Would you like to touch a dinosaur and walk with it? They may soon bounce back to life, here's how

Petting dogs, cats and other animals is a common thing. Have you ever thought how it would’ve been like petting a dinosaur? Weird? Isn’t it? The idea of petting a dinosaur is itself scary. But who knows, it might be a dream of some freak-minded people to take their deadly pet dinosaur to a walk. Well, now such people can pet a dinosaur and walk with it. How? Well, for the first time ever, scientists are combining virtual reality and 3D printing that would bring the prehistoric past back into life.

Researchers belonging to the Deakin University in Australia are making use of technology to capture a paleontological dig in what used to be a Gondwanan riverbed.

It’s like using technology of the future to dig up the history of the past. Students are participating in a paleontological dig that will use 3D and virtual reality to create a dinosaur you can touch.

“We’re looking at how we can use virtual reality and 3D printing to help with providing educational experiences in a museum context,” said Ben Hornan, from Deakin’s Virtual Reality Lab.

“Dinosaurs are something that excites most people. So we thought 3D printing, dinosaurs and virtual reality would be a great combination,” said Horan.

The novel development will be on display at Geelong’s National Wool Museum and researchers believe it will be first of its kind in the world, ‘ABC News’ reported.

The exhibition will highlight a 3D-printed dinosaur, which will be based on one of the most complete skeletons ever recovered in Australia.

“In the museum with the virtual reality headset, which will provide you with audio and video, you can see inside, look around and see the dinosaur dig and then reach down and touch the tactile 3D-printed dinosaur,” Hornan said.

The dinosaur is a small wallaby-like ornithopod called the Leaellynasaura, which lived in Victoria 100 million years ago.
Palaeontologists believe the Leaellynasaura had scaly skin like an eastern blue tongue lizard. 

(With inputs from PTI)