Author:	Elisabeth Fraberger
Supervisor:	Prof. Gudrun Klinker
Advisor:	Plecher, David (@ne23mux)
Submission Date:	[created]

Abstract

Due to the coronavirus, visits to museums and heritage sites are no longer possible or require an extensive amount of extra effort for the visitor and the exhibitors. However, as there is still a great interest in cultural heritage, in this Master's thesis we try to use the increasing possibilities of mobile technologies such as augmented reality (AR) to give interested people the possibility to experience parts of these cultural heritages at home or to enrich museum visits by using an app on their own mobile phone. Therefore, this master thesis focuses on the implementation and evaluation of a cultural heritage AR application using the example of Trajan's Column. The main goal is an easy-to-use application with a simple interface, providing a fun and interesting experience thereby educating the user and leaving him satisfied. For this, the application offers a multitude of interaction possibilities. First, an AR mode, where the user can place Trajan's statue on the floor. Second, some puzzle games to get the user to engage with the app in a fun way. Last, an inspection mode, where the column can be viewed in detail and additional information is provided. The app is then revised by an expert in a thorough investigation and then feedback is implemented. Lastly, a user study is conducted to see whether the user gained knowledge, as well as to measure the usability of the app and the user experience (UX).