Imagine standing on this striking map, looking down as oil tankers, yachts, and cargo ships glide across oceans beneath your feet, their positions updated live from global marine data feeds. It’s more than an exhibit—it’s a living, breathing portal to the world’s oceans.

The Ocean Map: A Spilhaus Projection Brought to Life

The Ocean Map is no ordinary map. Designed using the Spilhaus projection, it reimagines Earth’s geography by centering and connecting the oceans into a continuous body of water. It’s beautiful, bold—and presented on a scale large enough for visitors to physically walk across.

To make this AR experience possible, we split the printed map into smaller sections. Each section acts as an AR tracker, allowing visitors to hold up a tablet and see 3D models of vessels positioned precisely on the map.

One of the core technical challenges was mapping live longitude and latitude data onto the Spilhaus projection in AR. Unlike traditional projections, the Spilhaus view warps continents and oceans in unique ways, requiring custom algorithms and precise calibration to align real-world marine traffic with the floor map.

Powered by Live Marine Data

The app integrates AIS (Automatic Identification System) data, streaming real-time information about global marine traffic. From oil tankers to leisure yachts, visitors can explore the vast network of vessels crossing our oceans at any moment.

In the future, the experience could expand even further:

• Satellite Data Integration

  For broader coverage and more frequent updates, we’re exploring the possibility of incorporating satellite-sourced marine data. This would offer a richer, more complete view of ocean activity—but comes with additional costs for licensing and integration.

• Weather Data Visualizations

  Visitors could also see live wind currents, storm systems, or rainfall patterns sweeping across the oceans, turning The Ocean Map into a mesmerizing window onto the planet’s dynamic systems. This feature would require additional development time to achieve a high level of visual realism.

  
  

Challenges and Opportunities

As with all pioneering AR projects, there are unique considerations:

• Tracking Sensitivity

  Dividing The Ocean Map into smaller AR markers significantly improved tracking, but lighting conditions, visitor movement, and wear on the printed floor can still affect performance. Ongoing calibration and maintenance will help keep the experience smooth.

• Device Choices

  To ensure consistency, museum-provided tablets are recommended. Supporting visitors’ own devices is possible but would require broader testing for compatibility.

• Scaling Content

  Adding live weather effects and satellite data would enhance the experience but requires further investment in time and technology.

  
  

A New Way to Explore the Oceans

This prototype is just the beginning. By combining live data, stunning visuals, and intuitive AR interaction, we’ve created a glimpse of how museums can immerse visitors in global stories.

At Reawaken, we’re excited to help the National Maritime Museum bring The Ocean Map to life—revealing the hidden movements of ships and weather systems across the world’s oceans, right under your feet in Ocean Court.