Recreating the past using Object Oriented Virtual Reality for Ayutthaya World Heritage Historical Park: A case study of Wat Ratchaburana
Dr. Panjai Tantatsanawong (1), Dr.Surat Lertlum (2), Rujira Pipitpotjanakarn (1) and Krisri Sriarun (3)
(1) Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Thailand
E-Mail: Panjai@su.ac.th, rpipit@su.ac.th
(2) ACRORS, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
E-Mail: surat@ait.ac.th
(3) Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Thailand.
E-Mail: krisri@sac.or.th
Dr. Panjai Tantatsanawong (1), Dr.Surat Lertlum (2), Rujira Pipitpotjanakarn (1) and Krisri Sriarun (3)
(1) Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Thailand
E-Mail: Panjai@su.ac.th, rpipit@su.ac.th
(2) ACRORS, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
E-Mail: surat@ait.ac.th
(3) Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Thailand.
E-Mail: krisri@sac.or.th
Abstract
An application software is introduced in this research to manipulate the historical information, recreate and visualize the cultural heritage. The application consists of three modules, the first for displaying and viewing a historical object by using virtual reality concept. The user accessed with WWW browser and walked around the historical place in the virtual environment. The second module is a geographical information system (GIS), which was applied to manipulate historical information such as history, creator, and age. These two modules can be worked in the Internet and linked together with hyperlinks and active server pages (ASP) in the WWW system. The last module applied the object-oriented virtual reality as the following: convert raster to vector, digitize object model to database, encapsulate the model to object classes, select the corresponding model by archeologist, map the selected model to original image and recreate a panorama image or VRML.
The security restriction is provided in the system, which allows only authorized person to manipulate databases and virtual reality information.
This application helps archeologist to centralize database, predicts the cultural heritage after recreation and provides history information for interested people. It also used to promote historical information for introducing Thailand and travelling purpose.
1. Introduction
Ayutthaya was the Thai capital for the period of the 14th to 18th century. The ancient capital was attacked and destroyed by Burmese in 2310 B.E, however some ruins of Buddha temples and pagodas still remain. In these times, Ayutthaya was a trade center in Asia with many traders from Europe, China and Japan. Ayutthaya has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage since 1991. As Ayutthaya was completely destroyed, no documents remained. Therefore it is worthwhile for the research to recreate the past. Wat Ratchaburana established by Chao Sam Phraya in 1967 B.E. The layout of the temple follows the early Ayutthaya. After more than 200 years of desolation, a gang of thieves excavated the treasure rooms under the main prang and stole invaluable treasures. Some of the stolen treasures are now displayed at Chao Sam Praya National Museum. Therefore, this temple is very interesting for tourists and people who are trying to discover the past.
Wat Ratchaburana has a prang as its principle chedi, together with a vihan and a ubosoth lying to the east and to west, respectively. This is a typical layout plan of the wat or Buddhist temple in the early Ayuthhaya period. There are chedi rais or small satellite chedis in the temple compound. The chedi rai refers to any type of small chedi, erected as a subsidiary of the principle chedi, the ubosoth or the vihan.
This study is focused in the reconstruction of chedi, vihan and ubosoth in the Ayutthaya period by the computer. All characteristics of them are collected by object oriented technique, which is easier to maintain and reusable. This information will help archaeologists to select the most suitable model of the interested objects. The selected model is mapped into the original image and then converted into three dimensions image by the Virtual Reality technique.
2. Background
2.1 Object Oriented (OO) modeling is based on information hiding. An object or class, which hidden states and operations on that state, is independent. The object is appropriate reusable components and can inherit to other objects. The object is an entity, which has attributes and a set of operations. An inheritance hierarchy or tree is created when a class can inherit attributed from a single object or class (called super-class) to sub-class.
2.2 Virtual reality (VR) is a technique, which specify dynamic 3D scenes. Users can navigate or interact with these 3D objects. The virtual reality modeling language (VRML) is a computer language, which can be interpreted by the Web browser to operate 3D graphics.
In the research, VR and OO are together applied to model the historical objects such as pagodas, temples or churches.
3. Virtual Reality
This is the first part of the research for displaying and viewing a historical object by using virtual reality concept. The user accessed with WWW browser and walked around the historical place in the virtual environment with navigator.
4. Geographical Information System
The second module is a geographical information system (GIS), which was applied to manipulate historical information such as history, creator, and age. These two modules can be worked in the Internet and linked together with hyperlinks and active server pages (ASP) in the WWW system.
