The Robinson House in the AR-Based Manassas Battlefield National Park Experience

1 Introduction

Augmented reality (AR) is a rapidly growing technology that is projected to be used in the near future in many aspects of daily life. AR applications offer the user a unique sensory experience where virtual information, which can be supplied by a mobile visual display, is incorporated into the user’s perception, altering and enhancing the user’s understanding of their surroundings. Many of the emerging AR applications can be easily distributed and downloaded onto commonly available mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Most of these devices are already equipped with the necessary technology needed to enable an AR experience, i.e. sufficient processor speeds, 4K Ultra HD video support, cameras, GPS, and a compass. In addition to larger consumer market volumes of these devices, the development platforms for creating AR applications are also becoming more accessible. One major application area, besides gaming and entertainment, is in the development of educational platforms for liberal arts and science-oriented themes.

For humanities education AR has the potential to revolutionize the field. Archaeologists and other practitioners in the cultural resource management domain have started to realize the potential of augmented displays for various tasks, i.e. reconstructing portions of incomplete artifacts; depicting past lifeways scenarios; and portraying how sites may have looked in the past. In particular, at heritage sites where structures and other physical attributes tied to the history of the site are in a state of ruin or have vanished from the landscape, AR technology can aid in virtually reconstructing and conveying important moments in history.

Concerns have been voiced that technologies could take away from the importance of the sites and discourage visitors from physically traveling to the site’s location. Susan Chase Hall, in a discussion of battlefield preservation and popular culture, emphasized the importance of educating on the United States’ Civil War but voiced concerns that mobile devices, (in particular 3D technology) might distract from the experience of visiting the battlefield [6]. However, one could make the point that, if heritage sites were to incorporate AR technology with existing educational and interpretive programs, AR could serve to actually draw visitors, particularly technology-buffs, to Civil War and other important heritage sites. For students growing up in what Hall refers to as the “iGeneration” this type of mobile visualization could be used to capture the interest of technology-adapted students and encourage people to visit heritage sites [6].

AR could also serve as a means for aiding responsible site stewardship by conveying the importance of historic locations and why they are worth preserving and protecting. AR can also help bring lesser-known, but important histories of sites to life. Many heritage sites are multifaceted containing many layers of history, but often one event or individual is the focus of the site. What is vital moving into the twenty-first century is that heritage sites work to present more complete histories and tell the stories of all individuals that shaped history. For example, statues of white leaders, both Civil War generals and America’s Founding Fathers, are currently a source of heated debated in the United States’ southeast. We are familiar with the histories behind these leaders but what about the lesser-known histories of the underprivileged that are also a part of our collective history? Moving forward communities want, and need, to educate on a more inclusive history. Heritage associations are working intensively to rectify this situation by trying to educate on the many different and often difficult stories in history that are embedded in these sites. Presenting a more inclusive, complete history is becoming increasingly necessary but that does not mean that the resources for rapidly achieving this goal are readily available.

AR technology, if developed carefully, could provide solutions for presenting a more complete, diversified history at heritage locations for education and responsible site stewardship. If more heritage sites could develop and apply consumer-level AR applications, they would generate a solid basis for educating on the multifaceted histories behind heritage sites through low-cost, interactive, multi-sensory and innovative platforms. In this work the authors discuss the process for creating a low-cost AR application for a high-traffic heritage site with many histories to share: Manassas Battlefield National Park.

2 Manassas Battlefield and the Robinson House Site

Manassas Battlefield National Park was chosen as the focus of this research because of the many different important histories contained within the park. Manassas Battlefield, a U.S. National Park Service (NPS) site is located approximately 30 miles south of Washington DC and is known as the site of two great Civil War battles: The Battle of First Manassas and the Battle of Second Manassas. The value and importance of remembering and protecting Civil War sites, such as Manassas Battlefield, was emphasized early in American history, powerfully stated in the words of Joshua Chamberlain in his dedication at Gettysburg (October 3, 1889): “In great deeds, something abides. On great fields, something stays. Forms change and pass; bodies disappear; but spirits linger, to consecrate ground for the vision-place of souls” [13].

