Omagh's history brought to life by digital walking trail
- Published
A digital trail through Omagh has been created to show the County Tyrone town in a whole new dimension.
It is the first location in the UK to be transformed into a digitally created world as part of the StoryTrails project. , external
Centred around Omagh library, people can explore six decades of the town's history through the magic of augmented and virtual reality.
On a walking trail through the town centre, digital objects are made to appear in the physical world via a mobile phone screen, with links to archive film and audio stories.
Omagh locals have been enjoying getting to see their town in a different light
The project's creative director Prof Will Saunders said it was "where the past, the present, and the future all collide down at your local library".
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"It's like the best history lesson, the best geography trip, it's the best form of day out you can probably have using the very latest technologies available," he said.
"We've transformed Omagh using virtual reality and archive from the BFI (British Film Institute) and the BBC.
"We've created a massive new map of Omagh using LiDAR 3D scanning and we've created a historical mobile augmented reality trail that tells a story about Omagh from the past."
With the internet evolving from a 2D experience to 3D, Prof Saunders said it was important the new technology is accessible.
"Through this project we hope what we can do is make the magic of the 3D internet available to audiences for free in the places where they live," he added.
An immersive virtual map in Omagh library has been created from 3D models of local landmarks such as St Lucia Barracks.
The StoryTrails project includes a mix of nostalgia as well as modern stories of what it is like to live in Omagh now.
Through the map, people can listen to stories recorded by Cat Brogan who wanted to share the rich variety of voices in the area.
"As someone who is from Omagh, it was so wonderful to be able to bring my skills back to my hometown and be able to speak to the people who are from my place and also to highlight new communities who've made Omagh their home," she told BBC News NI.
'This is my Omagh'
The stories are a mix of nostalgia as well as modern stories of what it is like to live in Omagh now.
While some recall the 1998 bombing, the worst atrocity of the Troubles, Cat said "that shouldn't be the only thing the world thinks about whenever they interact with somebody who is from Omagh".
The walking trail is interactive and technology brings it to life
"We really need to think about ways of not just telling a single story about a place but looking at a place from the perspective of its people and all the wonderful rich tapestry that we have in a place and not just reduce it to a tragedy," she said.
"We need the people of Omagh to be able to say this is my Omagh, this is my experience, and to be listened to in this new way that brings in exciting technology and brings it slap bang into the 21st Century," she added.
Challenging perceptions
One of those who has been transformed into a digital character to tell his story is disability rights campaigner Dermot Devlin from Greencastle.
He described the experience as "very strange" and compared seeing himself in a virtual reality world to the sci-fi film Inception.
"I knew it was going to be 3D when we were filming, I had no idea what it was going to look like so it's quite exciting," he said.
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He said the stories should challenge people's perceptions and stereotypes.
"When you hear the stories of individuals, they're all very different stories, yet they're very familiar to everybody else as well. While we're quite different we're all very similar."
Dermot Devlin from Greencastle says the stories should challenge people's perceptions and stereotypes
For Libraries NI, the technology offers "new ways of telling stories to engage different audiences, particularly younger audiences" according to chief executive Jim O'Hagan.
"I think it absolutely draws you into the story, you become a part of the story, you in effect become immersed in the story, and that's what the technology is all about, it's very, very exciting," he said.
The StoryTrails project is part of UNBOXED: Creativity, a UK-wide celebration of creativity in 2022.
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- Published18 October 2021
