Week 3, Thing # 7 Neat Technology

Rome Reborn 1.0

See the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, or the ancient city of Rome as a detailed 3-D computer generated reconstruction created by an international team of architects, computer scientists, archaeologists, and classics scholars. Sections of the Rome Reborn 1.0 simulation are available at http://www.romereborn.virginia.edu/ .

The digital model can be updated to reflect the latest archaeological discovery. The dream is that scholars will share information no longer just in text but through similar digital models to which all scholars can contribute their findings. Other scholars are beginning to create these models. It is hoped that a database of these models and related textual resources will follow.

Shortly tourists in Rome will be able to view a simulation of ancient Rome Reborn on satellite-guided handsets and as a 3-D orientation movie. What a great way to understand the ruins you are visiting!

As a potential educational tool this type of simulation is awesome for grasping history and culture. Both students and scholars would benefit from what could potentially be a visual encyclopedia of the world's cultural heritage.

The article mentions the application of “reverse modeling” used by engineers interested in the design of the Coliseum. The Coliseum was recorded as a great people mover that allowed people to enter and exit the building quickly. The engineers peopled the model with virtual spectators and studied the simulated traffic flow.

Their are so many creative possibilities for using this type of technology.

Two articles, “Ancient Rome reborn in virtual reality” on MSNBC at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19173006/ and “Rome Reborn” in Newsweek http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19169594/site/newsweek/ introduced me to this project.