The great fields Chamberlain spoke so passionately of in this dedication can be found at Manassas Battlefield. Visitors travel to this site to be present in the place where important moments in American history took place. During their trip they can experience several guided tours of different parts of the park, carefully crafted museum displays, wayward signs along the many hiking trails, and other learning opportunities provided by the NPS. In addition, the NPS offers curricula on their website for educators seeking instruction materials prior to their visit to the park. This curriculum is focused specifically on educating primary and secondary school students on Manassas Battlefield. The “Baptism by Fire” curriculum, created for students in grades four-six, offers lesson plans including images of different Civil War flags, copies of enlistment certificates of Civil War soldiers, and a video showing an overview of the Battle of First Manassas [9]. Another curriculum offered on the NPS website is: “War for Freedom: African American Experiences in the Era of the Civil War: Gentleman Jim: Tough Choices in a Time of Crisis.” This curriculum, created for grades seven-eight, includes a short biography on James Robinson, a free African-American living on Manassas Battlefield during the time of the war [8]. The “War for Freedom” curriculum also includes excerpts from the Southern Claims Commission trial that Robinson was involved in, and learning activities such as exploring the setting of the original home of James Robinson [8]. This curriculum includes maps of the highlighting historic homesteads, photographs of the original Robinson home, and a website containing information on the Robinson homestead. Visitors interested in going to the Robinson House site can find it on the Henry Hill loop trail, an approximate 1.2 miles trail adjacent to the Henry Hill Visitor center.

The “War for Freedom” curriculum is also tied to learning missives of the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs). Learning missives of the SOLs for grades seven-eight that “War for Freedom” include: “understanding the economic, social, and cultural differences between the North and South (United States History: Era 5, Section 13), understanding how different groups of people shaped the Civil War (United States History: Era 5, Section 14), understanding economic problems facing the South and their impact on different groups of people at the close of the Civil War (United States History: Era 5, Section 15), and using reading skills and strategies to understand a variety of informational texts (e.g., textbooks; biographical sketches; letters; diaries; directions; procedures; magazines; essays; primary source historical documents; editorials; news stories; periodicals, bus routes; catalogs; technical direction; consumer, workplace, and public documents (Language Arts: Reading Standards 7) [10].

The “War for Freedom” curriculum reveals a history of Manassas Battlefield that visitors to the park might not be familiar with and is a story that needs to be told. This curriculum is a great start in telling the story of James Robinson. Visitors to the park’s museum in the Henry Hill Visitor Center can also learn about Robinson through museum exhibits which showcase artifacts discovered from Robinson House site. The NPS is invested in conveying the history of James Robinson and his family, evident through their exhibitions, curriculum, and wayside signs. Visitors can hike out to the Robinson House site but there is little remaining of the actual home. The Robinson House, albeit much-altered from its original state, was destroyed by arsonists in what may have been a hate crime in 1993 [12]. Close to the Henry Hill Visitor Center, the sandstone foundation remnants of the altered Robinson home are the only in situ remains visible at the site (Figure 1).

Figure 1

Sandstone remains of Robinson House at Manassas Battlefield 347 × 229mm (72 × 72 DPI).

The original 1840s Robinson home was an approximately 400 sq. ft., one and a half story building constructed of logs. The home consisted of a wood-shingle roof, horizontal wood siding, and a wooden porch [12]. This was the structure that stood through two Civil War battles at Manassas Battlefield. On July 21, 1861, this home was at the heart of the first major land battle of the Civil War, soldiers from South Carolina’s Hampton region occupying the immediate area [12] (Figure 2).

Figure 2

Robinson House [2] ⊢⊤ 159 × 112mm (72 × 72 DPI).

In the Battle of Second Manassas the following year, Union General Franz Sigel, who commanded Pope’s Army of Virginia, set up headquarters on the Robinson farm [12]. During the fighting much of Robinson’s property was looted and destroyed. The Robinson house stood firm through both of these battles unlike neighboring Henry House (rebuilt, albeit not in the original form). Several alterations were made to the Robinson House from the 1870s through 20th century before its destruction in 1993 and following the fire the remnants of the home were systematically dismantled [7].

