A partnership project between Robert Gordon University, Historic Scotland, and AmbieSense is aiming to breathe new life into remote historical sites.

The Living History project aims to harness the rapid boom in smart phone technology to enhance the visitor experience at unmanned Historic Scotland sites, by delivering tailored information directly to mobiles as people move around an attraction.

Activated by tapping handsets to strategically placed InfoSparks around the attraction, the app provides visitors with both official information and commentary from those who have previously visited it. Importantly, it does not require Wi-Fi or a 3G signal to work.

Tiny solar-powered servers on the site provide local wireless capabilities and, thanks to Near Field Location (NFC) tags, the right information is delivered into the hands of the visitors, in situ, next to the historic artefacts.

(Source: News press release, by Jenny Rush, The Robert Gordon University)

This news was also picked up by: BBC Radio Scotland (radio interview), Aberdeen Press and Journal (paper news), and Original 106 FM (local radio news) in Scotland North East.