Page 104 - AC-3-1

Arts & Communication Integrating extended reality in modern museums

2 (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/hololens) or Apple
Vision Pro (https://www.apple.com/apple-vision-pro/)—
adds momentum to this experience. 17,86 Such hands-free
experiences provide a 3D stereoscopic view, giving visitors
an impression of real depth, solidity, and parallax, further
revitalizing cultural content in an innovative way and
82
Figure 1. Milgram and Kishino’s plan for MR in the RV continuum. exerting an irresistible attraction on young people and
Copyright © 2024 IEICE. Reprinted with permission of IEICE
non-specialists alike. 17,86
of the real world. In this sense and in terms of the RV Although wearable devices such as HMDs facilitate the
1,83
continuum, there are MR applications that are closer to AR’s release of visitors from handheld devices (smartphones/
end of virtuality, whereas others lie closer to the VR end. 1 tablets) and provide spectacular digital information during
a museum tour, practical concerns remain. Issues such as
Overall, considering MR as a cutting-edge technology
where the physical and virtual worlds are “seamlessly blended,” the need for each visitor were to have a headset or the
requirements for cleaning and charging these devices raise
we should anticipate the application of new approaches and questions about their feasibility for museum use, compared
techniques to achieve optimized user experiences, providing 87
high levels of knowledge transfer, immersion, empathy to alternatives like tablets. Moreover, using HMDs for
an AR tour means visitors must “constantly have the
with CH, and engagement. For example, this includes device on,” which could lead to discomfort over extended
1
“diminished reality” (replacing physical elements with their periods. The idea of “perceptual enclosure” emerges when
87
virtual counterparts in the user’s view), “true mediated devices are strapped on for an extended period, preventing
reality” (rendering realistic virtual characters), and “natural users from pausing to reflect and activate personal ways of
multimodal interaction” (communicating with virtual agents 88
naturally without HMDs). 1 thinking.
Although MR can offer “astonishing visual quality”
However, as long as the technology and equipment
remain visible or fully embedded in the XR world and users through headsets such as the Apple Vision Pro, the cost
– approximately $3.500 per headset, excluding extra
notice delays or obstacles when transforming their actions charging components – is a significant investment
into digital content, which may impair their immersion, 87,89
we remain in a transitional phase, unable to truly exploit for cultural organizations. Thus, the challenges for
the MR’s potential to mediate high-quality, exceptional engineers and marketing professionals lie in balancing cost
89
museum experiences. 1,14,83 Consequently, the creation of and accessibility to ensure the technology’s sustainability.
immersion and the ability to bring visitors/participants Overall, the undeniable benefits of integrating AR into
into a state of “flow,” producing excitement and satisfaction the museum experience include user autonomy, the ability
– as described in Csikszentmihalyi’s “flow theory” – is to take personalized tours, access to previously inaccessible
inhibited. 27,28 objects, and opportunities for social experiences and
Similarly, AR, viewed as a “particular form of MR,” co-creation. 11,16,76,84-86 In addition, as educational and
does not completely replace the real environment or isolate recreational tools, these technologies can increase
users from it – especially when applied to mobile devices – content comprehension and memory retention through
visualization, while supporting learning motivation,
but instead allows them to interact with and complement
it by developing a dialog. Tracing back to the early 1990s, museum brand awareness, audience engagement, and
81
11,13,16,84,86
when Boeing Corporation created the first prototype, AR future behavior.
human–computer interaction technology was introduced However, technical and other limitations can severely
into the museum landscape at the beginning of the affect the effectiveness of these technologies. Issues such
21 century. 58,84 Today, AR is one of the most modern as an unstable Internet connection, interference, mobility
st
technological trends in the museum environment, problems, user isolation, the risk of distracting visitors from
especially for on-site use, providing an innovative way to museum objects, and the high cost of implementation,
guide visitors, improve their experience, and attract new including the need for staff training and regular content
audiences. 13,26,73,83,85,86 updates pose significant challenges. 16,56,84,86,90,91
Especially when combined with gestural interaction, AR Furthermore, the so-called “cybersickness” caused by
allows users to interact with virtual exhibits. For example, visual display technologies, especially HMDs, a “high-priority
wearing a virtual ancient jewel or rotating a virtual object topic in the VR industry” and a challenge for their use in
using evolving MR HMDs – such as the Microsoft HoloLens museums, is common in AR and thus in MR environments

Volume 3 Issue 1 (2025) 9 doi: 10.36922/ac.3428