ABSTRACT
Realism and interactivity are important aspects in communicating and understanding cultural heritage; in this context, multimedia techniques show important features that can offer many new opportunities. In particular, two technologies appear to play a dominant role in this scenario: 3D representations (virtual environments or VEs), and wireless appliances (WAs). VEs help in building up 3D documentation of complex cultural heritage structures. Moreover, VEs facilitate hypothesis and testing, by making it possible to simulate different scenarios and reconstructions (different lighting conditions, different assemblies of fragments belonging to cultural items, simulated temporal evolution of cultural assets from past, to today, to forecasted future). On the other hand, WAs give flexible responses to the needs that generally arise during visits to museums or archaeological and nature areas. WAs improve the comfort and the interactivity between the user and the support infrastructure, thus granting a greater freedom of movement while assuring high levels of both safety and satisfaction.
