MetaDragonBoat: Exploring Paddling Techniques of Virtual Dragon Boating in a Metaverse Campus

TL;DR

MetaDragonBoat uses virtual reality to simulate traditional Chinese dragon boat racing, making cultural heritage accessible and engaging for diverse users through immersive experiences and realistic paddling techniques.

Contribution

It introduces a VR-based platform with physical paddle controllers and haptic feedback to simulate dragon boat racing, expanding participation and cultural preservation.

Findings

Users experienced realistic paddling effort through resistance-enabled controllers.

The system increased engagement and understanding of dragon boat culture.

VR simulation effectively promotes cultural heritage awareness.

Abstract

The preservation of cultural heritage, as mandated by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is integral to sustainable urban development. This paper focuses on the Dragon Boat Festival, a prominent event in Chinese cultural heritage, and proposes leveraging Virtual Reality (VR), to enhance its preservation and accessibility. Traditionally, participation in the festival's dragon boat races was limited to elite athletes, excluding broader demographics. Our proposed solution, named MetaDragonBoat, enables virtual participation in dragon boat racing, offering immersive experiences that replicate physical exertion through a cultural journey. Thus, we build a digital twin of a university campus located in a region with a rich dragon boat racing tradition. Coupled with three paddling techniques that are enabled by either commercial controllers or physical paddle controllers with haptic feedback, diversified users can engage in realistic rowing experiences. Our results demonstrate that by integrating resistance into the paddle controls, users could simulate the physical effort of dragon boat racing, promoting a deeper understanding and appreciation of this cultural heritage.