VR Panorama

The use of a virtual tour during excavation

by Thibaut Gomrée

Draft. Co-authored with L. Manousogiannaki, in J. Driessen et al., Excavations at Sissi. Preliminary Report on the 2007-2008 Campaigns (Aegis 1), Louvain-la-Neuve, 2009, 187-192.

'Discover Krakow': Presenting the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Poland using 360º film

by Karol Kwiatek

Kwiatek, K. (2011). 'Discover Krakow': Presenting the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Poland using 360º film. Paper presented at the Immersive Education Summit, Boston College, MA, USA, May 13-15, 2011.

The paper focuses on the exploration of immersive environments where 360° imagery and 360° video provide a potential... more The paper focuses on the exploration of immersive environments where 360° imagery and 360° video provide a potential for projects in education. ‘Discover Krakow’, 360° film produced for the display on immersive screens, has educational values as it refers to historical events and geographical facts of the city that the spectator is exploring during the narrative journey. A collaborative group-based learning environment delivered over immersive environments should motivate students to collect more information about the topic rather than memorize information. Object-based panoramic interactive narrative offers the possibility for the observer to make decisions about what supplemental information need to be presented, therefore seems to be a promising concept for edutainment, because it links interactive narratives with immersive environments.

Panoramic Visualization of Monuments

by Karol Kwiatek

Kwiatek, K. & Bolinski, P. (2008) 'Panoramic Visualization of Monuments', Journal of Conservation-Restoration, ISSN 1234-5210, Vol. 19 No 1-4 (72-75), pp. 106-108.

Paper about panoramic visualisation of monuments. Paper about panoramic visualisation of monuments.

Generation of a virtual tour in the 3D space applying panoramas, exercised on the sites of Dresden and Cracow

by Karol Kwiatek

Kwiatek, K. (2005) Diploma thesis. AGH University of Science and Technology. Kraków

This diploma thesis introduces the production of cylindrical and spherical panoramas and explains how to link... more This diploma thesis introduces the production of cylindrical and spherical panoramas and explains how to link individual panoramas to make a virtual tour. The designing process of the virtual tour of the Dresden University of Technology campus is explained in this work. The author spent his fifth year of his studies (1.10.2004 - 30.06.2005) at the Dresden University of Technology in Germany. The virtual tour of the Dresden University of Technology campus can be found in the
Internet: www.kwiatek.krakow.pl/panotour. In order to view all interactive panoramas one will need to install proper plug-ins that are mentioned on the webpage.

Let me understand the poetry: embedding interactive storytelling within panoramic virtual environments

by Karol Kwiatek

Kwiatek, K. & Woolner, M. (2010a) 'Let me understand the poetry. Embedding interactive storytelling within panoramic virtual environments'. EVA 2010. London: British Computer Society, pp 199-205. Available at: http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=conWebDoc.36090 (Accessed: 21.07.2010).

This paper presents a method for the merging of poetry into interactive storytelling that is based
on still and... more This paper presents a method for the merging of poetry into interactive storytelling that is based
on still and video panoramas. This non-linear approach aims to give a young audience a new
understanding of poetry, by exploring the poet Charles Causley’s house and the town of
Launceston in England where he spent most of his life. His poetry mentions a number of locations
from this town and artefacts located in his house. The user of the interactive application based on
Adobe Flash plug-in and Lucid Viewer (panoramic viewer), take a number of narrative journeys in
order to search for hidden poems, voice marks or trails signs that have references to the town. Still
panoramas localised at decision-making points were linked by using video panoramas (360-degree
video), which were recorded with a spherical video camera – Ladybug2 mounted on a motorised
wheelchair. Still and video panoramas are elements that create a branching narrative. The aim of
this application is to develop the interest not only in the Causley’s biography but also in literary
output of the poet.

Transporting the viewer into a 360° heritage story. Panoramic interactive narrative presented on a wrap-around screen.

by Karol Kwiatek

Kwiatek, K., Woolner, M., (2010) Transporting the viewer into a 360° heritage story. Panoramic interactive narrative presented on a wrap-around screen., 16th International Conference on Virtual Systems and Multimedia VSMM 2010 Seoul, South Korea, pp. 234-241.

This paper illustrates the idea of applying interactive storytelling to a panoramic projection system. The story of a... more This paper illustrates the idea of applying interactive storytelling to a panoramic projection system. The story of a wedding that occurred in 1941 in Charles Church (Plymouth, UK) is presented on a wrap-around screen where the viewers are asked to make decisions about further developments of the narrative. The church was bombed in 1941 and was not rebuilt after the war. A virtual 3D reconstruction of this heritage site was undertaken and on the basis of this computer 3D model, a number of still and video panoramas were rendered inside the church. Video panoramas created using a spherical video camera were applied to the generation of the panoramic interactive narrative, the aim of which is to transport the viewers not only to the historic site, but enable them to interact with this heritage story. A 360° screen combined with an interactive device is a good solution for presenting non-linear panoramic narratives.

Embedding Interactive Storytelling Within Still and Video Panoramas for Cultural Heritage Sites

by Karol Kwiatek

Kwiatek, K. & Woolner, M. (2009) 'Embedding Interactive Storytelling within Still and Video Panoramas for Cultural Heritage Sites'. 15th International Conference on Virtual Systems and Multimedia VSMM 2009 Vienna, Austria: September 9-12, 2009, pp 197-202. (Accessed: 12.12.2009).

Still and video panoramas provide exciting opportunities for individual users to take virtual journeys through a wide... more Still and video panoramas provide exciting opportunities for individual users to take virtual journeys through a wide range of environments. The opportunity they provide for the basis of interactive storytelling has not been substantially investigated. A combination of computer graphics and 3D modelling enriches the educational aspects of narratives created using a spherical video camera by illustrating objects that are hidden, not only physically but also due to the passage of time. Video panoramas created using a spherical video camera and within 3D modelling software are discussed in this paper employing the example of two heritage sites: Charles Church in Plymouth, UK and the town of Launceston, UK. Objects and artefacts created through the process of laser scanning and QTVR object movies can be placed within panoramic environments using XML and Flash based panoramic viewers enriching the experience of the audience by merging educational components with entertainment.