Designing for Mixed Reality Urban Exploration

Abstract

This paper introduces a design framework for mixed reality urban exploration (MRUE), based on a concrete implementation in a historical city. The framework integrates different modalities, such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and haptics-audio interfaces, as well as advanced features such as personalized recommendations, social exploration, and itinerary management. It permits to address a number of concerns regarding information overload, safety, and quality of the experience, which are not sufficiently tackled in traditional non-integrated approaches. This study presents an integrated mobile platform built on top of this framework and reflects on the lessons learned.

The Role of Audio in Immersive Storytelling: a Systematic Review in Cultural Heritage

“…Other headphones, commercial or open-source headphone-based rendering models, and commercial or open-source libraries have been considered in reviewed papers: OpenAL [108,109,142], Audiokinetic WWise [155], Apple XCode [175], Processing [130] or not specified [56,110,131,143,150,159,174,187]. Andolina et al [134] uses a "headset capable of 3D audio".…”

“…The most common tracking method (55 papers) selects and personalises audio and video content based on head orientation and position in space, especially in indoor situations. In all outdoor experiences, GPS is used along with compass sensors [55,56,79,108,109,122,135,136,138], otherwise tracking is left unspecified [77,134,138]. GPS is also used in one interactive artwork described "called Hybrid Gifts" [161] in which a smartphone app permits museum visitors to communicate by geolocated audio messages with peers in order to express and transmit their emotions while looking at paintings in a museum.…”

“…are used to recognize objects and elements in space and to interact with an audio virtual environment in 22 works. AR is used to present context-and position-aware touristic information [111,123,134,139,148,185] and to navigate in an AR diorama by using a portable device (smartphone or tablet) [78]. Various physical books [75,88,96,97,97] have been digitally augmented by using devices that recognize book pages and show related content or QR codes [111,127,129].…”

“…7-b) with a button and a 9-axis IMU in order to control movement in an audio virtual environment. On the other hand, Andolina et al [134] uses a haptic vest with different mounted sensors (Fig. 7-c) and actuators in a navigation task inside a city.…”

Dreamscape Bricks VR: An Experimental Virtual Reality Tool for Architectural Design

“…Several studies have focused on the use of VR in education [6][7][8]. Other studies focus on VR in architectural design and education [9][10][11][12], urban applications of VR [13,14], and VR in architectural heritage [15][16][17]. It can be argued that the availability of consumer-level VR devices such as Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and the increasing number of VR applications in architecture and design motivated researchers to investigate the potential of VR technology in design in recent years.…”