The Palace Board is harnessing 3D imaging technology to give the online visitors a true-to-life perspective of Amba Vilas Palace. Among the most popular monuments to be visited in terms of footfall, the existing palace website –www.mysorepalace.gov.in– provides a virtual tour with high-quality 360 degree panorama images.
But the new technology will be a notch higher in terms of quality, providing a rare 3D perspective. “Besides, the 3D images will be compatible with most digital devices, unlike the existing site which is designed for personal computers,” said Sanjay Ahuja , proprietor of Software Guru which is executing the project.
He told The Hindu that the images would be compatible with Ultra High Definition screens as the new views are being shot using state-of-the-art cameras with 4K image resolution. “Apart from normal perspective and view, the new site will help explore the architectural intricacies in 3D stereographic images besides providing fisheye and Little Planet effect that enables one to get an aerial 360 degree view of the monument,” said Mr. Sanjay.
But what will make the new website truly versatile is that the new programme will enable its operation from any digital device including mobile phones and tablets, provided the latest Flash player has been downloaded. This apart, the ultra-high definition images can be shared on social networking sites like Facebook. The existing site does not enable such sharing and is not compatible with mobile digital devices.
There are other features to be incorporated in the newly-designed website and this includes support for any browser, background score, voice-over narration, interactive images, and full screen capability. The team implementing the project has taken images from multiple locations to get the best perspective, said Mr. Ahuja.
“The net impact and experience of the virtual exploration of the palace will be so realistic that it will force people to make an actual visit for a first-hand real experience,” said Mr. Ahuja, hoping that it would help bring more tourists to Mysuru. The palace receives between 3.2 million to 3.5 million tourists annually and the new technology may help boost their numbers. The updated website is expected to go live by the end of November.
The new site will help explore the architectural intricacies in 3D stereographic images, besides providing fisheye and Little Planet effect
