Wednesday 25 July 2018

Auckland War Museum Interactive displays and VR Part 2

Auckland War Museum Interactive displays and VR Part 2


Continued from Auckland War Museum: Interactive displays and VR Part 1

There is an entry-level VR headset at the war memorial with a static animated sequence depicting how 18-pound cannons were used on some fronts. The sequence of text and animation was short and to the point, and is only triggered if you sit in the appointed area. 


I enjoyed the 4-5 minute interface, but considering the available technology on disposal they could have done so much more with it. As a history enthusiast, I can see the potential of VR for use with key historical events and for illustrating facts. Im interested in ancient seaships and vessels, but I have zero knowledge regarding the parts of a ship, and I often have trouble imagining how everything fits in a seafaring craft. With the right developer and even with open source tools, even simple AR or VR experiences can be built for young and old visitors to museums. 



VR and AR (augmented reality) applications dont need to be Spielberg-esque in scale and depth. They can range from simple 3-dimensional backdrops of historical sites and dioramas, to walkthroughs, and virtual tours with voiceovers. San Diego museums, for example, are exceptional as they are now, but as audiences are getting more and more sophisticated when it comes to entertainment and learning methods, VR/AR will be a great tool and deploying the tech would also benefit the IT industry overall.

 VR/AR in museums and theme parks dont need to be as sophisticated as those found in movies. Hopefully, the upcoming movie Ready Player One (2018) will inspire the tech industry to implement VR/AR in places like museums and educational institutions.

I enjoyed the Auckland Museum immensely, but one of the missed opportunities is multilingual support. English competency is expected in New Zealand, but considering the number of Chinese and Japanese visitors that visit the island, the staff can implement updated tech that can support multilingual experiences at low cost while adding new features and attractions.




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