Augmented Reality Application for Cultural and Historical Tourist Attraction Display (ARCH-TOUR)

Abstract

ARCH-TOUR is a mobile application arching over tourist places by providing context-aware information drawn from Internet sites, such as the Wikipedia and WikiTravel via Augmented Reality technology. In this paper, the design process together with the technology and the test environment is presented. The application has been used to show the famous Buddhist temple Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat, Phitsanulok, which exhibits one of the most beautiful Buddha images of Thailand. Augmented Reality technology leads to enhanced interaction with places of interest by visitors. Using audio and visual help to encourage visitors to get a deeper understanding of places of interest for tourists. Studies of visitors' behaviors using ARCH-TOUR show favorable results and will lead to improved versions of the application in the near future.