The Robinson house site is important because of its ties to the battlefield but also because of the unique history of the Robinson family. This site was where a free African-American man lived, working to keep his family together in the midst of a bloody civil war, that centered around slavery and other cultural and political themes. The Robinson House site archaeological investigations and report offer insight into the evolution of the Robinson homestead and a window into the life of a free African-American in antebellum Virginia.

James Robinson was born free and married to a slave, Susan Gatkins [7]. Together they had six children, all of which were born into slavery [7]. Two of Robinson’s son, Alfred and James, were sold into slavery, according to oral traditions from Robinson’s descendants, and were taken to Louisiana [7]. Oral traditions also record that Alfred made his way back to the Robinson family when the Civil War ended but that James’s fate remained unknown [7].

In visits to national heritage sites such as Manassas Battlefield it is expected that visitors will learn the history behind the battles and about military heroes such as Stonewall Jackson. However, it is also important to tell the stories of people that are often overlooked, such as the histories of the Robinson family.

The importance of conveying the history of this site within the park, the physical absence of the Robinson home, the “War for Freedom” curriculum and the existing excellent archaeological report provided solid resources for constructing an educational AR application. Also, it is important to take sites that have been destroyed by acts of hate and resurrect them to ensure that the histories connected to them are not lost. Thus the focus of this research is to create an AR-based experience aimed at virtually re-erecting the Robinson House where it once stood to highlight the history of the Robinson family and aid in educating visitors to Manassas Battlefield on an important story in United States history.

3 AR for Heritage Sites

From Pompeii in Italy to Olympia in Greece, many sites already use AR to educate and entertain visitors about history. User comments about these applications, success stories, and required improvements, noted by researchers were taken into account when developing this project’s AR application for Manassas Battlefield.

At Greece’s Olympia site, internationally known as the location of the first Olympic Games, researchers developed Archeoguide, an AR application built using mobile computing, 3D visualization, and AR technology. Their system incorporated image-based tracking, a Global Positioning System (GPS) and compass to overlay 3D reconstructions of ruins built from archaeological data and architectural drawings over top of remaining ruins [14]. Archeoguide was tested using three types of mobile devices. The first type was a backpack carried by the user containing a high-powered laptop PC, a battery, power distribution module, WLAN hardware, and a DGPS receiver with a Sony Plastron head-mounted display, web camera and digital compass. The second type of mobile device used a pen-tablet PC, and the third device used a Palmtop PC [14].

Archaeologists, technology experts, site staff and ordinary users, responded positively to Archeoguide. The AR glasses, part of the first mobile device, received positive reviews, however, users commented that maneuverability was difficult when wearing the device. Users of the Palmtop commented that it was acceptable for quick trips to the site but that the screen was too small. Overall, users liked the pen-tablet due to its compact and portable nature and reviewed this device to be a good bridge between glasses and a flat-screen presentation. In their conclusion researchers noted that comments of reviewers of Archeoguide would be taken into account to offer future users of the system more flexibility and that future work would aim to improve 3D tracking and develop custom lighter, more portable mobile devices [14].

At Italy’s, Pompeii, researchers also developed a customized AR enhanced experience, pairing video scenes with real time virtual flora and fauna. This research virtually reconstructed characters depicted in famous frescos from Pompeii, bringing them into the realities of users to the site [11]. In this study the researchers discussed the difficulties they encountered portraying 2D characters in 3D context. One method used to develop these characters involved the use of 3D modeling software such as Autodesk’s 3Ds Max or Maya. The researchers noted that in “this type of software facial mesh models could be created by developer-selected geometries, resolutions and texture” [11]. Another method discussed was “photo cloning,” where photographs were used to create the characters. The authors commented that the models created from this “photo cloning” method were not as easy to manipulate and were inferior to “hand-designed” models constructed in 3D modeling software [11].

