Experience the sights and sounds of the Antarctic in Cambridge
Walk in the shoes of polar explorers at the new fully immersive experience hosted by Anglia Ruskin University and the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust
If the call of the cool Antarctic has been a bucket list dream, you’re in luck; the Antarctic is coming to you!
The Cambridge-based UK Antarctic Heritage Trust has partnered with Anglia Ruskin University’s Storylab research institute to bring you the Immersive Antarctica exhibition, under the heritage-focused Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP).
Led by UKAHT’s Lesley Johnston, in the new role as XR (Extended Reality) Producer, this programme is designed to support the charity’s mission to share the incredible stories of Antarctica’s past through the application of modern technologies.
The Antarctic has a rich heritage of exploration and scientific research, and Immersive Antarctica brings to life Britain’s work on the continent over several decades with a mix of technology, storytelling, archival records and data collected from the Trust’s bases.
On behalf of UKAHT, the KTP development team have created a VR experience based on a 3D digital reconstruction of Stonington Island, back when it was an active geographic surveying base.
To produce the VR footage, Johnston, supported by ARU’s Storylab, used gaming software to make an interactive experience from raw data captured by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust in the field in Antarctica, with input from the British Antarctic Survey’s archive and mapping departments. The team also benefited from the input of ARU’s Faculty of Business and Law.
So, now, you have the opportunity to explore as you’re guided by the voice of Neil Marsden (who carried out survey work at the base in the 1960s), using VR headsets. From arriving by ship, to sledding with dogs, his recorded testimony provides a rich picture of life on the base, thousands of miles from home.
The project has been funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s national innovation agency, and has received an “outstanding” rating for the quality of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership.
Building on the success of Immersive Antarctica, Dr Fabrizio Galeazzi, Associate Professor in Heritage and Creative Technologies at ARU and Academic Lead in the KTP project, believes there’s enormous potential to develop immersive experiences for a range of different organisations.
Lesley Johnston, XR Producer with UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, said: “Antarctica may be a remote continent, but it plays an essential role in the Earth’s climate and holds stories of great human endeavour and scientific advancement that we want to share with the world. The project forms part of our 30th anniversary celebrations and helps make it accessible for everyone.
“Whilst it’s a virtual experience, it allows people to feel they’ve stepped foot in Antarctica and taken something away with them. That is where the power lies.”
Immersive Antarctica goes on display to the Cambridge public for the first time on Wednesday, 21 February, when the Polar Museum on Lensfield Road hosts the hands-on VR experience for visitors.
