Teleportation does not exist. I am sorry if I just brought this fact to your attention but its true. Virtual teleportation, however, is very plausible. You can literally go from your couch to the pyramids of Giza by simply typing in a url. Giza 3D is the brain child of Dassault Systems. This interactive software allows the users to take an in depth look at the pyramids while also giving the users the inside scoop to their construction.
Compared to most informational websites about the pyramids, Giza 3D takes the cake. For one, it's in 3D, meaning if you have 3D on your computer you can literally have the pyramids sitting on your lap. But if you do not have 3D technology, it is easy to get lost in the pyramids. By clicking play, the viewer is transported into the depths of the pyramid. Essentially, the video enlightens the user to what the pyramids looked like when they were first constructed. It is a personal guided tour that details individual rooms and chambers with the realistic hieroglyphs. With the use of a scroll down menu, one can click on what area of the Giza plateau he or she would like to explore. Simple as that, and you do not even have to buy a plane ticket.
This 3D museum technology is being applied to similar archeology sites such as Urkur and the American Civil War grounds. What does the future of tourism look like? If it is so easy to click to a location, does one have to physically be there to enjoy its grandeur? With technology, tourism is headed in a completely cyber direction. All the information anyone would need one the pyramids of Giza is online, so why explore for real?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/us/03iht-educledeweb01.html?_r=0&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1349269444-VozdpW+xDzJigUMTz5fMjA
http://giza3d.3ds.com/index.html#discover
I think its a fantastic idea to use technology to bring forth these ancient sites online so everyone can see them. However I believe that these virtual tours will not be able to capture the special characteristics that make the site so unique. Should tourism be heading in a cyber direction?
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see how technology allows use to see things we may not be able to see in real life.
ReplyDelete