Comparison of Wearable Optical See-through and Handheld Devices as Platform for an Augmented Reality Museum Guide

Abstract

Abstract:Self-service guides are a common way of providing information about artworks exhibited in museums. Modern advances in handheld mobile applications and wearable optical see-through devices that use augmented reality offer new ways of designing museum guides that are more engaging and interactive than traditional self-service guides such as written descriptions or audio guides. In this study we compare wearable (smart glasses) and handheld (smartphone) devices as a platform for an augmented reality museum guide. We have developed a museum guide for both a smartphone and smart glasses that can identify artwork, direct the visitors' attention to specific details in it, as well as engage them through a game. The platforms are compared based on participants' preference feedback and game performance, and are also evaluated by a coordinator from a collaborating museum. We conclude with a discussion of potentials of these platforms as augmented reality museum guides and suggest promising future work.

Smart Glasses for Cultural Heritage: A Survey

“…This experience has been more specifically studied in educational settings [3,15,16,20] and in tourism applications [11,12,19,20]. The experience of using smart glasses has been compared to that of using smart phones [21][22][23], as the former technology aspires to replace, even partially, the latter.…”

“…Additionally, SGs can use voice commands, head gestures, and eye tracking as input methods, which are not commonly used in other wearable devices. In any case, both handheld (smartphones) and wearable optical see-through devices have advantages and disadvantages, according to Serubugo et al [23]. Handhelds are very accessible since most people own a smartphone, while SGs are hands-free.…”

A framework for constructing and evaluating the role of MR as a holographic virtual guide in museums

“…Another interactive AR installation allowed visitors to change the colour of paintings (Ryffel et al 2017). Similar studies examined the use of personalised storytelling alongside artefacts (Muñoz and Martí 2020;Pujol et al 2012;Roussou et al 2013) and overlying information via AR (Keil et al 2013;Sugiura et al 2019;Xu et al 2012) across different platforms, such as smartphones, tablets and smart glasses (Pietroszek et al 2019;Serubugo et al 2017).…”

Automatic Museum Audio Guide

“…In addition, most museum guide applications have been designed for mobile phones and smart glasses [42][43][44]. However, both approaches presented some disadvantages.…”