Inserting and Encircling Two complementary immersive strategies for mixed-reality applied to cultural heritage

Abstract

To accomplish the aims of a three-year research project we are developing, connected to cultural heritage, we became interested in the fusion of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, two emergent development fields that gave birth to what was coined as Mixed Reality. Both dimensions have intricate connections with hardware and software improvements related with the so called ``4th Industrial Revolution''.Virtual Reality (VR), an interactive experience generated by a computer, takes place inside of simulated environments, which can be analogous to the real world or which can be created as imaginary contexts. On the other hand, Augmented Reality (AR) is always based in an interactive experience inside a tangible environment where the elements of that reality are nurtured with digital information, across several senses, to empathize certain aspects of reality. Our research combines both VR and AR to empathize sensory and intellectual experience. To do so, several senses, mainly visual and auditory, are stimulated.We therefore explore two Case-Studies from our research project in order to show two different strategies. The intention of both situations is to create immersive mixed reality environments where the fusion of the digital and analogue elements can be persistently sustained by the visual outputs.