360-degree interactive video application for Cultural Heritage Education

Abstract

There is a growing interest nowadays of using immersive technologies to promote Cultural Heritage (CH), engage and educate visitors, tourists and citizens. Such examples refer mainly to the use of Virtual Reality (VR) technology or focus on the enhancement of the real world by superimposing digital artefacts, so called Augmented Reality (AR) applications. A new medium that has been introduced lately as an innovative form of experiencing immersion is the 360-degree video, imposing further research challenges. This paper presents a study on the creation of an immersive application that is based on 360-degree video and targets the users’ education in the importance of CH. The user is engaged in a journey where they learn about preserved artefacts in the city of Rethymno, Greece and their historical value in a playful way. The integrated architecture and development steps for creating such applications that are based on 360-degree video are demonstrated. The overall design process is driven by the goal to increase the level of immersion offered by incorporating game elements in a realistic storytelling experience. The final application can be experienced with the use of a VR low-cost device such as the Google cardboard and a compatible mobile phone. The study concludes with a set of recommendations and future directions for offering more immersive experiences in the CH sector.