Exploring Tunnel 57: A Virtual Journey Through History
History comes to life with PRESENCE XR, allowing users to explore significant historical sites in an immersive and interactive way. In this use case, tourists experience the dramatic events of “Tunnel 57,” a secret escape tunnel used to flee East Berlin during the Cold War.
Equipped with an XR headset, haptic gloves, and a haptic vest, the visitor is transported back in time to a reconstructed cellar that served as the escape tunnel’s entrance. A pre-recorded holoported time witness recounts first-hand experiences, while an intelligent virtual tour guide provides context and historical insights.
PRESENCE is an EU-funded project dedicated to revolutionizing human interactions in virtual environments by enhancing the concept of presence in eXtended Reality (XR) experiences. The project brings together 17 partners from 11 countries to advance XR technology through innovative approaches to human presence, touch interaction, and virtual human behavior. PRESENCE focuses on three key technology pillars: holoportation, which enables users to appear as holograms or 3D avatars in virtual environments for real-time interaction; haptics, which provides tactile feedback through devices like gloves and vests to simulate physical sensations; and virtual humans, which creates realistic digital representations of people that serve as guides or interactive elements in virtual experiences.
ZAUBAR, as a key technology partner, is developing “Breaking Out: Escape Helpers” – a mixed reality experience that brings the story of Tunnel 57 to life, one of Berlin’s most daring Cold War escape routes where 57 East Berliners fled through a secretly dug tunnel. This demonstrator showcases innovative approaches to historical storytelling through spatial computing, holographic technologies, and AI-powered solutions that enhance cultural heritage accessibility while maintaining authentic narratives. Recent updates include audioguide improvements, enhanced haptic feedback for different interactions, and regular refinement of the user experience.
The visitor can explore interactive points of interest, such as tunnel construction tools, personal belongings left behind, and historical documents. Haptic feedback enhances realism—for example, touching the tunnel walls generates resistance, and crawling through the escape tunnel produces realistic vibrations.
This deeply immersive experience provides an engaging and educational way to learn about history, making it more tangible and emotionally impactful than traditional methods.
Technology Highlights:
- Holoportation: The time witness shares first-hand accounts of history.
- Haptics: Users feel tactile feedback in a haptical vest and gloves when interacting with tunnel elements.
- IVA Tour Guide: The intelligent assistant provides historical narration and answers user questions.
