Developing an optimized methodology to create a portable virtual reality tour
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2019-12-09

Virtual reality is an useful tool to enhance the archaeological sites didactic appeal. Depending of the sites characteristics, virtual reality can be adapted to be able to be applied according to its portability and visual realism. An application of this technology was proposed in an Iron Age archaeological site: La Peña del Castro (Spain). A virtual reality tour was set in a remote place without electricity or infrastructure in an archaeological excavation with a substantial lack of funding. A low-cost virtual reality tour was developed. Good graphics and high portability were asked, so an optimized methodology to get the aims saving costs was defined. This method combines real panoramic photographies with an overlayed 360º render, what increases the graphic realism shortening the working process time. A high quality 3D scenario was modeled using a comparative historical analysis of other archaeological sites of the same period and the archaeological excavation data. Real and virtual cameras were adjusted to sync its position and characteristics, making an easy postproduction process. These images were set in a portable virtual reality device to create the tour, with 5 virtual points all along the archaeological site. This virtual tour has increased the archaeological site educational capabilities and the visitors quantity with a very low funding. This optimized method has been tested in a real case and is able to improve the workflow efficiency in further projects.

Full title: Developing an optimized methodology to create a portable virtual reality tour in a small archaeological site: La Peña del Castro (Spain)

(Mario Alaguero, David Checa, Andrés Bustillo)