[Published] Creating Authentic Historical Costumes to Augment Virtual Humans for Cultural Heritage

Creating Authentic Historical Costumes to Augment Virtual Humans for Cultural Heritage Zhang, J., Miller, A. H. D. & Westerhof Nyman, P. J., 2025, (Accepted/In press) Immersive Learning Research Network. Springer, (Communications in Computer and Information Science). 

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Abstract: Benefiting from the simulation of 3D technologies, the evolution of virtual humans allows them to have a realistic human-like appearance and behaviour, interacting with users and the environment. Today, the application of digital avatars has expanded to computer visualization exhibitions, movies, animations, game engines, etc. This paper investigates a methodology for applying virtual humans to support the digital reconstruction of cultural heritage in virtual reality applications, focusing on converting 2D design sketches of historical costumes into a tangible reality within an immersive VR environment. Through the creation and application of authentic historical outfits, this approach enriched the authenticity of digital avatars, and further expanded the interpretation and representation of cultural heritage for educational and cultural institutions. In addition, this paper evaluated the impacts of avatars on enhancing learning and visiting experiences on the promotion of cultural history diversity. This research is beneficial for exploring how immersive VR technologies bring about equitable quality education and promote learning opportunities in the context of cultural heritage. At the time of writing, the results of this research are adopted in immersive exhibits in the Timespan Museum, West Highland Museum, Finlaggan Museum and Taigh Chearsabhagh, aimed at providing an immersive virtual time travel experience to strengthen lifelong cultural education values and further support the sustainable development goals. 

Keywords: Virtual Humans · Cultural Heritage · Virtual Reality