LIFEPLUS is an EU funded project that commenced in March 2002 and was successfully completed in November 2004, under the scientific coordination of Prof. Nadia Magnenat-Tlahmann from MIRalab-Switzerland and the administrative coordination of Prof. Panos Trahanias from FORTH-Greece.
The goal of LIFEPLUS is to push the limits of current Augmented Reality (AR) technologies, exploring the processes of narrative design of fictional spaces (e.g. frescos-paintings) where users can experience a high degree of realistic interactive immersion. Based on a captured/real-time video of a real scene, the project is oriented in enhancing these scenes by allowing the possibility to render realistic 3D simulations of virtual flora and fauna (humans, animals and plants) in real-time. According to its key mobile AR technology, visitors are provided with a see-through Head-Mounted-Display (HMD), earphone and mobile computing equipment. A tracking system determines their location within the site and audio-visual information is presented to them in context with their exploration, superimposed on their current view of the site. LIFEPLUS extends existing AR systems and provides key new technologies to render lively, real-time animations and simulations of ancient virtual life (3D human groups, animals and plants).