August 27, 2013 – Asbury Park, NJ: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mike Richison | Email: mrichiso (at) monmouth.edu | Phone: 732-263-5637
VIDEO ARTIST, DIGITAL 3D DESIGNER, AND JOURNALIST CREATE AUGMENTED REALITY CAROUSEL IN
ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY
Monmouth University professors Mike Richison and Marina Vujnovic and Kean University professor Ed Johnston have
created an augmented reality model of the carousel that once stood inside the Carousel House on the boardwalk in Asbury
Park, New Jersey.
This is the second carousel-related project on the boardwalk for Richison and Vujnovic. Two years ago, they collaborated
with photographer and local businessman John Viggiano to create The Living Carousel, an interactive video installation
that utilized projectors, motion sensors, custom electronics and software, and a dome-shaped video screen. In contrast, The
Augmented Carousel requires no special hardware, just a smartphone and the free mobile app Layar.
In the 1990s, the Asbury Park boardwalk carousel was sold to Family Kingdom, an amusement park in Myrtle Beach,
South Carolina. The team traveled to Myrtle Beach to conduct research and collect reference images. When the team
arrived, they were greeted by a gleaming carousel that was repainted and in complete working order. The colors in the
digital model are a direct reflection of this new paint job. A preliminary version of The Augmented Carousel was unveiled
early Fall 2012 at Monmouth University’s Glory Days Conference, a symposium centered on the life and work of Bruce
Springsteen. An early iteration of this project has also been selected for inclusion on Creative Capital’s On Our Radar
website.
Ed Johnston, a specialist in the 3D computer modeling program Maya, constructed a detailed model using the reference
photographs taken in South Carolina. He is a faculty member in the Robert Busch School of Design at Kean University.
Johnston works in a variety of contexts involving interactive design, animation, and 3-D printing. His creative works have
traveled around the world, recently being included in the Lumen Prize Exhibition in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and the United
Kingdom. Johnston has also collaborated with the sciences to create digital visualizations and virtual environments for
research purposes.
Richison’s responsibilities included database management, coding, and designing an interactive postcard that allows
viewers to see the 3D models. Richison has been working in the media of interactive video installation and sculpture since
his arrival at Monmouth University’s Department of Art and Design in 2007, where he teaches history of graphic design,
typography, and motion graphics.
Vujnovic, a journalism professor in Monmouth University’s Communication Department, conducted the majority of the
research that went into the project. Beginning with a visit to Philadelphia Toboggan Company, the still-active manufacturer
of the carousel, in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, Vujnovic was able to track down the carousel’s current location. Additionally,
she also interviewed two individuals responsible for arranging the sale and transportation of the carousel. Vujnovic is an
experienced journalist who has recently written Forging the Bubikopf Nation, a book that chronicles Croatia’s first female
journalist.
Visitors who wish to view The Augmented Carousel may do so for free. The Layar app is free on both iPhone and Androidbased devices. While in the Layar app, viewers may interact with the carousel while on the Asbury Park boardwalk, or they
can scan the postcard and interact with the models at their convenience. Richison, Vujnovic, and Johnston plan to hand out
this postcard on the Asbury Park boardwalk during the busy Labor Day weekend. They will also present the project at the
2013 New York Maker Faire at the New York Hall of Science in Queens September 21 and 22. The card is also available to
download for free at the project’s website: www.augmentedasburypark.com.
This endeavor was possible due to a creative grant-in-aid from Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ. The team
is grateful for the cooperation of Donny Sipes, the general manager of Family Kingdom in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Thanks also to Thomas Rebbie, the president of Philadelphia Toboggan Company, and Alex Nagel, PTC’s historian. The
team also acknowledges Monmouth University student Joe Seminerio who was contracted to digitally reconstruct the
carousel mechanism. More information on this project can be found at www.augmentedasburypark.com.
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If you would like more information or would like to schedule an interview, please contact:
Mike Richison | mrichiso (at) monmouth.edu | Phone: 732-263-5637