWGlgiAgMg&feature=youtu.be ) how 2D images are initially used and then converted to 3D projections giving it a more realistic look.
b) One of the class readings was an article titled Cave Temples Of Dunhuang Come To Getty. In this article, as it describes the overall process of replicating a whole cave it talks about the importance of making it look exactly likes its original parent and deeply analyzes whether this overall process of "replication" turns out to be a creation of a brand new artifact. They also indicate how essential it does not lose any important detail while completing the replication process. This is something really crucial to keep in mind while using VR and AR in future works.
c) The Creator AVR app was one tool used in class to experiment AR in our own classroom. We used the app to get access to "anatomy lessons" from various available categories and used the AR mode to place the object on a flat surface in class. This is a really smart application to use when visually and interactively learning the anatomy of various creatures. Although the app is still in its developmental mode, free apps like these will allow more users to get engaged in AR lessons that could be more convenient in the educational sector.
d) One thing that struck me most was the Boxwood Bead Project. Its online exhibit displayed high-resolution images of the beads which allowed me to see really tiny details upon deeper magnification. When zooming in, the images did not lose quality so I was able to see how precise these handmade beads were made. It's quite astonishing to believe such work was done completely by hand and that too in the 16th century. I learned a lot about the tools used to create these high quality images such as micro CT scanning and radiography.