Restorative: Improving Accessibility to Cultural Heritage With AI-Assisted Virtual Reality

Abstract

Digitalization of the cultural heritage can be considered from multiple perspectives. In this work, we present a case study based on the ancient city of Karkemish to propose a structured pipeline for developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted Virtual Reality (VR) system. The framework outlines a roadmap for creating a user-friendly and gamified VR interface, incorporating qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods before deployment. Qualitative assessments focus on User Interface/User Experience (UI/UX) design, while quantitative evaluations utilize electroencephalogram (EEG) data to monitor cognitive and emotional responses, aiming to promote a positive user experience. Moreover, we introduce a privacy-preserving approach to ensure the user's privacy during the system interaction. The study's aim is twofold: a) preservation and dissemination of endangered cultural heritages, and b) improving the quality of life for individuals with limited mobility (handicapped, elderly, heritage site restrictions, poverty) by enabling virtual access to cultural heritages. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.