Should you invest in the development of contents that take advantage of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies applying to the Italian artistic and cultural heritage?

Many startups and SMEs think so and have long been creating content and platforms to allow tourists and fans enjoying an exhibition or an archaeological site in enhanced mode, as in the following examples.

Ikon and the Old Aquileia

Ikon with Nudesign realized in 2013, for Fondazione Aquileia (the organization that manages the assets of the old Roman city), Antica Aquileia 3D (Old Aquileia 3D, ed).

It is an iOS and Android mobile app that allows you to watch monuments through smartphones or tablets viewing 3D reconstructions in interactive mode. If you want to get a taste of what it means, enjoy the video below.

SpinVector and the Roman theater in Benevento

SpinVector, of which Mondivirtuali has already talked about, scored in 2011 the virtual reconstruction of Pompei for MAV (Museo Archeologico Virtuale) of Ercolano. More recently it has developed a project, in collaboration with the Departmental center Urban Eco of the Università Federico II of Naples, concerning digitization and display of the Roman theater in Benevento.

ARtGlass, from the Royal Villa of Monza to Caravaggio

ARtGlass – Capitale Cultura Group has instead focused on augmented reality to enhance in an innovative and engaging way the San Francesco in Meditazione of Caravaggio, recently restored and exhibited at the Museo Civico Ala Ponzone of Cremona, through the initiative “Riscopri Caravaggio” (Rediscover Caravaggio, ed) presented September 30, 2016.

Moreover, since the beginning of February visitors to the Royal Villa in Monza can follow an immersive path in the environments of the Villa itself, realized by ARtGlass as well.

Regium@Lepidi, from Reggio Emilia to the States

The Musei Civici di Reggio Emilia May 30, 2015, opened the virtual museum Regium@Lepidi 2200 the result of an international project, which lasted two years, on the virtual reconstruction of the Roman city of Regium Lepidi (Reggio Emilia).

It involved the cooperation of Duke University (particularly of Dig@Lab, founded by Professor Maurizio Forte), of Musei Civici di Reggio Emilia and of Lions Club Host Città del Tricolore, Reggio Emilia.

After over two years of work, partly in Reggio but largely at the Dig@Lab laboratory in Durham, USA, the virtual museum on the Roman city saw the light.

LD brings the Forbidden City in Turin

In Turin, from February 24 to March 28, 2016, thanks to the cooperation between Fondazione Torino Musei and LD Multimedia, it was possible to “virtually” visit the Forbidden City using an Oculus Rift viewer.

LD Multimedia is a startup founded by Luca Licata and Fulvio Castellaro dedicated to the production of virtual reality scenarios.

It was also possible to buy (for 9 €) a cardboard viewer produced by the same LD Multimedia that with the same 360 degrees files delivers superior visual quality by 20% compared to the better known Samsung Gear VR, so to use your smartphone to download the dedicated apps and live again the “artistic journey” also outside the museum.

Artistic AR and VR content , there is room for many

Combining virtual reality / augmented reality and artistic heritage is, therefore, richer and vital than ever, although the sector is still very fragmented. This, while it may initially limit the economic capacity of the individual projects, on the other hand leaves rooms to SMEs and startups who want to advance innovative proposals, so what are you waiting for?

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