A new museum exhibit, dubbed "Voices From the Front," has officially been unveiled in the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. It supports life-sized, artificial intelligence (AI)- powered World War II veterans.
It is said that virtual veterans can facilitate interactions between guests and over 12 interview subjects. With the help of artificial intelligence, visitors to the museum will be able to interact directly with veterans, Home Front workers, and other combat witnesses, creating an immersive experience.
(Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images) On August 23, 2023, Visitors to the British Museum looked at the reconstructed Nereid Monument, removed from modern-day Turkey in the early 1840s, in London, England.
According to the Associated Press, a military nurse who served in the Philippines, an aircraft factory worker, and Margaret Kerry, a dancer who performed at USO shows and later served as a model for Tinker Bell in Disney productions, are just a few of the war-era home front heroes and supporters of the U.S. war effort who can be questioned during the "Voices From the Front" exhibit at the New Orleans museum.
The project, which took 4 years to complete, includes videotaped interviews with eighteen veterans of the conflict or the relief effort. Each veteran answered up to a thousand questions regarding the conflict and their individual lives.
According to an earlier press release from the museum, the exhibit was made possible through a $1.5 million gift from Museum Trustee Sandy Villere and his wife, Margie.
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AI and the Veterans' Voices
Each Voices from the Front interview, produced by StoryFile, a pioneer in immersive technology and video capture, consists of up to 1,000 questions about the subject's life and experiences during the war. This builds a substantial database of answers that the program may compare to spoken inquiries from users.
The Museum teamed up with Ideum, an experience design company that has previously worked on exhibits, to incorporate the interactive interviews into a user-friendly interface.
The Museum's staff chose participants to represent the widest variety of events that could have occurred during World War II. Their Creative Services team created an intuitive display that combines cutting-edge technology with a visitor-centric approach to assist customers in comprehending Voices from the Front, distinguishing amongst interviewees, and feeling comfortable striking up conversations.
Voices from the Front will be on exhibit among a variety of rare, famous, and captivating items in the recently restored Forbes Gallery of Rare and Famous Items, formerly known as the Malcolm S. Forbes Theater. Visitors can ponder the power of the items and stories they hold as these relics stimulate a wide range of emotions and experiences from a time of significant conflict and change.
Museums appear to be exploring AI as a means of optimizing their operations. This is evident from a UK study that identified numerous key uses of AI in cultural organizations, including collection management, visitor experience enhancement, and business assistance.
World War II Veterans' Contributions
Since its opening as the National D-Day Museum in 2000, the museum in New Orleans has been enhanced by the presence of elderly veterans. Veterans frequently volunteered at the museum, holding a table close to the entrance where guests could chat about the conflict.
However, as the veterans get older and pass away, that tradition has decreased. The COVID-19 pandemic has reportedly affected those born after World War II.
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(Photo: Tech Times)
