Digitization of cultural heritage
How we bring castles and museums into the living room (and why a 360° photo is not enough)
Historical monuments face the ravages of time, fires and tourist wear and tear. How can they be preserved for future generations in a perfectly faithful form? At VR3D.cz, we create digital twins of monuments that serve a dual purpose: as millimetre-accurate documentation for conservationists and as a breathtaking experience for tourists.
The end of „bubble“ tours
When you say „virtual tour“, most people think of a series of superimposed 360° photos (ala Google Street View). You stand still, you can turn around, but you can't move a step sideways. You can't look around the corner. You cannot perceive the depth of space.
We are creating a real virtual reality.
With advanced 3D scanning and technology Unreal Engine 5 we create an environment in which the user can walk freely (the so-called 6DOF movement). He can squat down to examine a detail on the plinth of the sculpture or climb the stairs to the tower's gallery.
Case Study: the Rotunda of St. Martin at Vyšehrad
As an example of our work, let us mention one of the oldest surviving buildings in Prague. Our task was to create a faithful digital copy of it. How did we proceed?
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Combination of technologies: Just taking pictures is not enough. We used a terrestrial laser scanner to capture the shape Leica RTC360, who surveyed the building with geodetic precision.
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Aerial data: The roof and inaccessible upper parts were photographed by drone and photogrammetry.
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Data fusion: We combined all the data into one 3D model. The result is not just a „pretty picture“, but a point cloud that matches reality to within millimetres.
Result: Visitors can use VR glasses to see the Rotunda from a perspective they will never experience in real life - for example, by floating up to its arches.
Barrier-free culture: open up inaccessible spaces
One of the strongest arguments for digitalisation is social aspect. Many sights - medieval towers, crypts, narrow spiral staircases - are completely inaccessible to wheelchair users or the elderly. Building adaptations are often impossible for monuments.
The solution is a VR corner in the visitor centre. While the family ascends the tower, the immobile visitor puts on goggles (e.g. lightweight Meta Quest 3) and will take a tour with them. Not only does he or she get to go where others go, but thanks to the interactivity of the app, he or she can change the time of day and see the monument bathed in sunset or in nighttime lighting, which the average tourist doesn't experience.
Archiving vs. Experience: Two products in one
Our method of digitization brings a unique advantage - your investment will pay you back twice.
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Product for professionals (Archiving): The laser scanning data serves as a „passporting of the object“. You have in your hand a precise documentation of the condition of the monument (cracks, falling plaster) on a given date. If (God forbid) there is a fire or damage, you have the basis for reconstruction.
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Product for the public (Tourism): The same 3D model, only optimized and illuminated in Unreal Engine, serves as an attraction for tourists, school trips or as an online presentation on the museum's website.
What's next? Time travel
Because we are working in a game engine, we are not limited by the status quo. On request, we can (in cooperation with historians) also create the so-called. Time-travel experience. Imagine you are standing in the ruins of a castle. You press a button on the controller and the walls „come up“ around you, period crockery returns to the tables and a fire starts in the fireplace. This is also the future of history presentation that we can realize.
Are you managing a monument or a museum? Let's preserve it digitally. Contact us for a sample of the possibilities!