NDMU-CSD Student Develops KoroAR, a Mobile Augmented Reality Museum Showcasing Koronadal City’s Cultural Heritage
KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato — Bringing local history and cultural heritage into the digital age, a Bachelor of Science in Information veloped KoroAR: A Mobile Augmented Reality Museum for Exploring the Cultural Heritage of Koronadal City, an innovative mobile application designed to make the city’s cultural identity more accessible, interactive, and engaging.
Developed by Charles Luke S. Templonuevo in 2026 under the Computer Studies Department of the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Computing (CEAC), KoroAR uses augmented reality (AR) technology to provide users with an interactive way to discover the history, notable personalities, and traditional artifacts that contribute to Koronadal City’s cultural heritage.
The Android-based application features 30 cultural heritage items, organized into three categories: 10 historical landmarks, 10 notable personalities, and 10 cultural artifacts. Through their smartphones, users can explore three-dimensional representations of these items, accompanied by historical and cultural information, annotations, images, and audio narration.
Beyond presenting heritage information, KoroAR incorporates interactive features intended to encourage exploration and discovery. These include a Heritage Collection for tracking discovered items, a City Guide Map for navigating heritage-related locations, an achievement system that rewards exploration, and a Heritage Quest that encourages users to engage more deeply with the city’s cultural identity. The application also supports augmented reality photo capture, ground-plane AR, and selected life-size and indoor/outdoor viewing modes.
By combining cultural content with interactive digital experiences, KoroAR seeks to provide a supplementary platform for cultural heritage education, tourism promotion, and public engagement. It offers an alternative way for residents, tourists, students, and other interested individuals to explore selected aspects of Koronadal City’s history beyond conventional information materials.
Evaluated for Visitor Engagement and Technology Acceptance
To assess the application’s performance and potential as a cultural heritage tool, the researcher evaluated the KoroAR prototype with 75 respondents, comprising 53 local residents and 22 tourists. The evaluation focused on visitor engagement and technology acceptance.
The results showed positive perceptions of the application’s engagement and usefulness. Visitor Engagement obtained an overall mean of 4.53, while the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) evaluation received an overall mean of 4.48. Both results were interpreted as Strongly Agree, indicating favorable responses toward the application’s interactive approach and its potential value in exploring local cultural heritage.
These findings demonstrate KoroAR’s potential as a supplementary mobile application for presenting and exploring the cultural and historical heritage of Koronadal City. The results highlight the promise of augmented reality in making local history more interactive and accessible while providing a foundation for further improvements to the application.
Bringing Koronadal’s Cultural Heritage to the Public
As part of its community-oriented initiative, KoroAR was presented to representatives of the City Government of Koronadal, including Mayor Bing Pabi Araquil, Vice Mayor Catorce, the city tourism officer, and other local government representatives. The presentation provided an opportunity to introduce the application’s capabilities and demonstrate how augmented reality may support local heritage awareness and tourism initiatives.
The project also gained exposure through local radio stations and an Inquirer.net feature, helping bring attention to the use of digital technology in promoting Koronadal City’s cultural heritage.
These engagements highlight the potential of student-led research to extend beyond academic requirements and contribute to community discussions on cultural preservation, tourism, and digital innovation. By transforming selected heritage information into interactive digital experiences, KoroAR offers a promising example of how information technology can help make local history more engaging and accessible to the public.
Advancing Digital Innovation Through Student Research
The development of KoroAR reflects the Computer Studies Department’s commitment to encouraging research and innovation that respond to community needs and local development opportunities. It demonstrates how emerging technologies, such as augmented reality, can be explored to address the challenge of presenting cultural and historical information in ways that resonate with contemporary audiences.
Through projects such as KoroAR, Notre Dame of Marbel University continues to support student research that connects technological innovation with cultural awareness and community engagement.
As the application undergoes further improvement, KoroAR presents an opportunity to strengthen the digital presentation of Koronadal City’s heritage and inspire future initiatives that combine technology, education, tourism, and cultural appreciation.
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