The Final Proposal of Final Year Proposal

TITLE 8
INTERACTIVE ARTEFACTS EXPLORATION

By

Yoong Siew Lee
1051106975

Virtual Reality Department
Faculty of Creative Multimedia
Multimedia University
2008

Title
Interactive Artefacts Exploration

Abstract
As my title is about artefacts exploration, so I plan to make is like a museum in modern style. This is because in reality world, many museum’s design in Malaysia are tended to traditional style and I between them there are a few museum use wood texture to decorate the whole museum. This may makes the museum looks close to the nature, but there are too many museums designed based on this type of style, so I think is time to something new come out to stimulate people’s vision and sensory organ.
On the other hand, since the traditional musical instrument is replaced by modern musical instrument, so it is difficult for people nowadays to find the traditional musical instrument and hear the sound created by them. Through this VR application, they get the chance to experience the traditional musical instrument’s sound.

Target Audience
This application is created for those who have interested in Bugis’s traditional musical instrument, Malaysia’s culture and history.

Goal
This application aims to allow people to understand the history background and enhance their understanding toward the sound uttered by the different musical instruments.
All the museums have a common rule which is no one is allowed to touch the antique as well as to experience and hear the musical instrument’s sound. However, with the availability of my application, this problem can be solved.
With the virtual application, the user allows to explore the Bugis’ traditional musical instrument. Through my application, user will be able to interact with the musical instrument with the musical instrument to listen the sound created by the musical instrument and know the information of musical instrument.

Objectives
- to immerse the user through realistic visual and particular sound effect of the traditional musical instruments
- to understand the structure and information about the artefacts through interaction and pop up message
- to allow user to easily access the amazing of traditional musical instruments
- to understand the culture of the musical instrument in that particular era

Benchmark
1. This project’s name is Workplace Design which I found from the website-http://www.peoplespace.co.uk/page3001.htm. Its goal is to utilize previously wasted office space in order to create an attractive new working environment that reflects the needs of those that work there.
I think the designer had redesigned the space successfully, the designer makes the office looks very clean, clear and attractive. On the other hand, the way of the design collocates the facility with the plant create a sense of vivid. When I looked at this picture, I feel very comfortable and fresh, so I hope to design the space for collocates the Bugis’s traditional musical instrument based on this picture.
















2. This is a game called SuperKat Racer which is found from
http://www.xform.nl/projects/kartgame/kartgame.html. This is racing car game designed for child. It consists of 4 levels with 4 different backgrounds which are daytime, at night, at raining day and snowy day. All the interactions are done by using Virtools software and there are only 5 keys to control the racing car. But the designer puts much effort on interaction part, for example when the car in drove on different surface, the resistance is different and interactions and special effects are very attractive.
For my application, I plan to use the keyboard and mouse as the medium to navigate and interact with the environment. Because of the content issue, the keyboard is used on navigation part just like in SuperKaty Racer game; whereby mouse is more on interaction part.














3. This is a 3D Walkthrough application that I found from http://www.homebydesignshowhouse.com/2004/3d.asp. Before the user starts to use the application, there is a brief introduction about the environment. The user will see through the map of the environment first before he/ she uses the application.
Showing the map of the environment before user starts the application makes the user can walkthrough the environment by his/ her individual preference. So I might apply this idea in my project too.














Description
On the starting page, there will be a brief introduction about how to navigate in the application and the way to interact with the artefacts. After the application is started, the user is allowed to walkthrough in the environment freely without any restriction. When the user walks closer to the artefact, there are 2 proximity sensors will activate which is the lighting sensor and pop-up menu. Then, the user can interact with the artefact to obtain the information about certain artefact and listen the sound of the musical instrument. When the user click on the musical instrument the sound will come up; whereby it will stop when the user click on the musical instrument again. This is for avoid the user feels the musical instrument’s sound is disturbance and causes the user lose interest in half way.

Interaction Description
- user will be able to walkthrough the environment by using arrow keys on the keyboard
- user will be able to interact with the traditional musical instrument to listen the musical’s instrument’s sound. The user is allowed to turn on and turn off the sound freely.
- each musical instrument will has 2 proximity sensors to control the intensity of the light and the pop-up menu. The proximity sensor of lighting’s beyond is bigger than the proximity sensor of the pop-up menu. So when the user walks closer to the musical instrument the lighting sensor will activate first, then follow by the pop-up menu’s sensor. When the user points the pop-up menu, the pop-up menu will close up.