Real Time Animation and Illumination in Ancient Roman Sites

The present article discusses and details the methodological approaches and the reconstruction strategies that have been employed to realize the 3D real-time virtual simulations of the populated ancient sites of Aspendos and Pompeii, respectively visualized using a virtual and an augmented reality setup. More specifically, the two case studies to which we refer concern the VR restitution of the Roman theatre of Aspendos in Turkey, visualized as it was in the 3rd century, and the on-site AR simulation of a digitally restored Thermopolium situated at the archeological site of Pompeii in Italy. In order to enhance both simulated 3D environments, either case study presents the inclusion of real time animated virtual humans, which are re-enacting situations and activities that were typically performed in such sites during ancient times. Furthermore, the implemented modeling and real time illumination strategies of both the textured static 3D models of the sites and the simulated dynamic virtual humans are equally presented and compared. Keywords—Cultural heritage, illumination models, mixed reality, real time animation, virtual humans, virtual reality.