# The Usage of Virtual and Augmented Reality in Underwater Archeology
## 4 Virtual and Augmented Reality Technologies in Underwater Archeology
### Application Areas
They describe a game about Roman times aimed at familiarizing the user with historical and archaeological knowledge related to the Forum of Augustus in Rome [75] or the virtual application \"Titanic VR\" [26]. In terms of education and entertainment, the use of VR elements has also been used in the plots of films and series. Here, it is worth mentioning the documentary series entitled \"Drain the Oceans\" from 2018, based on virtual reconstructions based on archaeological research [88]. It showed the exploration of shipwcks and other sunken archaeological sites underwater, including cities, using an underwater scanning system. VR and AR are also finding wider applications in scientific research. Thanks to the use of these technologies, it becomes possible to access places that are difficult to access or have limited human accessibility, as well as their reconstruction and critical analysis from a scientific perspective [12,73,89]. The element of visualization of archaeological sites is particularly useful. Visualizing both the elements and the larger whole is often a fundamental part of the research process, as it is used to understand, interpret, and discover relationships [90]. Additionally, it is worth noting that VR can provide scientists with a new tool for verifying data collected in the field by replicating activities in the virtual world [90], including 3D documentation archeological sites [91]. An example is the archaeological research conducted in the volcanic area of Campi Flegari, where 3D visualizations were prepared based on barometric data obtained from the probe and visual data, which allowed to confirm research on the flooded area that was urbanized in the Roman period [43]. The presented work used computer simulations and concerned, in particular, the occurrence of land subsidence, which over the last 2300 years resulted in the complete submergence of the coastal belt in this area [43]. There are also useful tools for bioarcheological investigations [92]. Another application of VR that is becoming more and more popular is exhibition activities conducted in various institutions. In this respect, technology can be used both at the planning stage of the entire exhibition and its fragment [12; 93]. Two of the exemplary applications of visualization of objects related to underwater archeology are the 3D and 4D simulators that are part of the exhibition at the Chinese Maritime Museum in Shanghai [94]. The 3D technologies used in the exhibition include both a 3D cinema and various sailing simulators during a storm or snowstorm [94]. Another possibility for enriching the exhibition is the use of gamification elements, including the use of elements typical of games, especially computer games, as a reference to the interactive experience [51]. This approach directs users' interest to the content of the application and thus increases the attention devoted to cultural exhibits [12; 95; 96]. Such a reaction may refer, for example, to kinesthetic experiences. An example is a program that places the user in the role of an ancient craftsman, creating Cycladic sculptures in a simplified virtual environment using appropriate movements and gestures [97]. VR is also used to improve technologies, e.g., navigation of an ROV vehicle, which is one of the tools used for underwater research, especially in situations where wrecks are located at considerable depths [98]. In this case, VR helps visualize the ROV's behavior in various situations and allows it to be tested. VR allows for simulating most situations that an ROV may face in the real world, including various types of interactions with objects and the environment [98].