One million five hundred thousand (1,500,000) visitors in three hundred (300) European cities participate every last Friday of the month of September in Researchers’ Night, an event which takes place every year all over Europe and Greece, since 2005. Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas hosts the event in Heraklion, Crete, in its main building.
In 2024 the Ambient Intelligence Programme of the Institute of Computer Science presented:
- VR Treasure Hunt: An interactive treasure hunt game, where the user is called to navigate the virtual reality world and to solve a series of puzzles related to history, cultural heritage, events (e.g., periodical exhibitions), monuments, morals and customs of the city of Heraklion. The purpose is to highlight the selected 360o routes, as well as to connect them in such a way as to stimulate the user’s interest in extracting historical data related to the city.
- Stories from the city of Heraklion in a Virtual Reality (VR) environment: Through the application, users have the opportunity to travel through space and time, since within the virtual reality environment they are able to learn about the history of the city of Heraklion by moving freely in selected 3D set ups. It is not only a playful, but also an educational application that offers a realistic visualization of 3D spaces and monuments, accompanied by original storytelling drawn mainly from the past of the city of Heraklion.
- Intelligent Greenhouse: The Intelligent Greenhouse is a small-scale experimental prototype that integrates various technologies to act as an intelligent cultivation space. In particular, an extensive network of sensors and actuators monitors the internal and external environmental conditions (e.g., soil temperature and moisture, air, solar radiation, weather conditions) along with specific growth parameters of vegetables (e.g., weight of growing produces) and permits the remote management. In parallel, sophisticated agronomic scenarios automatically adjust the internal environmental conditions to ensure optimal growth of each plant, while advanced mechanisms based on machine learning detect unwanted changes in the greenhouse’s microclimate and common problems (e.g., diseases, technical failures).
- Crete AR: An advanced system leveraging cutting-edge technologies like Mixed and Augmented Reality to encourage virtual exploration of the island of Crete. “Crete AR” enables users to navigate different points of interest, such as cities, monuments, and attractions, through a blend of digital and tactile interactions. Users can select points on the 3D representation of Crete, triggering the projection of relevant digital content (e.g., 3D animated models) onto Mixed Reality glasses, providing a distinctive and interactive experience.
- Smart Helmet: A prototype helmet incorporating a pair of AR smart glasses in order to provide enhanced situational awareness and safety, as well as an improved overall riding experience through its comprehensive suite of features. The Smart Helmet aims to provide an immersive and intuitive interface for riders to access critical information without distractions, whereas by consolidating multiple functions into a single device, it offers convenience and efficiency, eliminating the need for riders to juggle multiple gadgets or systems while riding. Through its immersive interface, it overlays real-time information directly onto the rider’s frontal visual field, including GPS navigation prompts, weather condition notifications, and visual alerts for vehicles in blind spots. In addition to visual information, the Smart Helmet employs voice commands to enable hands-free control of various functions, such as turning on the rear camera for enhanced rearward visibility, activating Advanced Driver Support System (ADAS) features, or transmitting important information in case of an emergency. Finally, through Artificial Intelligent the helmet can recognize obstacles ahead and issue timely visual and auditory warnings to prevent accidents. The incorporation of multiple modalities was considered an absolute necessity considering the application domain, which in turn offers a more natural and intuitive interaction paradigm.
- AugmenTable: AugmenTable is a groundbreaking system that revolutionizes how we interact with paper documents, seamlessly blending physical and digital information. Using intuitive touch gestures and dynamic digital elements, it enhances printed content while providing immersive lighting, delivering a unique user experience that fosters collaboration and creativity. With its versatility, ΑugmenTable serves as a multi-purpose tool, ideal for education, advertising and marketing, cultural exploration, heritage information, professional presentations, and more.
