Tactual Exploration in Cultural Heritage

In this paper we propose a potential solution to overcome a common restriction for museum visitors: the tactual exploration of works of art. The sculptures are experienced as synthetic virtual 3D models retrievable from a data-base. The interaction between the human perceiver and the simulated sculpture is based on the development of haptic interfaces exploiting both force and tactile feedback. A portable non-contact laser scanner has been used to obtain the real geometry of the sculpture and generate the haptic model. Tactual exploration could represent an important means for fully appreciating the features of archaeological finds. Keyword: Cultural Heritage, Haptic Interface, Touch, Exploration, Virtual Reality