Feeling Antiquity

Feeling Antiquity is a unique mixed-reality experience that allows users to visit an ancient Roman home using a VR headset.

February -April 2018

Project Overview

Feeling Antiquity is a unique mixed-reality experience that allows users to visit an ancient Roman home using a VR headset. This innovative project combines virtual and physical elements to create a fully immersive experience that transports users back in time to experience the sights and sounds of an ancient civilization.

Role

Research
VR Development
Visual Design
3D Printing

Project Overview

"Feeling Antiquity" is a pioneering mixed-reality experience that transports users to an ancient Roman home through the power of virtual reality. This innovative project revolves around a 3D printed urn that transcends the boundaries between the real and virtual worlds. By employing haptic feedback technology, users can not only see but also touch and feel the urn within the virtual realm, resulting in a truly immersive and interactive encounter.

Exploring Ancient Rome

The mixed-reality journey leads users on an enchanting tour of an ancient Roman home, allowing them to explore the interior, interact with various objects, and delve into the rich history and culture of the era. The integration of mixed reality technology facilitates a unique fusion of the past and present, enabling users to witness and feel history in a manner previously unimaginable. "Feeling Antiquity" stands as a groundbreaking project that extends the boundaries of mixed reality experiences by merging the physical and virtual realms, offering users an unprecedented opportunity to experience history.

Design Process

Conceptualization: "Feeling Antiquity" was born from a vision to create a captivating mixed-reality experience, bridging the physical and virtual realms, and allowing users to connect with an ancient Roman home. The project was guided by the ambition to enable users to not just see but also touch and feel virtual artifacts.

Development: Within a 9×9’ virtual space, a wooden table featured a 3D printed vase, a crucial element bridging the physical and virtual. Stepping into the virtual realm, users were transported to an ancient Greek home using virtual reality technology. They interacted using controllers, gaining a sense of their position. Users explored a meticulously designed environment with frescoes, furniture, and an open courtyard. The transformative moment occurred as the 3D printed vase, recreated from a 3D scan of the Lowe Art Museum's vase, enabled users to reach out and feel the ancient artifact.

Art and Sound: Visual and audio elements were crafted to create an immersive historical atmosphere. The environment, adorned with frescoes and furniture, transported users to ancient Rome. Audio elements further enhanced the sense of being in a different era.

Testing and Refinement: Extensive testing and user feedback refined the project, ensuring that actions and their effects were both engaging and instructive, resulting in an impactful and educational experience.

Presentation: "Feeling Antiquity" demonstrates the potential of mixed-reality technology in merging the physical and virtual worlds. It allows users to not just see but also touch and feel the past, thanks to the 3D printed vase created from a 3D scan of the Lowe Art Museum's artifact. The project exemplifies the seamless integration of technology, art, and history, enhancing our understanding of the past.

Technology

Adobe Photoshop
UnityC#
3D Printing
HTC Vive Pro

Collaborators

Karen Matthews
Gemma Henderson

Awards

Best Virtual Experience - University of Miami Canes Film Festival 2019