Fort De Soto AR Reconstructions

Fort De Soto AR Reconstructions is a location-based augmented reality application that brings historically significant structures back to life at Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County, Florida. Visitors to the park can view 3D AR reconstructions of structures that have been destroyed or relocated, placed precisely at their original locations. The project also served as an early experiment in AI-powered virtual pedagogy—an AI-enabled virtual agent present in the AR scene could converse with users about the history of Fort De Soto in real time.

Reconstructions

Three key structures were reconstructed for the project. The centerpiece is Fort De Soto itself—the original fort, destroyed over time by weather damage, rebuilt digitally from historical blueprints and source documents. Alongside the fort, a workshop that once existed on-site and a battery that has since been relocated were also reconstructed using the same primary source methodology. Each reconstruction was placed at the structure’s original location within the park, allowing visitors to experience the site as it once was.

Process

The project involved multiple site visits and extensive on-location scanning. The team used Scaniverse photogrammetry and LiDAR scanning equipment from the Access3D Lab at USF to capture the park environment, producing the spatial data needed to anchor AR reconstructions at precise real-world coordinates.

Historical research drove the 3D modeling process. Original architectural blueprints and source documents informed each reconstruction, ensuring accuracy to the structures as they existed. The team also integrated an experimental AI virtual tour guide into the AR scene—an early exploration of what would later become a larger research direction in virtual pedagogical agents.

Collaboration

The project was a collaboration between Augmented Info Systems (AIS), the Access3D Lab at the University of South Florida under Dr. Laura Harrison, and the Pinellas County Parks Department.

Built with Augmented Info Systems and the Access3D Lab at USF for Pinellas County Parks.

key features

• 3D AR reconstructions of three historically significant structures placed at their original locations
• Reconstructions built from original architectural blueprints and historical source documents
• On-site photogrammetry and LiDAR scanning for precise AR placement within the park
• Experimental AI-powered virtual pedagogical agent capable of conversing with users about the site's history

technical details

Built on Niantic Lightship. Site environments captured using Scaniverse photogrammetry and LiDAR scanning with Access3D lab equipment. Historical structures modeled in 3D from original blueprints and source documents. AI-enabled virtual agent integrated into AR scenes for interactive historical narration.