The UAB presents Roca dels Bous Immersive, a new model for visitors that integrates scientific discoveries with hyperrealistic and interactive technology and makes the archaeological heritage of this site more accessible, understandable and attractive for everyone.
The Centre for the Study of Prehistoric Archaeological Heritage of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (CEPAP-UAB) has unveiled a new model for visiting the Roca dels Bous site (Sant Llorenç de Montgai, Camarasa), which allows visitors to delve into the Neanderthal world and bring prehistory closer to the public through virtual reality and gamified challenges.
The presentation took place at the Espai Orígens in Camarasa and was given by Rafael Mora, professor of the Department of Prehistory and director of CEPAP-UAB, and Xavier Roda, postdoctoral researcher in the same department. The event was attended by Pere Pedrol, mayor of Camarasa, and Jaume Alcalde, director of DIGIT, Audiovisual Systems Engineering.
Roca dels Bous Immersive combines scientific research with immersive technologies and interactive narratives. It does so based on the archaeological evidence that the research team has documented at the site for over two decades. During this period, Roca dels Bous has provided an exceptional record, especially due to the presence of hearths that have allowed scientists to understand the organisation and activities of the Neanderthal human groups that inhabited the area around 50,000 years ago.
The new model for visitors is committed to the use of virtual reality and educational video games (serious games) as tools to improve the understanding of prehistoric heritage. These technologies allow the reconstruction of disappeared scenarios and facilitate their interpretation to overcome the usual limitations of archaeological remains. The experience developed offers an integrated experience, with hyperrealistic virtual environments in which users participate in different interactive challenges focused on subsistence, tool production, fire generation and care for group members. In addition, it combines the use of virtual reality glasses with a tour of the site itself.
"In the visit you will be able to explore a digital reconstruction of the Pre-Pyrenees environment during the last glaciation and, later, discover the real space where the archaeological remains have been recovered. In this way, we provide a direct connection between virtual recreation and scientific evidence", explains Xavier Roda.
"The project we have carried out demonstrates the capacity of digital technologies to make archaeological heritage more accessible, understandable and attractive. At the same time, it demonstrates how the integration of archaeology, virtual reality and gamification can generate new cultural and economic opportunities, especially in rural environments", highlights Rafael Mora.
Visitors discovering the new model at Roca dels Bous. To the right, Rafael Mora, director of the CEPAP-UAB, presenting the new model.
Roca dels Bous Immersive is a project carried out within the framework of a public-private partnership funded by the Spanish Ministry for Science, Innovation and Universities. The consortium is made up of the company DIGIT, responsible for the technical development, and CEPAP-UAB of the Department of Prehistory of the UAB, which has contributed its experience in applied archaeology and heritage management.
