We’re excited to introduce #Virgil, an innovative project that combines the power of Arduino technology with a passion for history, creating a groundbreaking interactive experience for museums. 

Using Arduino’s versatile and scalable ecosystem, #Virgil operates completely offline, allowing visitors to interact with 3D avatars in a seamless and immersive way. The project brings the past to life, offering dialogue-driven encounters with key historical figures thanks to voice recognition and edge AI – with the option to choose among many different languages.

“#Virgil is meant to celebrate the past and, more importantly, open new avenues for education and inspiration. We want to prove how technology, when guided by ethical values, can amplify and perpetuate our cultural heritage in ways that used to be unimaginable,” comments Enrico Benevenuta, coordinator of the Territori Svelati project and AI expert.

Matteo Olivetti, great-grandson of Olivetti’s founder Camillo, drew inspiration from the iconic Divisumma to design a dedicated hardware setup, Olivox. 

Powered by the Portenta X8 and Max Carrier, the device connects via HDMI to any screen, engaging visitors in a rich, interactive experience without the need for smartphones or a stable internet connection. This approach allows the project to adapt easily to different exhibitions and contexts, while offering full control over the visitor experience.

Internationally renowned 3D artist Elvis Morelli was entrusted with creating the first avatar of the project – and it’s no coincidence that Camillo Olivetti was chosen. 

The story of Olivetti resonates deeply with Arduino’s own mission of pushing the boundaries of technology, and #Virgil represents a continuation of that legacy by bridging the gap between the past and future through cutting-edge tools.

To find out more about the project and perhaps have a chat with your favorite pioneer of technology and innovation, visit #Virgil’s booth at the upcoming Maker Faire Rome 2024, booth E.09. Don’t forget to stop by Arduino’s booth N.07 to find out more about our products, and let us know what you asked Camillo!

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Art and engineering are not separate concepts. There is a great deal of overlap between the two and many modern disciplines increasingly blur those lines. Mónica Rikic is an “electronic artist and creative coder” who embodies that idea: you might remember her and her incredible Arduino UNO R4-powered installations from our blog post last year. In addition to her artistic practice, her technology-forward approach inspires her work as an educator, as she helps her master’s students develop hybrid concepts that use microcontrollers, sensors, lights and a variety of different technologies to create interactive art pieces. The level of creativity that technology is able to unleash is readily apparent in two of her students’ projects: Flora and Simbioceno.

Flora, created by College of Arts & Design of Barcelona students Judit Castells, Paula Jaime, Daniela Guevara, and Mariana Pachón, is a board game in the form of an interactive art installation. It was inspired by nature, with gameplay occurring throughout a simulated ecosystem. An Arduino UNO R4 WiFi board handles the interactive elements, with additional hardware including NFC readers, motors and accompanying drivers, sensors, pumps, LEDs, and more. 

Simbioceno, by Ander Vallejo Larre, Andrea Galano Toro, Pierantonio Mangia, and Rocío Gomez, also uses an UNO R4 WiFi. It consists of two ecosystems: one aquatic and one aerial-terrestrial. They exist in symbiosis, communicating and sharing resources as necessary. Hardware includes LEDs, pumps, and biofeedback sensors. The students put particular thought into the construction materials, many of which are recycled or biomaterials. 

Both projects are interactive art and expressions of creativity. While they do integrate technology, that technology isn’t the focal point. Instead, the technology helps to bring the two experiences to life.Feeling inspired by this creative use of the Arduino platform? We hope you’ll develop your own projects and share them with us and the entire community: contact creators@arduino.cc or upload directly to Project Hub! You could be our next Arduino Star.

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