Virtual Worlds: Exploring the ArcticRichard M. Levy, M.Arch., Ph.D.President rmlevy@ucalgary.caD& L Associates403 949-2051

Peter Dawson, PhDDepartment of ArchaeologyUniversity of CalgaryPcdawson@ucalgary.ca

Proposal Prepared for Dassault Systemes

9, quai Marcel Dassault BP310 92156 Suresnes cedex - France

Tel : + 33 1 55 49 80 19 Fax: + 33 1 40 99 43 76

http://www.3ds.com mtu@3ds.com

Virtual Worlds: Exploring The Arctic In this project, Dr. Levy, in collaboration with Dr. Dawson, will make use of 3D computer visualization technology to create virtual worlds aimed at promoting understanding of the complexity of artifacts and arctic sites of the past.

Test Worlds Four virtual worlds have been created to simplify the testing process. The virtual experience “The Raven’s World” is the central organizing world. From your virtual kayak you will explore Inuit culture as you search form your way home. Along the way you will encounter whales, bears and birds, the central characters of the Inuit myths including, the Raven’s Story, Sedna, the dancing bear Nanuk and Malina and Annigan the sun and moon gods. After completing this game, load the Thule whalebone house or the Inuit Sodhouse worlds. These worlds have been kept separate to simplify the testing process. In the final stages of development it will be possible to embed each of these two worlds into the Raven Story virtual environment.

If you open the PowerPoint file The Raven Story.ppt you will have a description of all four worlds with explanations of the navigation as explained on the help page. For the Raven Story you will also find a screenshot of each scene. There is also an outline of future improvements planned for this virtual world.

I. The Raven’s Story (Dusk241249.cmo)

This version of the test model runs on a single display screen. Download both the CMO and AVI files to your disk before loading this world. If you would like to see the first 8 mins. of this experience as viewed from inside our CAVE at the University of Calgary please open the movie file in the directory (Inuit768kbs.wmv).

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Opening prologue There are many Inuit myths that explain the mysteries of the world and its origins. From the very beginning of time, the Raven made the world. To the Inuit, the Raven was both a God, and a bird with a man inside. After the Raven had created everything, he decided to remain on earth. The Raven loved the people and the animals in this world, and was curious about them all. Even though he had made the world, he did not know everything there was to know. In the virtual journey you are about to take in your kayak, you will learn about the Raven and his world.

Like the Raven, he too liked to paddle his kayak out to sea. To learn more about the Raven and his life journey, you will need to look for clues. Look for the whale oil lamps that light your journey home. If you should lose your way, look for the raven overhead that will show you the way. Your first clue, you should see burning brightly directly in front of you.

Before you begin your journey, you will first need to learn how to paddle your kayak. The kayak is an elegant sea craft. A lightweight skin stretched over a frame built of wood and bone makes it fast and maneuverable.

To paddle your virtual kayak, press the forward arrow key. This will allow you to paddle for about 8 seconds. After the initial stroke lasting 4 seconds you may want to steer right or left with the Q and W key. You may also turn in place, with the Q and W key. Try taking a stroke with your virtual paddle.

Thule Whalebone House (ThuleFire14.cmo)

In this reconstruction, archaeological records provided information on the terrain, the location of possible structures, building perimeters, the size and uses of internal spaces and the location of the entranceways (figure 1). Captured by a CYRAX2500 scanner, a 3D image of a whale skeleton formed the basis of this reconstruction. Individual bones were extracted and scaled to those found on the site. The reconstruction of the house form was possible because of this

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Computer Model, Baleen Whale

unique approach to 3D modeling. Using this technique several different sites in the far Arctic North have been reconstructed. From your initial vantage point in view of the sleeping platfrom virtual visitors have an opportunity to view a movie explaining how these unique structures were built.

Inuit Sodhouse (Sodhouse1027.cmo)

In this reconstruction, archaeological survey data from the basis of this reconstruction. Once inside you will learn about the construction of this house from the digging a pit to covering a wod framed structure with sod. Once inside the house several movies explain the use of domestic tools to create clothing and harpoons for hunting seal.

Baleen Whale Skeleton (WhaleSAS180_V05.cmo)

As a learning object, this 3D Baleen Whale model can provide students with a unique understanding of how bones from whale skeletons were used as structural elements in a Thule Whalebone House. Using a CYRAX2500 Laser scanner, this whale skeleton on display at the New England Acquarium was scanned, capturing the shape and size of the bones. A point cloud of over two million points (accurate to 5mm) was captured with a CYRAX2500 scanner on a one centimeter point grid

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Inuit Kayak

A detailed reconstruction of an Inuit Kayak gives students an opportunity to examine close up the construction of these unique forms. This virtual kayak is your means of transportation in the Raven’s Story.

