Authentic interactive reenactment of cultural heritage with 3D virtual worlds and artificial intelligence

We investigate an innovative design of information and communications technology for preservation and reenactment of cultures. Through an extensive literature review we identified the key components associated with a culture, among which are the environment, objects, knowledge, and institutions. Based on the acquired knowledge we developed a formal model of culture that builds a computational preservation and simulation of cultures along their multiple dimensions. We present the design of an immersive, intelligent, and interactive computational preservation"”3I technology"”based on tight fusion of 3D virtual worlds and artificial intelligence techniques. Markedly, virtual agents are central to the proposed model. They are both the knowledge carriers and the links between the environment, objects, and knowledge. For testing the model and supporting technological components we developed a research prototype that simulates the culture of the ancient City of Uruk 3000 B.C. (an essential representative of Sumerian culture in the cradle of civilization) within the virtual world environment of Second Life.