Optimising 3D interactive exploration of open virtual enviroments on web, using mobile devices

Abstract

Thanks to the last decade's achievements with the help of digital technologies it is possible to produce high-quality replicas of cultural heritage. At the same time, the Webspace represents a great opportunity to create interactively, multi-user, immersive 3D applications for the Cultural Heritage sector that allow not only to distribute and present models, but also to interrogate them through immersive inspection and interaction tools, such as Virtual Reality experiences. However, this interesting resource introduces additional challenges in addition to common problems and limitations typically encountered in this context. Art and culture should be accessible to all, taking advantage of open platforms easily accessible to both casual users and experts in the field. Furthermore, it is necessary that any device can use the Web3D applications designated for this purpose, automatically adapting the interface, rendering and interaction models, and obtaining a single product. This paper describes a framework, evaluated through the case study, for the development of a completely free visualization mode, returning a scalable, flexible and modular solution, scanned based on the user's needs and on the object to be visualized, providing advanced functionalities in terms of 3D presentation, annotation, immersive interaction and real-time collaboration.

Edu-verse: Designing 3D Learning Environments

“…Until a few years ago, when we wanted to put 3D models on the web we were running into some technical problems, including the speed of the Internet network and the computing power of the devices, as well as the need to install dedicated applications to display 3D graphics. Thanks to the language WebGL (Web Graphics Library) several platforms Web3D have emerged also in the area of Cultural Heritage (CH) where it is possible to insert 3D reconstructions of portions of the real world within a web page, ensuring visualization through any browser Web [Andreoli et al 2018;Fanini et al 2021;Leserri et al 2022]. Currently, in the country' s leading the movement Metaverse, new platforms are emerging that, compared with the previous mode of sharing on the web whose products were limited to specific groups, such as developers, allow each user to create or edit virtual content.…”

“…Fino a pochi anni fa, quando volevamo inserire modelli 3D sul web ci scontravamo con alcuni problemi tecnici, tra cui la velocità della rete Internet e la potenza di calcolo dei device, nonché la necessità di installare applicazioni dedicate per visualizzare grafica 3D. Grazie al linguaggio WebGL (Web Graphics Library) sono nate diverse piattaforme Web3D anche nell'ambito dei Beni Culturali (CH) in cui è possibile inserire ricostruzioni 3D di porzioni del mondo reale all'interno di una pagina web, garantendo la visualizzazione tramite qualsiasi browser Web [Andreoli et al 2018;Fanini et al 2021;Leserri et al 2022]. Attualmente, nei paesi che guidano il movimento Metaverse, stanno nascendo nuove piattaforme che, rispetto alla precedente modalità di condivisione sul web i cui prodotti erano limitati a gruppi specifici, come gli sviluppatori, consentono a ciascun utente di creare o editare contenuti virtuali.…”

Casa Romei, museo dei 5 sensi. Un focus sulla vista

“…Pertanto risulta talvolta necessario operare delle ottimizzazioni del modello, per renderne più agevole e immediata la fruizione. L'ottimizzazione può realizzarsi in una schematizzazione delle informazioni veicolate attraverso il modello, al fine di facilitarne la comprensione, e/o in una misurata sintesi dei dati contenuti nel modello (geometrici e cromatici) per rendere più agevole la visualizzazione sui supporti informatici, che, per quanto evoluti, presentano delle capacità di elaborazione grafica finite [Leserri 2022]. Non si tratta quindi di una semplificazione indiscriminata, ma di una attenta selezione critica delle informazioni da mantenere e di quelle da trascurare o semplificare.…”

“…Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to make optimizations of the model, to make its use easier and more immediate. The optimization can take place in a schematization of the information conveyed through the model, in order to facilitate its understanding, and/or in a measured synthesis of the data contained in the model (geometric and chromatic) to make it easier to visualize on devices, which, however advanced, have finite graphic processing capabilities [Leserri, 2022]. Therefore, it is not a question of an indiscriminate simplification, but of a careful critical selection of the information to be maintained and of those to be ignored or simplified.…”