Revolutionizing Historical Exploration
The world of history and technology has collided, giving birth to a groundbreaking project that permits students to delve into the world of delicate historical artifacts without physically touching them. This revolutionary enterprise, often known as the Augmented Archives project, is the results of a collaborative effort between the Washington College Archives and the Academic Technology Department at Washington College.
Bringing Artifacts to Life
The Augmented Archives project utilizes augmented reality technology to make rare documents, fragile artifacts, and curator commentary videos accessible to exhibit visitors. This technology allows students to explore historical artifacts in a way that was previously unimaginable. Heather Calloway, archivist and special collections librarian at Washington College, expressed her enthusiasm for the project, stating that it has the potential to revolutionize the best way students engage with historical artifacts. "I see this as an amazing way for us to alter the best way we’re engaging with our artifacts," she said. "We could take something out and digitize it in various ways."
Impact on Education
The Augmented Archives project has been recognized as one among the leading education futurist tools of 2018 by Campus Technology. This technology has the potential to significantly impact the best way students interact with research materials, making it easier for them to provide papers and projects. By providing students with a singular and immersive experience, the Augmented Archives project can enhance their understanding and appreciation of historical artifacts.
Student-Driven Innovation
The Augmented Archives project began as a student initiative, aimed toward addressing the priority of how one can leverage emerging technologies to attach viewers with historic objects in the school’s collections. With funding from the varsity, students used HP’s Aurasma AR software, now often known as HP Reveal, to create augmented reality content attached to every recorded piece from the library’s archive. Students and college worked together to scan items from the university’s archives, creating videos, photos, 3D scenes, and web pages that display on a tool when a "trigger image" is recognized on the screen.
Broadening Accessibility
The Augmented Archives project broadens the accessibility of historical artifacts, allowing more students to experience what the archives should offer. This technology creates the potential for a curated experience, where users can grow to be experts on a bit of history. Courtney Rydel, an associate professor of English at the varsity, noted that "augmented reality creates the potential for a curated experience, where you because the nonspecialist get to see things and understand things that only an authority would." The technology allows users to explore historical artifacts in a way that was previously not possible, reminiscent of turning the pages of a book that’s hidden behind a thick piece of glass.
Future Developments
While the Augmented Archives project continues so as to add pieces to the virtual archives, students and college are looking toward their next project: PocketMuseum, a totally virtual exhibit that comprises your entire archives collection, complete with virtual display cases. This project has the potential to further revolutionize the best way students interact with historical artifacts, providing them with an immersive and interactive experience.
Conclusion
The Augmented Archives project is a groundbreaking initiative that has the potential to revolutionize the best way students engage with historical artifacts. By providing a singular and immersive experience, this technology can enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of history. As the project continues to evolve and expand, it’s more likely to have a big impact on the sector of education, making historical artifacts more accessible and interesting for college kids. With its revolutionary approach and student-driven design, the Augmented Archives project is an exciting development on the earth of education and technology.
