Dead Men's Eyes - Footprints of London

Dead Men’s Eyes

October 28, 2011 Comments Off

Image via Wikipedia

I’m very interested in the relationship between technology, maps and virtual reality, and I’ve just come across a lovely example of how virtual reality could be used to great impact in the archeological space. Go and watch the video showing the wonderfully named ‘Dead Men’s Eyes’ application that takes a model Roman Fort that anyone can buy from a toy shop and make can be then animates it. You view the model through an iPad 2 and it comes alive with moving figures – Roman Soldiers and Cavalry. It’s lovely – only a concept model at the moment, but impressively built behind the scenes.

I suspect we’re going to see this kind of virtual reality used very widely as devices like the iPad 2 become more commonplace. It would be great to imagine London’s Roman Fort (in reality more transit camp and Barracks) in Cripplegate come to life like this. Several Footprints of London guides lead walks the explore London’s Roman heritage and while they are not yet equipped with virtual reality kit, would be happy to take groups around the Roman Wall and make Roman London come to life. And for history enthusiasts don’t forget that there is an excellent app from the Museum of London called Londonium that can be downloaded free on iPhones today and shows the Roman street plan of London, and explores some of the buildings and finds from the past.