Virtual and Augmented Reality to Historical Site Reconstruction: A Pilot Study of East Taiwan Old Railway Station

The cultural assets of Taiwan's railway heritage are rich and Taiwanese railway museums have gradually appeared each showcasing somewhat different characteristics through a variety of static or animated presentations. The Taitung old railway station is a historical site and in this pilot study we choose it as a good example to illustrate how to pave the way for an interdisciplinary and cutting-edge cultural creation by applying new technologies, such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), to a historical site. With their powerful advantages, we can reconstruct the historical site to develop the VR and AR simulation systems that provide an interactive environment for people to experience and appreciate the east Taiwan old railway station and railway culture.