VEX-CMS is an application that allows people with no expertise in 3D modeling to create 3D virtual exhibitions and virtual visits integrating objects and information into virtual environments. VEX-CMS is not meant for object modeling purposes, in the sense of creating or modifying 3D models. Therefore, to build a virtual exhibition, VEX-CMS uses existing 3D models of the virtual spaces (e.g., a building) and of the objects and artworks that are part of the exhibition.
VEX-CMS allows one to:
- include and arrange objects in the virtual space;
- identify interesting points of view to which associate multimedia information;
- define tours of the virtual exhibition.
Once the virtual exhibition is created, the application VEX-Viewer allows visitors to access the virtual exhibitions produced with VEX-CMS.
The following video illustrates the main functionalities of VEX-CMS and VEX-Viewer:
VEX-CMS 1.0 trial can be download here (only for Windows, about 20Mb). This is a trial version with the following limitations: at most five items can be integrated into the virtual exhibition, five stops and two tours can be defined. Moreover, the trial version is able to automatically compute collision-free paths connecting stops only in environments characterized by a flat walking surface (without stairs and slopes). However, VEX is currently unsupported and we cannot provide the full version nor any assistance. We are however interested in participating to projects that would like to use VEX code base or technologies. For more information, contact
Papers about VEX:
Chittaro L., Ieronutti L., Ranon R., Visintini D., Siotto E., A High-Level Tool for Curators of 3D Virtual Visits and its Application to a Virtual Exhibition of Renaissance Frescoes, Proceedings of VAST 2010: 11th International Symposium on Virtual Reality, Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, Eurographics/Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, UK, September 2010, pp. 147-154.
Chittaro L., Ieronutti L., Ranon R., VEX-CMS: A tool to design virtual exhibitions and walkthroughs that integrates automatic camera control capabilities, Proceedings of SG 2010: 10th international symposium on Smart Graphics, Lecture Notes in Computer Science 6133, Springer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, June 2010, pp. 103-114.
Chittaro L., Ranon R., Ieronutti L., 3D Object Arrangement for Novice Users: the Effectiveness of Combining a First-Person and a Map View, Proceedings of VRST-2009: 16th ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software & Technology, ACM Press, New York, November 2009, pp. 171-178.
