Hi all,
First off, who wants some honey? Making a 3D object with just your phone is great! Last week some items at work were being 3D scanned with a device and custom software costing a small fortune! Albeit, their model is significantly higher quality.
I’d like to talk about what happened at work with the 3D scanning for just a bit. The in house Multimedia team scanned an item for display, to then 3D print a custom mount. Pretty cool stuff I thought. I’ve also been a part of a conservation project, where we needed a 1:1 replica made of a small model of a first world war soldier, so we got one 3D scanned and printed. The newly printed 15cm tall model is on top of a Diorama in the First World War Gallery at the Australian War Memorial, in amongst models that were made 20 years ago, and you can’t tell the difference between them. Although, if you have a sharp eye you can see that two of the figures are holding the exact same pose. Little easter egg to look for if you’re ever wandering the gallery.
My point here, is that I’ve had multiple interactions where 3d scanning, and printing, and it has been a practical solution to common museum exhibition problems. So I don’t think 3d scanning and printing is gimmicky, although I am aware that there are solutions to those problems without the technology. Exhibition mounts and replica’s can be made without 3D scanning/printing, its just more convenient, and accurate than traditional solutions, and 3d scanning is getting cheaper (see my honey model above which I made for for free).
3D Tours on the other hand, I’m not sure I’m sold on.
I like the idea of them, creating a 1:1 digital representation of a space is pretty cool, particularly when it is somewhere very hard to get to, like somewhere far away, or impossible to get to, like somewhere that no longer exists. But what always falls short for me is viewing a 3d space, on a 2d screen, just isn’t particularly immersive or interesting. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I think it isn’t possible for 3D spaces to be immersive or interesting, much the opposite; I’ve spent countless hours playing video-games because of their immersion. I understand that a fictional world is probably easier to make interesting than having to be confined to copying reality, but I don’t think i’ve ever seen a virtual tour of a site or museum that has come anywhere close to making me want to just explore.
Although, if I had minecraft downloaded on this computer I’d definitely be checking out the Gallipoli map made by Auckland museum. Seem like a great project.
I’m not sure about Heritage VR just yet. Not becauce I’m particularly skeptical, I just haven’t tried it yet. I’ve tried some VR, but nothing remotely related to heritage, but I can think there are some cool projects that are possible with the technology. As far as whether or not Heritage VR is a gimmick, I’m not sure, we’ll have to see after the tech is more accessible.
Anyway thats it for me.
Cya next time.
