Oakland, California February 15th 2018 – CyArk and FarBridge have partnered with Oculus to bring photorealistic and fully explorable replicas of some of the world’s most amazing monuments to Virtual Reality. Launching for both Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR, MasterWorks transports users to four historic sites on three continents that span over 3000 years of human history. Users can discover the fate of the ancient capital of Thailand, unravel the mysteries of a pre-Incan temple in the Peruvian Andes, explore the astonishing Native American cliff dwellings of Colorado, and get up close to the monumental stone carvings of Mt Rushmore in South Dakota. The experience provides users with access to sites in far flung locations across the globe and to parts of these sites that are not open to the general public.
Users can freely explore the open environments where they can collect artifacts and listen to audio clips from archaeologists, conservators and scientists. As users unravel the mysteries of who built these amazing monuments, they also discover the challenges these sites face today in a rapidly changing climate. The commentary provides rich context and detailed information about these places from world leading experts.
CyArk used a combination of 3D recording technologies to accurately map these environments including laser scanning or LiDAR, high resolution photogrammetry and drone imagery. Data from these sources was combined to produce a centimeter accurate and photorealistic model. These models that provide the basis for the 3D environments used in the MasterWorks application are also used to help conserve and manage these monuments. This data is also archived as part of CyArk’s core mission to ensure that a digital record of these places exist as our cultural heritage is lost to the ravages of time and destruction.
Using software created by FarBridge, and virtual reality devices by Oculus, CyArk was able to turn 3D data into interactive, explorable worlds. CyArk Chairman and CEO John Ristevski said “We are very excited to bring our data to life in Virtual Reality for the first time. The data we collect is so detailed that we can truly immerse you in these places and give you that same sense of awe and wonder you get when you travel there”.
MasterWorks: Journey Through History is out now for the Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR and is free to download. To learn more visit www.masterworksvr.com and watch the launch trailer.
About CyArk
CyArk is a non profit organization founded in 2003 to digitally record, archive and share the world’s cultural heritage and ensure that these places continue to inspire wonder and curiosity for decades to come.CyArk strives to share this data in powerful ways, including truly immersive experiences that convey the power of these places, transporting users that may never have a chance to experience them and inspiring others to make the journey.
About Farbridge
FarBridge is dedicated to connecting people, worlds, and experiences. We believe in the power of virtual reality to transport users to faraway lands, bring them new ideas and expert information, and let them interact in safe, fun, meaningful ways. Our software makes it easy to create and share all types of content in virtual worlds. Learn more at http://farbridge.com/
About Oculus
The Oculus team at Facebook lets people experience anything, anywhere, with anyone through world-class VR hardware and software. With global departments dedicated to VR research, computer vision, haptics, social interaction, and more, Oculus is committed to driving the state of the art forward through relentless innovation.