Lecturer of the ITS Urban and Regional Planning Department, Karina Pradinie Tucunan ST M.Eng, when handing over the project to the Gresik Regency Regional Development Planning Agency

ITS Campus, ITS News – In this pandemic era, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) continues to contribute in coming up with innovative and creative ideas, especially in the field of technology. This time, a team of ITS lecturers and students developed a virtual tour for historic areas which are realized as a program of Student Study Service (KKN) and Community Service (Abmas) activities through the ITS Center for Regional Potential Development and Community Empowerment (PDPM).

Karina Pradinie Tucunan ST M Eng, one of the members of the lecturers’ team from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning (PWK) of ITS, informed that the concept of this Virtual Museum is to provide a vehicle for tourism based on historical heritage in historical areas. “For the time being, we provide creative animation of historical stories on several existing tourist objects by optimizing the user experience using the Virtual Reality (VR) box,” she explained.

The interesting thing about this Virtual Museum is that it provides VR and Augmented Reality (AR) for historical objects. From manuscript artifacts to three-dimensional depictions of historical objects. “With this innovation, we hope to be able to reconcile society with its history, then we can preserve and develop it in a good way,” he said.

Karina said that so far the development of the Virtual Museum has begun to be implemented in Gresik Regency as one of the historical areas. This activity has also been handed over to the Regional Development Planning Agency of Gresik Regency as one of the historical areas, some time ago. “So far, it has reached the final stage, after the handover in November, we will continue the launch and product test before it is commercialized in December,” she mentioned.

Furthermore, Karina explained that the decision of selecting Gresik Regency was based on having an outstanding value in the context of developing the bandar district as well as the Islamic religion. “In addition, there are stakeholders who are extraordinary in appreciating the district as an heirloom district,” she commented.

The Virtual Tourism Museum prototype in the form of a Virtual Reality (VR) box developed by a team of ITS lecturers and students

Karina explained that this Virtual Museum will later provide the potential for the development of Gresik Regency, which includes local to regional tourism potential. “In addition, it can also be a community development, education on the importance of cultural heritage in children, induction of historical values, ​​and people’s attention to historical areas will increase,” she identified.

In developing this Virtual Museum, Karina was also assisted by students who are very proactive. They had a student that finished her final project two years ago, who is now the Project Manager in this project, namely Gratia Ananda. “In addition, there are several DKV (Visual Communication Design) students and volunteers for the Student Study Service program from Industrial and System Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering who help created animated storylines.

Finally, Karina hopes that in the future this Virtual Museum can be developed in other areas inside and outside Gresik Regency, and can also be commercialized by the community. (sin/ory/ITS Public Relations)