A single semantic repository for the museum’s palaeontological heritage, powering four digital experiences: conversations with AI avatars, interactive 3D prehistoric environments, an inclusive haptic table and augmented-reality showcases.
The Capellini Museum, part of the University of Bologna Museum System, holds one of Italy’s most important palaeontological collections. PALEOTWIN was created to open it up in new ways, on site and remotely, including for people with motor, sensory or cognitive disabilities.
At its heart is a semantic repository: every specimen, tangible or intangible, gathers catalogue data, scientific and narrative content, images, audio, video and 3D replicas. Curators use these relationships to build journeys and exhibitions, temporary ones included, without writing code.
The same archive feeds every interface: touch kiosks, multitouch tables, smartphones, augmented and virtual reality. Update a piece of content once and it appears everywhere.
One well-formed repository, reached by interfaces that differ in form and purpose: content is updated once and reaches every station.
Modular industrial prototypes, configured by museum staff and connected to the same content archive.
Visitors pick one of the museum’s former directors, tap the microphone and ask about the museum’s history, its rooms and its specimens. Dialogues in Italian and English, with subtitles and questions that can also be typed or picked from a menu.
Four prehistoric environments, marine, coastal, plain and mountain, populated by moving 3D animals. A tap stops an animal and opens its info cards; a QR code takes it to the visitor’s smartphone in 3D. It can also run as a passive backdrop or map the content of nearby showcases.
3D-printed, sensor-equipped replicas of prehistoric animals: placed on the multitouch table they launch games and quizzes, such as putting each animal in its habitat. Designed for exploring through touch and sound, and for playing together.
Augmented reality straight from the smartphone browser, no app needed: framing the marker beside selected showcases brings up animated 3D replicas of the animals, with sound and further details.
The UX project redesigns the rooms hosting the stations, with interaction areas designed for wheelchair users too.
Renders from the UX project by No Real Interactive.
Different user profiles and layouts from the same content: standard, game and inclusive.
Interaction areas between 70 and 140 cm high, reachable from a wheelchair.
AI-generated subtitles, texts for screen readers, good contrast and legible type.
Simple, consistent layouts, plain language and a dedicated inclusive text for every object.
Curators, researchers, visitors from abroad and schools, each with their own journey.
A team effort between companies, the museum and public research.
Project coordination, collaborative virtual environments, artificial intelligence and immersive prototypes.
The platform back end in Node.js and the database design.
Design of the user experience, the stations and the exhibition spaces.
University of Bologna Museum System: the collections and spaces of the project.
ATON, the open-source engine for 3D reconstructions, virtual and augmented reality on the web.
PALEOTWIN is funded under Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Extended Partnership CHANGES – Cultural Heritage Active Innovation for Sustainable Society, Spoke 4 “Virtual Technologies for Museums and Art Collections”, cascade call.
Book a free consultation. We reply within 24 hours.
