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 2022 the Ambient Intelligence Programme of the Institute of Computer Science presented:
- 3D Reconstruction using AR Technologies: A mobile application that provides virtual access to various monuments and points of interest in the archaeological site of Knossos. Using augmented reality technology, the application transforms a large printed map into a digital tour experience in the palace of Knossos. With more than eleven incorporated 3D scenes, users are able to virtually explore areas of the site that are not open to the public, inspect unique features of the palace and learn about Minoan culture in an entertaining and interactive way.
- Immersive Landscape Designer: Augmented and Mixed Reality technologies have already been integrated into architectural design. In particular, landscaping can be supported by such technologies, immersing designers into their designs and making the entire process more intuitive and convenient. The Immersive Landscape Designer application enables users to augment their surroundings with various virtual objects such as plants, trees, flowers, ponds, benches and other decorations, so as to experience how the garden will actually look after the implementation of the design.
- Intelligent Greenhouse: The Intelligent Greenhouse makes use of state-of-the-art technologies, so as to cover the entire spectrum of production and streamline the synergy and interaction among people and smart environments in the domain of Agri-food. The AmI Seedbed is able to plant vegetable seeds, precisely water each individual sprouted plant and measure its height (i.e., growth) from the very beginning until their transplantation in the greenhouse. The Intelligent Greenhouse is a small-scale experimental prototype that integrates various technologies to act as an intelligent cultivation space.
- The Truly Collective Value of Art: Forget the myth of artist genius! In reality, there is no objective way to determine the value of artworks. Today, the value of art is being decided by a handful of big museums and galleries in Europe and North America: The power brokers of the art world. Yet, everyone (including you!) is capable of judging whether a work of art holds value. Online collections can be used to capture the public’s opinion of art. The problem is that “Likes” are always influenced and can easily be manipulated. The theoretical solution is to use a choice-based, curated pathway through online collections to capture what users find most meaningful, not what they prefer.
