From 2D Images to 3D virtual reality: a digital application in cultural heritage

The digital documentation and preservation of historic and cultural sites are urgent needs for local governments due to concerns regarding structural damage and deterioration over the long term. With new technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MxR), enabling 3D, immersive, virtual experiences become feasible. In this poster presentation, we outline a novel methodology that allows site owners to capture, digitally preserve, and then view these historic sites in the virtual environment. To this end, 2D photographs of a historic site are first taken and then generated into a 3D point cloud in Agisoft. Thereafter, we investigate an affordable online platform (Sketchfab) to allow users to view the 3D point cloud through a VR headset. We further verify the proposed methodology through a historic arch stone bridge in the US Territory of Guam. The workflow presented in this poster would be an effective way to create a 3D virtual experience of historic structures; and is easy to be followed by historic site owners