Storyboard

Download the PowerPoint storyboard that shows the keyframes in each virtual world.

Movie A movie file can be downloaded that shows how the Raven’s world looks in the CCIT CAVE at the University of Calgary.

https://webdisk.ucalgary.ca/~rmlevy/public_html/Inuit/

Test Models

Selected Publications: R. Levy, H. Widemann, R. Owston, and Annika Orich . Knight Elimar’s Last Joust: A Virtual

Environment Game for Promoting Literacy Across the Curriculum Ed Media, Proceedings , 2007.

R. Levy, and P. Dawson, Structural Analysis, A Tool for Testing 3D Computer Reconstructions of Thule Whalebone Houses, Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, Proceedings, (in Press).

O’Brien, Mary Grantham, Richard M. Levy, and Annika Orich. “Virtual Immersion: The role of CAVE and PC technology.” CALICO Journal 26:2. (due to appear in January 2009)

O’Brien, Mary Grantham, and Richard M. Levy. Forthcoming. “Exploration through virtual reality: Encounters with the target culture.” Canadian Modern Language Review. June 2008.

R. Levy and L. Katz, Virtual Reality Simulation: Bobsled and Luge, Symposium Proceedings, 6tn International Association of Computer Science in Sport, 2007, pp. 241-251.

R. Levy and M. G. O’Brien, A Virtual World for Teaching German, Canadian Game Studies Association Journal,1:1, 2007.

P. Dawson, R. Levy, D. Gardner, and M. Walls. Simulating the Behavior of Light Inside Arctic Dwelling: Implications for Assessing the Role of Visual Perception in Task Performance, World Archaeology, 39(1) 17-35.

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R. Levy, and P. Dawson, 3D Imagining as a Tool in the Computer Reconstruction of a Thule Whalebone House, IEEE, Multi-Media Spring 2006, 78-83.

P. Dawson, and R. Levy, Using 3D Computer Models of Inuit Architecture as Visualization Tools in Archaeological Interpretation: Two Case Studies from the Canadian Arctic, Field Archaeology, 2006, 185-195.

P. Dawson, R. Levy, Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada, Internet Archaeology, 18:1, 2005.

Levy, R. The Role of Laser Scanning in the Preservation and Renovation of Historic Architecture, 3D Digital Imagining and Modeling – Applications of Heritage, Industry, Medicine and Land, Padova, Proceedings, 2005.

Guarnieri A, R. Levy, A. Vettore, Integrated Modeling Systems for 3D Vision, 3D Digital Imagining and Modeling – Applications of Heritage, Industry, Medicine and Land, Padova, Proceedings, 2005.

Levy R. and P. Dawson, From Laser Scanning to Virtual Reality: The Art and Science of Archaeological Reconstructions, Ed Media, World Conference on Educational Multimedia,

Hypermedia & Telecommunications, Proceedings, 2005. Levy, R. and P. Dawson and C. Arnold, Reconstructing Traditional Inuit House Forms

Using 3D Interactive Computer Modeling, Journal of Visual Studies, 2004, 19(1):26-35.

Levy, R., L. Katz, SR Sorrentino, X. Peng, Virtual Reality: Visualization for Athletic Competition, 4 th International Conference of Computer Science in Sport, Proceedings, 2003 , 2003.

Levy, R. et. al. VR, Animation and Video: Speed Skating Simulations, IASTED International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Applications, Proceedings, 2002

Levy, R., Temple Site at Phimai, Modeling for the Scholar and the Tourist, VSMM Conference Proceedings, IEEE, 2001, pp. 147-158. http://csdl.computer.org/comp/proceedings/vsmm/2001/1402/00/1402toc.htm

Levy, R. Virtual Reality and the Urban Landscape, Leonardo Electronic Almanac, International Society for the Arts Sciences and Technology (ISAST) and MIT Press, 8 (12), http://mitpress2.mit.edu/e-journals/LEA/ARTICLES/LA_LEVY/levy.html

Selected Exhibitions and Screenings: Journey to Kitgaaryuk” Virtual Reality, Interactive Multimedia Learning Program, Canadian

Museum of Civilization, Ottawa, 2003, November 6, 2003 - January 9, 2005.Computer Reconstruction: Temple Site at Phimai, PNC (Pacific Neighborhood Consortium),

organized by the NECTEC (the National Electronic Computer Technology Centre) Bangkok, Thailand, November 7-9, 2003.

Making the Virtual Real, (Levy, Gadbois), The 4th International 3-D Imaging and Modeling Conference, Banff, Alberta, October, 6, 2003.

Animation Screening, SIGGRAPH2001, Los Angeles: California Los Angeles: California, Aug 13-18, 2001, http://helios.siggraph.org/s2001/conference. (see www.Phimai.ca).

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