5. Object Oriented Model
An object oriented approach is based on entities or objects, which have a hidden state and operations on that state. The model is expressed in terms of services requested and provided by interacting objects. An object oriented approach has many advantages such as objects are independent and reusable.
5.1 Object (Class) Definition
An object is an entity, which has a state and a defined set of operations, which operate on that state. The state is represented as a set of object attributes. The operations associated with the object provide services to other objects, which request these services when some computation is required. Figure 5 shows the pagoda architecture. The constructions in a temple can be categorized into two objects (pagoda and church objects) as showed in Figure 6.
Figure 7. Object Class Relationship
5.2 Inheritance Object
In complicated environment, objects inherit the attributes and operations of their class. Object classes therefore are members of a super-class and inheritance networks can be established. Figures 8-11 show sub-classes, which are inherited from the super-class. For example, super-class namely Spire-topped prasat-type chedi inheritance object has four sub-classes, which indicate the period of estimate building year (1917, 1931, 2000, 2100 B.E.).
Figure 8. Spire-topped prasat-type chedi inheritance object (Leksukhum, 1998)
Figure 9. Prang-type chedi inheritance object (Leksukhum, 1998)
Figure 10. Multi-angular-type chedi inheritance object (Leksukhum,1998)
Figure 11. Multi-angular-elaborated type chedi inheritance object (Leksukhum,1998)
6. Integreated Object Oriented and Virtual Reality
After selected the most appropriate model from the system by archaeologist, the model will re-scale and map to original image, which already converted from raster image to vector image. The mapped image will transform from 1 dimension to 3 dimension with panorama or VRML (virtual reality modeling language) and put them to Web server. The security restriction is provided in the system, which allows only authorized person to manipulate databases and virtual reality information.
7. Conclusion
The historical model created in this research were derived from investigating of targeted ruins and related monuments. Historical documents, archaeological evidence, as well as imaginations were in dispensable in the completion of the work. The object oriented approach and GIS were tools for helping archaeologist to investigate the best model and virtual reality was a visualization technique to present the model in 3D with navigator.
8. Future Work
This paper addressed for designing recreation using object oriented and virtual reality approach. The next phase will attempt to implement and testing recreation software, which will reconstruct the historical object with proposed concept.
References
An application software is introduced in this research to manipulate the historical information, recreate and visualize the cultural heritage. The application consists of three modules, the first for displaying and viewing a historical object by using virtual reality concept. The user accessed with WWW browser and walked around the historical place in the virtual environment. The second module is a geographical information system (GIS), which was applied to manipulate historical information such as history, creator, and age. These two modules can be worked in the Internet and linked together with hyperlinks and active server pages (ASP) in the WWW system. The last module applied the object-oriented virtual reality as the following: convert raster to vector, digitize object model to database, encapsulate the model to object classes, select the corresponding model by archeologist, map the selected model to original image and recreate a panorama image or VRML.
The security restriction is provided in the system, which allows only authorized person to manipulate databases and virtual reality information.
This application helps archeologist to centralize database, predicts the cultural heritage after recreation and provides history information for interested people. It also used to promote historical information for introducing Thailand and travelling purpose.
1. Introduction
Ayutthaya was the Thai capital for the period of the 14th to 18th century. The ancient capital was attacked and destroyed by Burmese in 2310 B.E, however some ruins of Buddha temples and pagodas still remain. In these times, Ayutthaya was a trade center in Asia with many traders from Europe, China and Japan. Ayutthaya has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage since 1991. As Ayutthaya was completely destroyed, no documents remained. Therefore it is worthwhile for the research to recreate the past. Wat Ratchaburana established by Chao Sam Phraya in 1967 B.E. The layout of the temple follows the early Ayutthaya. After more than 200 years of desolation, a gang of thieves excavated the treasure rooms under the main prang and stole invaluable treasures. Some of the stolen treasures are now displayed at Chao Sam Praya National Museum. Therefore, this temple is very interesting for tourists and people who are trying to discover the past.
Wat Ratchaburana has a prang as its principle chedi, together with a vihan and a ubosoth lying to the east and to west, respectively. This is a typical layout plan of the wat or Buddhist temple in the early Ayuthhaya period. There are chedi rais or small satellite chedis in the temple compound. The chedi rai refers to any type of small chedi, erected as a subsidiary of the principle chedi, the ubosoth or the vihan.
This study is focused in the reconstruction of chedi, vihan and ubosoth in the Ayutthaya period by the computer. All characteristics of them are collected by object oriented technique, which is easier to maintain and reusable. This information will help archaeologists to select the most suitable model of the interested objects. The selected model is mapped into the original image and then converted into three dimensions image by the Virtual Reality technique.
