ViCT—Virtual Campus Tour Environment with Spherical Panorama: A Preliminary Exploration

Abstract

ViCT or spelled "VISIT", is the name of a web-based application that is being developed to display various points and locations from the campus environment that can be accessed virtually. ViCT aims to help users, students, and the public explore campus with digital freedom of movement anytime and anywhere, educating users about campus facilities and services with an immersive technology experience that is eco-friendly and fun. The application development concept is unlimited visits and easily accessible via desktop and mobile, saving resources and costs. In this chapter, the focus of the researchers discusses the initial digital mapping of the campus environment, which is the object or study area of the development of virtual campus applications with 360-degree panoramic image techniques. Spherical panorama images are the primary basis of the virtual reality environment in this application. Each panoramic image is processed and merged into a unified whole on a web page. Spherical panorama photos captured using ultra-wide-angle lenses at the front and rear of the camera (dual fisheye) generate a visual field with a horizontal and vertical angle of view close to 360 degrees.