Want to explore 100-year-old shipwrecks in Lake Ontario from the comfort of your home? The New York Department of State is developing an exciting new experience with the Coastal States Stewardship Foundation to develop an “extended reality” experience (think Pokémon GO) and exhibit for the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary, showcasing iconic shipwrecks within the sanctuary.
Designated in 2024, the sanctuary spans 1,700 square miles and contains dozens of shipwrecks dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, including schooners like the St. Peter (pictured).
The project will use virtual, augmented and mixed reality to create immersive experiences built from high-resolution imagery, 3D video and oral histories collected by researchers, divers and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
According to WXXI News, the project has a $420,000 budget; $50,000 of the funding is coming from the state Environmental Protection Fund, while the rest is federal money.
Learn more at dos.ny.gov and sanctuaries.noaa.gov/lake-ontario.
NOAA photo
