Sweet Auburn Digital Media Initiative

This research initiative involves theoretical and design based inquiries into the role and effectiveness of locative media for preservation of cultural heritage, informal learning, and civic engagement.

The aims of our current prototype is to raise awareness of Auburn Avenue's significant history as a center of African-American business and culture, thriving in the face of great adversity during the reconstruction and segregation periods, and its leadership in the American Civil Rights Movement.

The utilization of the City Saga digital application is intended to both increase the number of visitors to the area beyond the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic District, and serve as a hub for sharing the rich cultural heritage and history of Auburn Avenue with as many people as possible.

Our latest prototype featured here includes various experimental designs for highlighting the important history of Auburn Avenue featuring a map based interface with elements such as audio tours and historic panoramas as described below. Our goal is to make this interface accessible through multiple platforms both in location and remotely to bring the rich history of this historic place to life.



The Auburn Avenue walking tour

The interface for the Auburn Avenue walking tour

The main interface features a map of Auburn Avenue and a timeline presenting an overview of historic buildings and their significance. Click on the image above to open the application in another window.



Audio tours

Walking down historic Auburn Avenue, the everyday traveller can hear stories about the musicians, preachers, businessmen, and civil-rights leaders as she passes by the buildings where they lived and worked. In the version featured here, our guide is Andrew Young, civil rights leader former mayor of Atlanta and United Nations Ambassador.



Panoramas

Utilizing augmented reality, historic photos are dimensionalized and overlaid on a modern day spherical panorama image. Visitors can use this to experience the historic places that are gone, experiencing them as they were in their original location.



Technologies

Web Technologies

The current prototype uses cross-platform web technologies that run on multiple devices. Our goal is to reach multiple audiences in multiple settings using a variety of digital devices.

Informational Overlays

We are exploring the possibility of overlaying additional information onto signs, buildings, or other physical landmarks, providing viewers with textual captions or commentary of the surrounding environment.

Argon

We also use Argon, an augmented reality web browser developed at Georgia Tech with the goal of bringing Augmented Reality to artists and designers through a web-centric platform.