Introduction
The LanternXR system aims to enrich visitor experiences with heritage works that are difficult to access, either due to their state of conservation or location, and to provide a deeper understanding through the creation of an immersive and creative space that invites visitors to become active participants in an artistic act: creating lighting and capturing virtual photographs using two simulated handheld devices, a DSLR camera, and a candelabrum.
This system expands the concept of extended reality but diverges from typical individual XR experiences that take place on smartphones or AR and VR glasses. Instead, it offers a more social, physical, and multi-sensory experience by encouraging visitors to use physical objects and engage in physical actions in the space.
In the exhibition room, visitors can experience heritage in a unique way, actively participating in the creative process of illuminating and capturing virtual photographs of a 3D-printed replica of the heritage object displayed at the center of the room. In addition, the space is equipped with strategically distributed information points on the floor, identified as hotspots. These hotspots allow visitors to discover informative videos with 3D animations and narrations. The hotspots are marked both on the floor and on the screen and are activated when the camera approaches them, providing intuitive access to additional information.
This project is part of the HUME group’s effort to apply emerging technologies to museology, promoting interactive and accessible museography that facilitates new forms of understanding and appreciation of art and culture. Due to the high flexibility of the exhibition format, the system can also be extended to commercial, promotional, and tourism contexts, among others.