This integration of careful detail to construct a highly realistic scene was also part of Stuart Eve’s research in his creation of an AR application for an Leskernick Hill, a Bronze Age site in England [4]. Eve’s work focused on creating a scientific application offering users different sensual experiences of a virtual Bronze Age landscape [4]. This AR approach combined 3D visualizations, soundscapes, and other immersive data to merge the virtual and physical worlds. A specific goal of this application was that it could be used as an effective tool by scientists for archaeological research. To build Dead Man’s Eyes, the Unity3D game engine, Qualcomm’s Vuforia’s AR technology, and Oculus Rift headgear were used [4].

For another site in England, Eve brought AR to Northumberland to aid in visualizing a turret situated in ‘Peel Gap.’ [3]. In this research Eve investigated the landscape at Peel Gap comparing three methods. First, a “virtual reality (VR)” experience of the landscape was constructed. Eve achieved this by using the Crysis 3D gaming engine, a digital elevation model (DEM) of the landscape, and models indicating the position of Hadrian’s Wall and the turret [3]. In this research, Eve discussed the effectiveness of this method noting that this simple VR reconstruction did not afford a “fully embodied engagement with the past” and commented that there was a sense of disconnection from the site [3]. In the second method Eve traveled to a reconstructed section of Hadrian’s Wall. In the third, Eve constructed 3D models of the wall and turret using ARToolKit with a marker to bring AR to the site. In this method when a video camera focused on the marker 3D reconstructions were brought into the scene [3]. Eve’s work focused on the creation of an archaeological phenomenological experience (the fully embodied experience mentioned earlier) and through the use of AR found that some of these experiences could be achieved [3]. AR allowed the user to be present at the site, experiencing the environment in a way the previous virtual world did not facilitate (i.e. experiencing pouring rain or wind) [3]. Users could move and analyze the actual landscape, and AR afforded a user experience without the cost of a physical site reconstruction [3]. Eve’s work showed that the combination of the virtual and actual environment through AR can bridge the gap between visualizing digital data and experiencing heritage sites [3].

The introduced heritage site AR applications were developed specifically for cultural resources. One such AR tool, ARCube, was created with the intention that archaeologists could use it to analyze artifacts through study of 3D object replications [5]. ARCube provides users with a 3D objects that they can examine from multiple perspectives. The technology provides 360-degree rotation, offering in depth analysis of the object without danger of damaging the original. This type of technology provides an opportunity for researchers who cannot physically access an artifact to interact and study these materials. Thus AR could aid in bringing fragile materials, or incomplete materials, out of collections and into the spotlight.

The literature review provided critical insight in previous challenges and achievements. These results were taken into account for developing an AR application for Manassas Battlefield. Eve used accessible game engines and AR SDKs to reconstruct archaeological sites [3], [4]. ARCube allowed for researchers to interact with 3D artifact replicas that could be fragile or inaccessible [5]. Papagiannakis et al. described how to create 3D visualizations through 3D modeling software resulting in “hand-designed” 3D characters and models created through “photo cloning [11].” Using research outcomes of the studies above, the “War for Freedom” curriculum, archaeology reports, comments from NPS employees, and notes from regional archaeologists and educators, an AR application for Manassas Battlefield highlighting the Robinson House site was developed.

4 Developing an AR Experience for Manassas Battlefield

Two main platforms were used in this research: The Unity 3D game engine and Qualcomm’s Vuforia AR software development kit (SDK). Several applications can be used for developing AR experiences, as discussed in the previous section, this study aims to use user-friendly and accessible development platforms for heritage sites aiming to develop their own applications. This research also required to use low-budget, open source software to keep the Manassas Battlefield experience at low-cost. Unity and Vuforia fit these requirements.

Vuforia’s SDK was used as the AR component for the historic battlefield experience. Vuforia is an AR SDK, developers can use to build and deploy AR/VR applications. Vuforia’s SDK works by tracking and recognizes features in images. These features are usually described as sharp, defined points in an image. Images, easily recognized by Vuforia include distinct edges with defined points, such as a polygon. Images containing rounded shapes without well-defined points seem not to be recognized as successfully by the software.

