An Italian company offers a virtual reality technology simulating a real diving session into an underwater archaeological/cultural or natural site

An Italian company offers a technology that allows to simulate a real diving session into an underwater archaeological site from the point of view of a scuba diver. It combines the advantages offered by the recent advances in VR technology with the newest 3D reconstruction techniques. It represents a novelty because of its capability to combine the educational purpose with playful activities. They offer license, research cooperation and commercial with technical assistance agreements.

This company, established in 2008, is a spin-off company of an Italian university. It has considerable experience in the field of computer graphics, virtual and augmented reality applied to the cultural heritage and industrial engineering fields. In recent years it has focused part of its research and business activities in the blue economy sector, by providing innovative solutions for the marine and environmental protection, as well as for the sustainable tourism promotion of the underwater cultural and naturalistic heritage. Since 2012, the company has focused on underwater technologies, developing innovative systems for underwater 3D reconstruction and technologies to help the divers during the exploration of underwater archaeological sites. These systems can be used both by tourists and by professionals, such as archaeologists and marine biologists. Moreover, the company has considerable experience in developing virtual underwater visits to simulate a diving session on the underwater archaeological sites using the most innovative technologies, like virtual reality. In addition to the virtual underwater visits, the company has great expertise in designing and developing serious games and digital storytelling to providing the wide public with innovative ways to access the cultural heritage and underwater cultural heritage (UCH). Over the years, the company has been involved in several EU-funded successful projects. The company offers a virtual reality (VR) application that allows tourists to enjoy the treasures of the sea (submerged settlements, shipwrecks, and natural assets), which, unlike the land sites, they are not accessible to the general public due to their environment and depth. It allows users to simulate a real diving session into an underwater archaeological/cultural or natural site from the point of view of a scuba diver. The technology represents a novelty in the field of the VR technologies applied to the promotion of underwater sites because of its capability to combine the educational purpose with playful activities that are able to emotionally involve any kind of user. Moreover, using it during briefing and debriefing operations is a very effective and innovative reinterpretation of the dive planning stage that precedes and follows each scuba dive session. In fact, dive planning gives important instructions for technical and safety purposes, but it is often a taught activity that could appear boring and demanding, especially for recreational divers. It is a unique proposition that combines the advantages offered by the recent advances in VR technology with the newest 3D reconstruction techniques to create virtual tours for the exploitation of the underwater cultural heritage. It is fully in compliance with head mounted display (HMD) technology to provide the users with a totally immersive experience of the underwater site. Different types of embodiments can be chosen for the VR systems in accordance with specific needs. The VR application has been designed to be run in fixed museum installations in high-end systems or to be installed in portable devices (low-end systems) to be used by diving centres, tour operators during events, fair trades, exhibitions, etc. The Italian company offers the technology under commercial agreements with technical assistance. The Italian company will provide the technology and tailored services to fit the needs of the technology partner. The company is also willing to cooperate under research cooperation agreement in order to apply the technology to the development of the virtual underwater visit in other fields. Research activities can also be addressed to extend the functionalities or to create new scenarios, as new submerged sites, both cultural and naturalistic. Cooperation to submit proposals under new European projects with the same aims can also be evaluated. The company is also offering the technology to licensees under license agreements.