A New Projection-based Exhibition System for a Museum

Abstract

In this article, we propose a new projection-based system to exhibit a realistic virtual cultural object in a museum. We introduce a new design by combining the multi-projection mapping technology with an optical see-through display that overcomes the limitations of the conventional projection-based exhibition by resolving the problems of ambient light and the occlusion by obstacles. We also introduce a mechanically moving projection surface that increases the degree of freedom of the projection content. Both geometric and radiometric calibration methods are used to correctly project a high-quality texture onto the moving 3D projection surface without perspective distortion. To evaluate the strength of the system and a potential for deployment in a general museum context, we conduct a user study that includes both the visitors and museum staff. The result shows that the proposed system can enrich the museum exhibition by creating a virtual cultural object with substantial 3D effect and high-fidelity appearance. We also demonstrate various applications of the system that provide dynamic content of a virtual cultural object by changing its appearance as well as the viewpoint.