Spectare: Re-Designing a Stereoscope for a Cultural Heritage XR Experience

Stereoscopic photography was one of the main forms of visual communication in the second half of the 19th century. The experience of viewing stereoscopic photographs using stereoscopes is described as evoking memories of the past, feelings of presence in the depicted scenes, but also fun and magical experiences. The fact that using these devices generates these impactful experiences is relevant for Cultural Heritage (CH) where we want visitors to have memorable experiences. Since classic stereoscopes are similar to contemporary smartphone-based Virtual Reality (VR) viewers, we questioned how the original viewing experience could be re-imagined to take advantage of current technologies. We have designed a new smartphone-based VR device—Spectare—targeted towards experiencing CH content (2D or 360° photos or videos, soundscapes, or other immersive content), while still maintaining a user experience close to the original. In this paper, we describe the design process and operation of the Spectare device. We also report on an usability evaluation with 20 participants and on the field testing where we applied the device to the visualization of CH content resulting from a digital reconstruction of the monastery of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, Portugal. The evaluations uncovered issues with the smartphone support piece of the device, but generally its usage was classified with a high usability score. Participants also classified the device as innovative, creative, impressive, fun.