CardoXR
During the intermediate days of Sukkot, a groundbreaking and unique experimental event took place at the Cardo site in Jerusalem's Old City: CardoXR – an interactive Mixed Reality experience integrated with Artificial Intelligence (AI). The event, which was open to the general public, invited visitors to step into a vibrant, bustling ancient marketplace where past and present merged in a magical and distinctive way. Each visitor received VR glasses that allowed them to move freely through the physical space of the Cardo while experiencing a rich virtual layer specifically adapted to the historic location. The virtual installations made clever use of the existing exhibits at the site and integrated them into the experience: merchants, interactive characters who conversed with visitors, ancient shops brought back to life, mosaic images that suddenly came alive, and interactive installations such as a dancer, a burning torch, farm animals that could be petted, a band and orchestra, and a model of the Temple. All this while participants remained aware of their physical surroundings and those around them – this is the magic of mixed reality, which blurs the boundaries between the real and digital worlds and allows us as digital creators to create beyond the confines of the screen.