Vuforia was selected as SDK for the Manassas Battlefield experience as it provided an accessible, user-friendly and easily integrated platform for Unity3D, which is a game engine developed by Unity Technologies. The prototype for the Manassas Battlefield experience is called “Henry Hill.” For creating fundamental applications in Unity developers do not need in-depth scripting or programming expertise. This is a major advantage to heritage sites, planning to constructing their own AR applications without having highly-trained AR developers available. Unity’s interface is user-friendly and caters to a variety of diverse development backgrounds. Many of the options provided in the engine do not require scripting knowledge but for more experienced developers customized scripts can be easily integrated to into applications.

Another advantage is the Unity online documentation. Web-based resources can be easily accessed, detailed manuals offer solid design guidelines and solutions on various topics. The active community section of Unity’s website facilitates questions from beginners to advanced developers and encourages developer-community interactions and problem solving. Unity3D tutorials are prolific and can be found on the Unity website in addition to numerous other sites. Overall, Unity offers over ten different platforms to deploy applications on and though the Manassas Battlefield application was built primarily for iOS devices it is simple to move between platforms within the SDK.

For the initial prototype, images of titles from Manassas Battlefield’s wayside markers were used as image targets so that the Vuforia SDK could be used to recognize and track these markers. Besides good tracking properties, these images also ensured that no new markers had to be placed at the park and that the markers were at a prominent and accessible location. The initial images selected were photographs taken of titles on the wayside markers: “Robinson House”, “Henry Hill”, and “Like a Stonewall.”

Figure 3

Henry Hill loop trail at Manassas Battlefield 93 × 71mm (72 × 72 DPI).

The Henry Hill application consists of three AR scenes corresponding to wayside trail signs located on the Henry Hill trail: “Robinson House”, “Henry Hill”, and “Like a Stonewall.” (Figure 3). The main focus of this AR application is to shine light on the history of James Robinson and virtually re-erect the home that he built. In an effort to create a comprehensive application that places the house in context of the battlefield, and engages users during their hike on the Henry Hill trail, two additional AR scenes were added to compliment stops at the beginning and end of the trail. These scenes introduce additional lesser-known histories and artifacts to the audience and round out the Henry Hill application. A combination of visual and audio information had been shown to be successful in AR/VR applications, thus narratives were developed and included in the Manassas Battlefield experience to provide additional auditory information content to users.

The first stop on the Henry Hill trail, begins at the wayward marker titled “Henry Hill.” When the user focuses the mobile camera on the “Henry Hill” sign a virtual copy of a hand-drawn map of the battlefield, created by Confederate Captain David B. Harris, appears hovering over the landscape. This artifact is detailing Henry Hill and his troop alignments of the First Battle of Manassas. The virtual map situates users in the landscape and allows users to better understand troop movements and battle outcomes of the First Battle. The Henry Hill marker makes a little known and well-archived historic artefact accessible at an important location on the battlefield.

The second stop is the “Robinson House”, highlighting James Robinson and showcasing a 3D replica of the home he constructed for himself and his family (Figure 4). Blender, an open-source software for building 3D projects, was used to create the 3D model of the Robinson home. Photographs of the original home, drawings, and archaeological data from the Robinson site report were used to build an approximate 3D model of the original Robinson home in Blender. When the basic 3D model of the original home was built, texture was overlaid onto the home to create a realistic version of the house using wood, brick, and shingles textures (Figure 4).

Figure 4

HenryHill AR Application showing application interface, the Robinson House tracker, and 3D model ofthe 1840s Robinson house in its original location 165×70mm (72 × 72 DPI).

The third scene of the Henry Hill application stops at the wayside marker titled “Like a Stonewall”. A well-known figure from the battlefield, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson earned his nickname at Henry Hill during the First Battle of Manassas from General Bernard Bee for his presence on the field “standing like a stone wall.” A large sculpture of Jackson on an enormous horse erected in 1940 sits atop the hill to the north of the wayside marker [1]. When the user of the Henry Hill application focuses their mobile device’s camera towards the “Like a Stonewall” text on this marker a 3D model of Stonewall’s horse, “Little Sorrel” appears in the environment. Little Sorrel is drastically different than the horse depicted in the sculpture at the battlefield. Small in stature but beloved by Stonewall, and after his death by many southerners, this scene tells the story behind Stonewall’s actual horse and offers a virtual model of the horse created from images taken of the horse’s stuffed remains now housed in Lexington, Virginia.

