Augmented reality is a mature technology that uses the real world as a substrate and extends it by overlaying computer-generated information. It has been applied to several domains. In particular, the technology was proven to be useful for the management and preservation of Cultural Heritage. This study provides an overview of the last decade of the use of augmented reality in cultural heritage through a detailed review of the scientific papers in the field. We analyzed the applications published on Scopus and Clarivate Web of Science databases over a period of 9 years (2012–2021). Bibliometric data consisted of 1201 documents, and their analysis was performed using various tools, including ScientoPy, VOS Viewer, and Microsoft Excel. The results revealed eight trending topics of applying augmented reality technology to cultural heritage: 3D reconstruction of cultural artifacts, digital heritage, virtual museums, user experience, education, tourism, intangible cultural heritage, and gamification. Each topic is discussed in detail in the article sections, providing insight into existing applications and research trends for each application field.

There are many examples of cultural events that distinguish people nationally. Celebrating this can bring people closer, as inhabitants of different countries share similar cultural values. This study investigates a sustainable way to enhance these types of events. On the occasion of the 2000-year anniversary of the death of the Roman poet Ovid, we propose a mobile augmented reality (MAR) application that contains historical information related to his life. As Ovid often stated in his last poems, he feared his work would be forgotten after his exile from Rome. This paper focuses on assessing whether this is the case, while also disseminating factual, historic data to people who tested the application. Experiments were conducted in Italy and Romania, in three different cities: Sulmona, Rome, and Constanta. Based on the results collected, four constructs were investigated: comprehensibility, manipulability, enjoyment, and usefulness. The results revealed that the usability of the MAR application, and the interaction metaphor, are appropriate for the general public. The MAR application provided a positive experience, and thus, increased the extent of the occasion.

Cultural institutions are increasingly prioritizing the utilization of diverse mixed reality technologies to enrich the visitor experience during their physical exhibitions. These institutions are actively integrating virtual assets to enhance interactivity and facilitate immersive storytelling experiences. The use of extended reality technologies in cultural heritage dissemination has become a common solution to improve the perception on cultural heritage of their visitors. The objective of the proposed research is to conduct a comparative analysis of three distinct extended reality applications used in cultural heritage experiences. The proposed workflow integrates advanced 3D scanning technology and additive manufacturing techniques to produce tangible replicas which are further enhanced using extended reality technologies, such as augmented reality, desktop virtual reality, and immersive virtual reality. To evaluate the developed extended reality applications, we have conducted various System Usability Scale tools to assess applications’ usability while also trying to identify the most appropriate application that can be integrated within the museum exhibition. From a utility point of view, we found no notable differences in the user perceptions between proposed solutions, whereas from a usability and satisfaction point of view, the most preferred solution was the augmented reality one. The workflow is presented in sufficient detail to ensure the replication of the results.

This paper is situated at the intersection of using Virtual Reality as a tool for cultural heritage preservation and using gesture interaction-based technology in order to achieve touchless, distant interaction of users with reconstructed artifacts. Various studies emphasize the positive effect on the cultural experience brought on by the use of Virtual Reality in a museum context. We build our approach on this idea, by modeling and reconstructing museum exhibits, both small artifacts and large architectural edifices. We propose and design navigation and interaction scenarios, at the same time taking into account present day limitations regarding social interaction, imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. By considering the user in the center of the experience and focusing on enabling him/her to adjust the perspective on the visualized artifacts and to freely interact with them through natural gestures, we allow the user to immerse in the virtual environment and interact with the reconstructed artifacts by means of simple hand gestures, with no touch. Finally, we assess the usability and utility of the Virtual Reality system in a questionnaire-based study with 137 participants over a period of 6 months, whose results we discuss in the paper.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of Extended Reality technologies, including Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality, there is a demand for security and privacy to co-exist harmoniously with usability and user experience. The delicate balance of usability, user experience, security, and privacy takes on a keen importance. This research paper delves into unique conflicting factors and explores the strategies in achieving this delicate balance, shedding lights on the overlapping elements between usability, user experience, security and privacy in XR environments. The research takes a multifaceted approach, integrating theoretical analysis with practical insights derived from real-world case studies and an empirical user study. The user study, conducted to uncover user preferences toward achieving a balance between these conflicting factors, provides data-driven insights into the interaction of usability, user experience, privacy, and security. The data analysis performed using Python reveals how security, privacy, usability and user experience can be seamlessly integrated into XR ensuring that technology not only meets user expectations but also protects sensitive information. Through a multidimensional approach, this study reveals insights into how privacy and security considerations can be woven into the fabric of XR, enriching user experiences while cultivating a culture of trust and empowerment. This study is an extension of our previous work ”embracing XR systems, not compromising on privacy and security” and aims to guide the design of XR environment that are both user-friendly and safe and secure, ultimately establishing a culture of trust and empowerment.

Our society is becoming increasingly dependent on technology, with immersive virtual worlds such as Extended Reality (XR) transforming how we connect and interact. XR technologies enhance communication and operational efficiency. They have been adopted in sectors such as manufacturing, education, and healthcare. However, the immersive and interconnected nature of XR introduces security risks that span from technical and human to psychological vulnerabilities. In this study, we examined security threats in XR environments through a scenario-driven risk assessment, using a hybrid approach combining Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) metrics and a custom likelihood model to quantify risks. This methodology provides a comprehensive risk evaluation method, identifying critical vulnerabilities such as Remote Code Execution (RCE), social engineering, excessive permission exploitation, unauthorized access, and data exfiltration. The findings reveal that human vulnerabilities, including users’ susceptibility to deception and excessive trust in familiar interfaces and system prompts, significantly increase attack success rates. Additionally, developer mode, once enabled, remains continuously active, and the lack of authentication requirements for installing applications from unknown sources, coupled with poor permission management on the part of the users, creates security gaps that attackers can exploit. Furthermore, permission management in XR devices is often broad and persistent and lacks real-time notifications, allowing malicious applications to exploit microphone, camera, and location access without the users knowing. By leveraging CVSS scores and a structured likelihood-based risk assessment, we quantified the severity of these threats, with RCE, social engineering, and insecure app installation emerging as the greatest risks. This study highlights the necessity of implementing granular permission controls, formalized developer mode restrictions, and structured user education programs to mitigate XR-specific threats.