Dubai: Roald Dahl comes alive at school exhibition through augmented reality

Students at Repton School in Dubai got a chance to brush shoulders with legendary British author Roald Dahl, at an exhibition held as part of the institute's 15th anniversary celebrations in the UAE.

Thanks to augmented reality (AR), the students were able to ‘hear’ Dahl read from his book and click some cool pictures with him — or rather the augmented version of the former Reptonian who boarded at the school in South Derbyshire from 1930 to 1934.

The exhibition at the Nadd Al Sheba campus, with a special section featuring Dahl, was inaugurated by Dr Abdulla Al Karam, director-general of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) on February 9 (Wednesday). It will travel to all seven Repton schools in the UAE over the coming months.

Students and visitors get to embark on a captivating journey, as the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and BFG, reads excerpts from his book ‘The Twitts’. A dedicated wall has been put up showcasing the biography and works of the world-renowned author and school alumnus. It includes a first edition copy of the ‘Magic Finger’, a signed first edition of ‘The Twitts’, and an uncorrected proof copy of ‘Going Solo’.