Page 238 - AC/E's Digital Culture Annual Report 2015

AC/E Digital Culture Annual Report 2015238thousand years, this multitouch timeline includes more than 300 historical events related to discov- eries and important achievements for civilisation.When they approach the installation, visitorsto the museum first have access to an overall view of the key events in this culture, whichare represented as markers and a title. In order to filter the huge amount of information, the interface then allows users to access windows that open and close by selecting periods from the Islamic or Gregorian calendar on either side of the table. When a particular event is selected, a window opens showing images, animations and texts related to the event. The language can be changed from English to Arabic simply by sliding a finger over the content, as the interface functions with intuitive gestures such as drag and slide.Another possibility is to explore the geometry of Islamic art using another touch table that invites users to design their own Arabesque patterns from established elements. The application includes the option of creating patterns measur- ing one square metre that are displayed in the background of the touch table using two data projectors.An example of the use of multimedia tools inan exhibition is the show designed by the Pont du Gard archaeological museum50 in the south of France. The exhibition, based on a thematic concept, takes viewers back to the days of ancient Rome through multimedia screens and other similar tools that accompany the objects of the collection. The screens show virtual recon- structions and original archaeological remains that were designated as World Heritage in 1985.Throughout the museum, multimedia technol- ogies recreate accurately the original appearance of the objects and architecture, displaying these images alongside the original finds.The exhibition begins with a multiscreen installation that tells the history of the city of Nimes since Roman times, as well as audios and illustrations based on scenes of the daily life of the former inhabitants of the area. And a large illuminated map shows the location of the main aqueducts in the Roman Empire.It is worth mentioning a project currently inthe pipeline and not yet implemented in any museum. It has been created at Bristol Univer- sity by Bristol Interaction and Graphics51 and takes the use of screens one step further, as it is in fact a projection through mirrors with which visitors can interact. They are semi-transparent “intelligent mirrors” that allow virtual objects to be “touched” to make them turn in the air.52 It is halfway between virtual recreation and the 3D technology that we will examine in due course.By following hand movements, mirrors use augmented reality (AR), a technology that will also be examined further on, to enable visitors to make the virtual objects turn and to discover more information about them, as if they were actually holding them.The Cooper Hewitt Design Museum (Smith- sonian) reopened in December 2014 following an overhaul that lasted three years and cost 91 million dollars. The museum now has 60% more space in new rooms. A prominent feature is its “immersion room”,53 where visitors can explore the collection digitally using tables withFocus 2015. Museums and New Technologies