Applying AR Technology with a Projector-Camera System in a History Museum

In this research, an AR (augmented reality) technology with projector-camera system is proposed for a history museum to provide user-friendly interface and pseudo hands-on exhibition. The proposed system is a desktop application and designed for old Japanese coins to enhance the visitors' interests and motivation to investigate them. The size of the old coins are small to recognize their features and the surface of the coins has fine structures on both sides, so it is meaningful to show the reverse side and enlarged image of the coins to the visitors for enhancing their interest and motivation. The image of the reverse side of the coins is displayed based on the AR technology to reverse the AR marker by the user. The information to augment the coins is projected by using a data projector, and the information is placed nearby the coins. The proposed system contributes to develop an exhibition method based on the combinations of the real artifacts and the AR technology, and demonstrated the flexibility and capability to offer background information relating to the old Japanese coins. However, the accuracy of the detection and tracking of the markers and visitor evaluation survey are required to improve the effectiveness of the system.