Geomatics and virtual reality techniques for underwater heritage

The purpose of the research carried out by the Laboratory of Geomatics of the University of Reggio Calabria is to revive firsthand through applications of virtual reality natural scenarios and/or underwater artifacts within the framework of underwater heritage. Immersive Virtual Reality allows us to use virtual reality without just spectators but involving all our senses through direct experience. It can be use to spread information and reconstruction allowing to find information or phases of the design directly through the use of a mobile device. The subject of the research in question is the underwater reconstruction of some submerged glimpses of structures belonging to the former liquichimica factory, located in Reggio Calabria financed in 1972 by the “Colombo package”, 1300 billion £, used to give life to a project of colossal size, but today only a disused port and the skeleton of the ecomonster remains. With the help of Revit and AgisoftPhotoscan, the programs used for cross-platform development, three-dimensional scenarios were obtained using photogrammetric techniques. Of particular importance was the use of ROV remote-controlled vehicles that the research team used for marine exploration adjacent to the area which was then definitively examined. The survey showed the causes that led to the collapse of these structures and the extent of the environmental impact on the marine ecosystem of the area, in terms of pollution and destruction of the submerged landscape.