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Abstract:

A Virtual Exhibition (VE) is a collection of 3D models of works of art or archaeological finds that can be interactively observed through a Virtual Reality (VR) system. Since a VE is usually visited by hundreds or thousands of people, a robust and user-friendly interface is essential. The high volume of visitors makes the use of special interaction devices like data gloves or tracking systems impractical; these devices can be fragile, uncomfortable or too complicated for inexperienced users. This paper presents the first steps in the development of a VR user interface, Specifically studied for VEs, that tries to fit the requirements of robustness And easiness, taking also into account that the whole VR system should be easily transportable and competitive in terms of cost. This interface employs commodity devices and is based on the combined use of a head tracking system and a Wiimote controller that allows the user to freely manipulate the objects of the virtual collection. The head tracking is based on two webcams and a LED placed on the user’s glasses. Through a stereovision method, the system detects the user’s head Movements and changes the point of view of the virtual scene, in order to give the impression of being in front of a pseudo-holographic screen.