2. Background
2.1 Object Oriented (OO) modeling is based on information hiding. An object or class, which hidden states and operations on that state, is independent. The object is appropriate reusable components and can inherit to other objects. The object is an entity, which has attributes and a set of operations. An inheritance hierarchy or tree is created when a class can inherit attributed from a single object or class (called super-class) to sub-class.
2.2 Virtual reality (VR) is a technique, which specify dynamic 3D scenes. Users can navigate or interact with these 3D objects. The virtual reality modeling language (VRML) is a computer language, which can be interpreted by the Web browser to operate 3D graphics.
In the research, VR and OO are together applied to model the historical objects such as pagodas, temples or churches.
3. Virtual Reality
This is the first part of the research for displaying and viewing a historical object by using virtual reality concept. The user accessed with WWW browser and walked around the historical place in the virtual environment with navigator.
 Figure 1. Virtual Reality of Main Prang |
 Figure 2. Virtual Reality of Wat Ratchaburana |
4. Geographical Information System
The second module is a geographical information system (GIS), which was applied to manipulate historical information such as history, creator, and age. These two modules can be worked in the Internet and linked together with hyperlinks and active server pages (ASP) in the WWW system.
 Figure 3. Web and Database Servers |
 Figure 4. Information Provider |
5. Object Oriented Model
An object oriented approach is based on entities or objects, which have a hidden state and operations on that state. The model is expressed in terms of services requested and provided by interacting objects. An object oriented approach has many advantages such as objects are independent and reusable.
5.1 Object (Class) Definition
An object is an entity, which has a state and a defined set of operations, which operate on that state. The state is represented as a set of object attributes. The operations associated with the object provide services to other objects, which request these services when some computation is required. Figure 5 shows the pagoda architecture. The constructions in a temple can be categorized into two objects (pagoda and church objects) as showed in Figure 6.
 Figure 5. Chedi Architecture(Leksukum,1998) |
|
Figure 7. Object Class Relationship
5.2 Inheritance Object
In complicated environment, objects inherit the attributes and operations of their class. Object classes therefore are members of a super-class and inheritance networks can be established. Figures 8-11 show sub-classes, which are inherited from the super-class. For example, super-class namely Spire-topped prasat-type chedi inheritance object has four sub-classes, which indicate the period of estimate building year (1917, 1931, 2000, 2100 B.E.).
Figure 8. Spire-topped prasat-type chedi inheritance object (Leksukhum, 1998)
Figure 9. Prang-type chedi inheritance object (Leksukhum, 1998)
Figure 10. Multi-angular-type chedi inheritance object (Leksukhum,1998)
Figure 11. Multi-angular-elaborated type chedi inheritance object (Leksukhum,1998)
6. Integreated Object Oriented and Virtual Reality
After selected the most appropriate model from the system by archaeologist, the model will re-scale and map to original image, which already converted from raster image to vector image. The mapped image will transform from 1 dimension to 3 dimension with panorama or VRML (virtual reality modeling language) and put them to Web server. The security restriction is provided in the system, which allows only authorized person to manipulate databases and virtual reality information.
 Figure 12. Wat Ratchaburana map (Copyright 1999 G.A. Merit) |
 Figure 13. Drawing of Wat Ratchaburana(Copyright 1999 G.A. Merit) |
 Figure 14. Original Image(Copyright 1999 G.A. Merit) |
 Figure 15. Image after Recreation(Copyright 1999 G.A. Merit) |
 Figure 16. Original Chedi Image (Copyright 1999 G.A. Merit) |
 Figure 17. Chedi Image after Recreation(Copyright 1999 G.A. Merit) |
7. Conclusion
The historical model created in this research were derived from investigating of targeted ruins and related monuments. Historical documents, archaeological evidence, as well as imaginations were in dispensable in the completion of the work. The object oriented approach and GIS were tools for helping archaeologist to investigate the best model and virtual reality was a visualization technique to present the model in 3D with navigator.
8. Future Work
This paper addressed for designing recreation using object oriented and virtual reality approach. The next phase will attempt to implement and testing recreation software, which will reconstruct the historical object with proposed concept.
References
- Booch, G., 1991. Object Oriented Design. The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing, California.
- Leksukhum, S., 1998. The Subsidiary Spire-Topped Prasat-Type Chedi Wat Ratchaburana, Ayutthaya. Amarin, Bangkok.
- G.A.Merit, 1999. Ayutthaya: World Heritage., Bangkok.
- Summerville, I., 1992. Software Engineering. Addison-Wesley Publishing, California.