Virtual Reality and Stereo Visualization in Artistic Heritage Reproduction
Salvatore Livatino · 2006
The use of different media from photography to virtual reality may provide a user with an extraordinary tool for appreciation and exploration of artistic heritage. This is especially important in case when direct perceptual experience is denied by distance to museums or prohibition of manipulating exhibits, and in case when a specific media may provide a user with extra functionalities. The use of a specific media such as virtual reality is very important in case of time-spatial work-of-art where the problem of functionalities presentation becomes much more demanding. The goal of the presented work is to contribute in assessing the role of different visualization technologies in work-of-art reproduction focusing on the use of virtual reality and stereoscopic viewing. Our main testing application reproduces a time-spatial work-of-art which contains multi-level mirror reflections and where gravity is also accounted for in the physical simulation. This application has been chosen because it inherently calls for user interaction, which challenges reproduction fidelity and real-time response. The resulting visual reproduction is analyzed for different display technologies and stereo viewing approaches. Results from sets of test trials ran on five different virtual reality systems, from 3D Laptop to Head Mounted Display and large Panorama, confirmed benefits of stereo viewing and emphasized few aspects which represent a base for further investigation as well as a guide when designing specific systems for telepresence related to virtual museum applications and interactive space installations.