Project VISAS: Virtual and Augmented Exploitation of Submerged Archaeological Sites‐Overview and First Results

TLDR

VISAS is a collaborative research project aimed at improving the responsible and sustainable exploitation of underwater archaeological sites. The project develops three services: a 3‑D reconstruction of the underwater environment using fused optical and acoustic bathymetric data, a virtual‑reality system for dive‑session planning and 3‑D exploration, and a virtual guide on an underwater tablet with hybrid tracking. The paper reports partial results demonstrating the feasibility of the three services.

Abstract

Abstract VISAS (Virtual and Augmented Exploitation of Submerged Archaeological Sites) is a collaborative research project created to improve the responsible and sustainable exploitation of underwater archaeological sites. This strategic goal is reached through the development of three services. The first concerns the 3-D reconstruction of the underwater environment by using a methodology for optical and acoustic bathymetric data fusion. The second is based on a virtual reality system for dive session planning and 3-D exploration of the underwater site. Finally, the third service is intended to enrich the diving experience through a virtual guide running on an underwater tablet equipped with a hybrid tracking system. This paper provides a summary report of the project and an overview of the partial results achieved.