VITA: Visual Interaction Tool for Archaeology

VITA (Visual Interaction Tool for Archaeology) is an experimental collaborative mixed reality system for offsite visualization of an archaeological dig. Our demonstration of VITA allows multiple users to visualize the dig site in a mixed reality environment in which tracked, seethrough, head-worn displays are combined with a multiuser, multi-touch, projected table surface, a large screen display, and tracked hand-held displays. VITA augments existing archaeological analysis methods with new ways to organize, visualize, and combine the standard 2D information available from an excavation (drawings, pictures, and notes) with textured, laser range-scanned 3D models of objects and the site itself. Users can combine speech, touch, and 3D hand gestures to interact multimodally with the environment.