For many years, the stone saw or compressor system stood at the Königshainer Berge granite mining museum near Görlitz in silence. Matthias Knappi brought them back to life, even if only via smartphone. The app developer has digitized some devices so that they can be viewed in space. To do so, Knappe holds his smartphone towards the ground and presses the corresponding icon. The compressor system appears on the screen, which appears to be in the room, although it doesn’t actually do so. This technology is called augmented reality (AR), which means something like ‘augmented reality’.
You can now do things that you cannot do with a real machine. For example, I press the casing and can now see the open machine, how the connecting rod moves the cylinder rod and how the machine works.
Special development for the museum
Matthias Knappi says he works everywhere, not just in museums. If you wish, you can also virtualize the devices in your home this way. Knappy developed this machine application specifically for the museum. It is part of a complete renovation of the facility that was used for Schlesisch-Oberlausitzersverbund Museums Belongs. Museum director Anja Koller says the old permanent exhibition will begin in the 21st century.
The augmented reality app aims to bring your visitors closer to the machines in a more exciting way than before, because unlike historical machines, you can experience everything with them. There are also explanations of how it works in four languages, and lots of information, says Anja Köhler. There are also plans for tasks that students can solve in the course of their lessons.
Whoever found Physics lessons always terribly boring, please come to us. It’s no longer boring, it’s fun.
Granite extraction in the Konigshaine Mountains
Granite has been demolished in the Königshain Mountains near Görlitz for more than 130 years. Between 1844 and 1975 there were many quarries that have since become small lakes. Konigshain granite was a desirable building material and was used, among other things, in the construction of Görlitz Neißeviadukt and the new lighthouse at Cape Arkona on the island of Rügen.
The museum tells about the arduous working and living conditions of stone workers.
Travel to active quarries with virtual reality glasses
In addition to the application, there will also be virtual reality glasses with which you can immerse yourself in virtual reality. To this end, Anya Koller and her colleagues visited three quarries still operating in Upper Lusatia and Poland. “We just want to show what it is today, that there are not many differences from 100 years ago and that the work is still difficult.” Those who wear the VR glasses feel as if they are standing in the middle of the quarry and can look over the shoulders of the workers. Practically, of course, without real quarry dust and dirt.
Renewal by next year
However, visitors will only be able to use the VR glasses next year, as the museum will be rebuilt and modernized by then. In addition to new technology, new outdoor facilities are also being built. Funds for this come mainly from funding from the federal government, the state of Saxony and the European Union. Anja Köhler hopes everything will be ready by the start of the season next spring. AR machine simulator app is pre-available. It is expected to be freely available from app stores at the end of May.
