IT experts have married technology with creativity to offer an extensive online repository of interactive 360-degree images that showcase the richness of Maltese heritage, given its “limited representation on the internet”.
Their project, maltain360.com, includes virtual tours that are accompanied by exact GPS coordinates and plotted on a geographic information system so that everyone would know precisely where they are located.
“We are striving to create virtual representations of the Maltese heritage, which are not just a collection of images but the online equivalent of actually being there,” systems engineer Pierre Axiaq said.
The initiative had been on the drawing board since 2009. Driven by his interest in new technology, Mr Axiaq, who specialises in internet systems, was fascinated by how he could combine his IT skills and experience with his love for photography.
Despite countless hours of research and experimentation, the resulting images of Malta had many flaws... until the first 360-degree equi-rectangular panorama took shape.
His partner, George Borg, a software engineer, was instantly hooked on to the proposal of pooling in his web development skills and maltain360.com evolved to offer “a true picture” of the Maltese islands.
“Many Maltese are not aware of our heritage or cannot get hold of basic information about certain sites,” Mr Axiaq said, pointing out that internet research on the Maltese islands resulted in only the most known sites being displayed “but almost none of our hidden treasures”.
Their ambition is to expose the richness of Malta, to spread cultural awareness among the Maltese and to contribute to the tourism industry.
Their latest spin-off project is an interactive, educational DVD of San Anton palace and gardens, sponsored by Unesco, with the collaboration of the Office of the President. The project will be distributed in schools around Malta.
The pair is chuffed that maltain360.com has been listed as a resource in the national history curriculum for Form 1 students and teachers are using it as visual material for their students.
They are also pleased about the feedback from Maltese living in Australia.