These three scenes already indicate the importance and impact of augmented reality in diversified heritage site narratives, location visits and history education. While today’s hand-held mobile devices provide a solid basis for this technology, developers are also taking a step further to explore how these technologies could become wearable. The Henry Hill prototype also addresses this issue by providing headgear options for users. For this prototypical research, Google Cardboard was selected as headgear for visualizing the three AR scenes. At all three locations, users can place their mobile device inside the Google Cardboard headgear and run the application hands-free. The Henry Hill application runs on iPhones and iPads. For portability, and for display on a larger screen size (which testers had liked with Archeoguide [14] the Henry Hill application was deployed onto iPads to NPS employees for testing purposes. The other platform combining hand-held AR with the Google Cardboard option was deployed onto iPhones. Xcode 7.2, an IDE (integrated development environment), an Apple ID, and an Apple computer provided the means to build and run the Henry Hill application successfully on these iOS devices.

5 Conclusion and Outlook

The goal of this research was to build a low-cost, educational AR application to showcase lesser-known histories and serve as an educational tool for heritage sites. Through the use of accessible, user-friendly tools this research produced the Henry Hill application, a first prototype towards an AR-based Manassas Battlefield National Park Experience. The research focuses on educating visitors to Manassas Battlefield National Park particularly on the importance of the Robinson House site and Robinson family.

Further research is necessary to evaluate whether the Henry Hill application is a successful supplement to Manassas Battlefield’s “War for Freedom” curriculum. A working prototype has been created and the NPS educators and local school representatives have agreed to participate in future development and user studies that will aid in addressing several research questions that have arisen from this research. Several of these questions focus not only on the technical development of such an AR experience, but more on the user experience and human-computer interaction. Several human behavioral and learning outcome questions need also be addressed, i.e. will visitor become better stewards of these historic sites; can AR-based materials encourage visitors to visit different, diverse cultural and historic aspects of a site; and will people go the extra mile (literally the extra mile in Robinson House site’s case) to experience the historical site? Recently, the introduction of Pokémon Go, an AR application for mobile devices where users “catch” Pokémon characters superimposed into the real world has shown that users will physically travel to sites to experience AR. If AR applications such as these can encourage users to be active and physically go to sites, then they could likely be used to encourage people to physically travel to heritage sites.

Several curriculum and educational questions remain: will the Henry Hill application help users to understand where the original Robinson house was on the landscape? The remaining foundation at the site can be misleading to visitors as it shows the remnants of the home that was destroyed in the fire - a home that had been altered heavily through the 19th and 20th centuries. Adding a slider with additional 3D models showing the different stages of Robinson house from the 1840s to 1993 could be one means for addressing how cultural and physical landscapes evolve over time. When describing cultural change over time, the history of Native Americans at the park, and in particular cultural materials discovered on Henry Hill related to Native American history, should be also addressed. Future versions of this Manassas Battlefield National Park Experience could continue to add in these lesser-known histories to further the applications mission to create a more inclusive history.

Both, a benefit, and limitation, of using AR technologies for heritage sites is that it potentially enables users to visit the actual site but on the other side is tied to physically visiting the historic site, which might be challenging for some. Historic sites that do not allow public access or have limited accessibility, virtual reality (VR) might be another visualization option. Current consumer products already provide a low-cost VR environment to address historic site accessibility issues. In addition, many models used in AR applications can be readily converted into VR environments and distributed via web-based platforms. Several components of the Henry Hill application were converted into a VR application for the immersive VR platform Oculus Rift.

This research highlights that AR is an innovative visualization technique that can be applied for educational use and diversified histories in heritage sites. Over the next few years, more heritage sites will become interested in using augmented reality to resurrect the “hidden” histories and provide visitors with access to important artifacts via AR and VR.