ArticlePublisher preview available

A Framework for Constructing and Evaluating the Role of MR as a Holographic Virtual Guide in Museums

December 2021
Virtual Reality

DOI:10.1007/s10055-020-00497-9

Project: MusuemEye - The Mixed Reality Holographic Guide

Authors:

Ramy Hammady

University of Essex

Minhua Ma

Falmouth University

Ziad Alkalha

University of Jordan

Carl Strathearn

Edinburgh Napier University

Mixed reality (MR) is a cutting-edge technology at the forefront of many new applications in the tourism and cultural heritage sector. This study aims to reshape the museum experience by creating a highly engaging and immersive museum experience for visitors combing real-time visual, audio information and computer-generated images (CGI) with museum artefacts and customer displays. This research introduces a theoretical framework that assesses the potential of MR guidance system in usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment, interactivity, touring and future applications. The evaluation introduces the MuseumEye MR application in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo using mixed method surveys and a sample of 171 participants. The results of the questionnaire highlighted the importance of the mediating the role of the tour guide in enhancing the relationship between; perceived usefulness, ease of use, multimedia, UI design, interactivity, and the intention of use. Furthermore, the results of this study revealed the potential future use of MR in museums and ensured sustainability and engagement past the traditional visitor museum experience, which heightens the economic state of museums and cultural heritage sectors. 3

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Virtual Reality (2021) 25:895–918

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-020-00497-9

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

A framework forconstructing andevaluating therole ofMR

asaholographic virtual guide inmuseums

RamyHammady1,2 · MinhuaMa3 · ZiadAL‑Kalha4 · CarlStrathearn5

Received: 6 July 2020 / Accepted: 7 December 2020 / Published online: 5 January 2021

Abstract

Mixed reality (MR) is a cutting-edge technology at the forefront of many new applications in the tourism and cultural heritage

sector. This study aims to reshape the museum experience by creating a highly engaging and immersive museum experi-

ence for visitors combing real-time visual, audio information and computer-generated images with museum artefacts and

customer displays. This research introduces a theoretical framework that assesses the potential of MR guidance system in

usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment, interactivity, touring and future applications. The evaluation introduces the MuseumEye

MR application in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo using mixed method surveys and a sample of 171 participants. The results

of the questionnaire highlighted the importance of the mediating the role of the tour guide in enhancing the relationship

between perceived usefulness, ease of use, multimedia, UI design, interactivity and the intention of use. Furthermore, the

results of this study revealed the potential future use of MR in museums and ensured sustainability and engagement past

the traditional visitor museum experience, which heightens the economic state of museums and cultural heritage sectors.

Keywords Mixed reality· Virtual guide· Museums· Holographic system· Microsoft HoloLens

1 Introduction

With the advent of virtual reality (VR) and augmented real-

ity (AR) in the cultural heritage domain over the last two

decades (Fenu and Pittarello 2018; Schaper etal. 2018;

Sylaiou etal. 2010). These technologies have enhanced the

visitor experience and reshaped the traditional physical bor-

ders with the creation of innovative windows into the past,

present and future (Trunﬁo etal. 2020). The application of

AR in museums enhances and visualises essential visitor

information and increase interaction with other technologies

and multimedia elements (Antlej etal. 2018). Moreover, AR

technologies propagate longer exhibit and display interac-

tions and instigate greater visceral learning than the typical

museum experience (Pujol etal. 2012).

Signiﬁcantly, virtual museum guides enhance engage-

ment and social interaction between visitors (Kopp etal.

2005). These virtual guides can increase the attendance and

attention of museum visitors (Burgard etal. 1999; Rzayev

etal. 2019) and increase the economic state of tourism as a

vital source of income (Rosentraub and Joo 2009). Typically,

museums employ communication systems that include send-

ers, receivers and channels of communication which facili-

tate the transmission of verbal and non-verbal information

Supplementary Information The online version of this article

(https ://doi.org/10.1007/s1005 5-020-00497 -9) contains

supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

* Ramy Hammady

Ramy.Hammady@solent.ac.uk;

Ramy_Hammady@a-arts.helwan.edu.eg

Minhua Ma

m.ma@falmouth.ac.uk

Ziad AL-Kalha

Z.kalha@ju.edu.jo

Carl Strathearn

C.strathearn@napier.ac.uk

1 Solent University, E Park Terrace, SouthamptonSO140YN,

2 Helwan University, Al Sikka Al Hadid Al Gharbeya, Al

Masaken Al Iqtisadeyah, Helwan, CairoGovernorate, Egypt

3 Falmouth University, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road,

PenrynTR109FE, UK

4 University ofJordan, School ofBusiness, Queen Rania

Street, Amman, Jordan

5 Edinburgh Napier University, Unit 4, 10 Bankhead Terrace,

EdinburghEH114DY, UK

Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.

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