Tooteko: A Case Study of Augmented Reality for an Accessible Cultural Heritage. Digitization, 3d Printing and Sensors for an Audio-Tactile Experience

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Tooteko is a smart ring that allows to navigate any 3D surface with your finger tips and get in return an audio content that is relevant in relation to the part of the surface you are touching in that moment. Tooteko can be applied to any tactile surface, object or sheet. However, in a more specific domain, it wants to make traditional art venues accessible to the blind, while providing support to the reading of the work for all through the recovery of the tactile dimension in order to facilitate the experience of contact with art that is not only "under glass." The system is made of three elements: a high-tech ring, a tactile surface tagged with NFC sensors, and an app for tablet or smartphone. The ring detects and reads the NFC tags and, thanks to the Tooteko app, communicates in wireless mode with the smart device. During the tactile navigation of the surface, when the finger reaches a hotspot, the ring identifies the NFC tag and activates, through the app, the audio track that is related to that specific hotspot. Thus a relevant audio content relates to each hotspot. The production process of the tactile surfaces involves scanning, digitization of data and 3D printing. The first experiment was modelled on the facade of the church of San Michele in Isola, made by Mauro Codussi in the late fifteenth century, and which marks the beginning of the Renaissance in Venice. Due to the absence of recent documentation on the church, the Correr Museum asked the Laboratorio di Fotogrammetria to provide it with the aim of setting up an exhibition about the order of the Camaldolesi, owners of the San Michele island and church. The Laboratorio has made the survey of the facade through laser scanning and UAV photogrammetry. The point clouds were the starting point for prototypation and 3D printing on different supports. The idea of the integration between a 3D printed tactile surface and sensors was born as a final thesis project at the Postgraduate Mastercourse in Digital Architecture of the University of Venice (IUAV) in 2012. Now Tooteko is now a start up company based in Venice, Italy.

Multidisciplinary Investigation of the Imperial Gates of the 17th Century Wooden Church in Sălișca, Cluj County, Romania

“…For example, they can be integrated into a 3D model of the church [25] or used for the development of virtual museums [26,27], the creation of special applications [28], or the application of specific engineering instruments, both software and hardware, that can lead to the generation of physical replicas by using additive manufacturing processes [29]. The development of complex applications like the one presented in [27,30] requires advanced knowledge in fields such as restoration and conservation [31], reverse engineering and new product development [32,33], programming and 3D modeling [34], which can only be covered with the help of interdisciplinary teams. The 3D model of the Imperial Gates can be used also for educational, research, or other purposes [35] such as cyber archaeology, cyber archaeometry, virtual worlds, and augmented and immersive realities [36].…”

Evaluation of Touchable 3D‐Printed Replicas in Museums

“…Over the past few years it has risen to mainstream recognition and popularity through the media and is being exploited in a variety of business sectors, especially heritage (D'Agnano et al. ; Metallo and Rossi ; Scopigno et al. , ).…”

“…)) in order to create spatially and geometrically accurate replicas that are disposable and scalable in addition to their relative inexpense (D'Agnano et al. ; Scopigno et al. ).…”

The bust of Francesco II Gonzaga: from digital documentation to 3D printing

“…As we can see in literature or in several web sites, the experiences of replicas of objects, which are exhibited in museums as faithful copies of the original or reconstructions or to set up museum tours for the blinds, are growing (Neumuller et al 2014;D'agnano et al 2015). Contrary to CNC machines (Computer Numerical Control), working with subsequent subtraction of material from a block in which is "contained" the shape you want to get, the new Rapid Prototyping systems, generally 3D printer, manufacture successive layers of material (additive manufacturing).…”