Digital Heritage. Progress in Cultural Heritage: Documentation, Preservation, and Protection

This paper presents an automatic methodology capable of registering non-overlapping laser scans based on a bundle block adjustment for the orientation estimation of synthetic images generated from the 3D data and camera images using a Structure-from-Motion (SfM) method. Adding camera images to the registration of the generated images can improve the block geometry. The SfM process provides accurate image orientations and sparse point clouds, initially in an arbitrary model space. This enables an implicit determination of the 3D-to-3D correspondences between the sparse points and the laser data then, the Helmert transformation is introduced and its parameters are computed. This results in registering the non-overlapping scans, since the relative orientations between the generated images are determined at the SfM step and transformed to the absolute coordinate system directly. The proposed approach was tested on real case studies and experimental results are shown to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented method.

The paper introduces some key interdisciplinary questions concerning the development of optical measuring techniques and electronic imaging applied to documentation and presentation of artefacts, as identified through the work of Colour and Space in Cultural Heritage (www.COSCH.info), a trans-domain European Action (TD1201) in the area of Materials, Physics and Nanosciences (MPNS) supported, since 2013, by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology

http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/mpns/Actions/ TD1201

. Some 125 international researchers and professionals participate in COSCH activities which have been organised around six main subjects: (1) spectral object documentation; (2) spatial object documentation; (3) algorithms and procedures; (4) analysis and restoration of cultural heritage surfaces and objects; (5) visualisation of cultural heritage objects and its dissemination; and (6) the semantic development of the COSCH Knowledge Representation.

The Authors outline and illustrate the approaches adopted by COSCH. They indicate future work that is needed to resolve the identified scientific, technical and semantic questions, as well as challenges of interdisciplinary communication, to ensure a wider adoption of specialist technologies and enhanced standards in 3D documentation of material cultural heritage — being a basis for its understanding, conservation, restoration, long-term preservation, study, presentation and wide dissemination.

In this paper the automated system for 3D shape and color digitization of paintings is presented. It uses a 10000 points per mm

2

structured-light measurement head fixed to the positioning system. The main focus of the paper is the process of optimizing results of digitization in order to obtain the best possible 3D model of surface of a painting in terms of shape and color accuracy.

Education for the own present and future can be made by the examination of history. The architectural historical documentation of the Old-Segeberg town house shows one approx. 500 years civil housing tradition in a replica of an approx. 475 years old house, both being essentials parts of the 800-year history of the city Segeberg. This historic town house is one of the oldest secular buildings in Schleswig-Holstein (Germany) and has substantial value for the city’s own history. In 2011 the building was geometrically recorded in detail, internally and externally, with modern 3D data acquisition methods such as digital architectural photogrammetry, panorama photography and terrestrial laser scanning. From the recorded geo-data a 3D CAD model was generated, which shows both the interior and the external area of the town house. On the basis of historical analysis six construction phases of the building have been historically proven and in CAD modelled. These epochs document the different additions and renovations in the CAD model, which were carried out over the centuries. Now these different construction phases of the building can be viewed and analysed in 4D using a specific free viewer. Additionally, a virtual tour was generated from the panorama photographs, which permits a simple and detailed visualisation of the building from the inside and outside for all interested users on the Internet. The 3D model of the current building was photo-realistically textured, including the neighbouring houses and the environment using CINEMA 4D, with the result that video sequences and an interactive visualisation have been generated. The multimedia representation of the building offers both interested visitors and expert professionals an exciting time-historical view of the town house both in the museum and over the Internet.

Ports are a key part of cultural identity, and it is necessary to preserve them as important intangible Cultural Heritage, especially the human motion techniques specific to individual sports. In this paper we present a method for extracting 3D athlete motion from video broadcast sources, providing an important tool for preserving the heritage represented by these movements. Broadcast videos include camera motion, multiple player interaction, occlusions and noise, presenting significant challenges to solve the reconstruction. The approach requires initial definition of some key-frames and setting of 2D key-points in those frames manually. Thereafter an automatic process estimates the poses and positions of the players in the key-frames, and in the frames between key-frames, taking into account collisions with the environment and human kinematic constraints. Initial results are extremely promising and this data could be used to analyze the sport’s evolution over time, or even to generate animations for interactive applications.

Shiny materials are commonly used in traditional Asian arts. Taking an image of such objects often poses serious challenges because the intensity of specular reflection component is usually much higher than that of the diffuse reflection which could lead to image saturation. Many methods for obtaining the specular component have been developed. But these methods do not satisfy the requirements of a final image with good reflection characteristics practical enough to be used onsite. It usually requires multiple images obtained at different light source or polarization filter angle. Using this method poses other practical problems like accuracy of image registration of different layers, long data acquisition time, and high computing requirements. This paper proposes a new method for acquiring specular information in high resolution for large cultural heritage objects from a single image using dynamic polarization direction control. The main idea is implemented by allowing the polarized filters placed in front of the camera to rotate at a fixed angular speed while the object is being scanned. This study discusses both the development of new equipment for acquiring the image and the image processing algorithm. The technique was used on the site on a large Japanese sliding door panel to show how it can be implemented for acquiring images with good quality and precise image registration taken at high resolution (>500dpi).

The geometric documentation of a cultural heritage site is a demanding task due to the complex morphology of the objects as well as the need for large scale performance. The use of two rapidly evolving approaches, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and the Dense Image Matching is an attractive solution to extract quality photogrammetric products like orthoimages, 3D point clouds, etc. In this paper, an orthoimage of Asclepieion at the Ancient Messene is produced using UAV imagery and applying Dense Image Matching and its quality and accuracy are compared to the products of a traditional photogrammetric procedure.

Innovation Technologies and Applications for Coastal Archaeological sites project (ITACA) aims to develop and test a management system for underwater archaeological sites in coastal regions. The discovering and monitoring service will use innovative satellite remote sensing techniques combined with image processing algorithms. The project will develop a set of applications integrated in a system pursuing the following objectives:

Search and location of ancient ship wrecks;

Monitoring of ship wrecks, ruins and historical artefacts that are now submerged;

Integration of resulting search and monitoring data with on-site data into a management tool for underwater sites;

Demonstration of the system’s suitability for a service.

The project is leaded by Planetek Hellas E.P.E. and include ALMA Sistemi sas for the “shape detection” and dissemination tasks, DHI-GRAS and Kell Srl for multispectral and SAR bathymetry. The complete consortium is composed by eleven partners and the project Kick-Off has been held in January 2014.

The huge amount of visual collections provides a unique opportunity for cultural heritage e-documentation and 3D reconstruction. The main difficulty, however, is its unstructured nature. In this paper a new content-based image filtering is proposed to discard image outliers that either confuse or significantly delay the 3D reconstruction process. The presented approach exploits a dense-based unsupervised paradigm applied on multi-dimensional manifolds where images are represented as image points. The multidimensional scaling algorithm is adopted to relate the space of the image distances with the space of Gram matrices to compute the image coordinates. Evaluation on a dataset of about 31,000 cultural heritage images being retrieved from internet collections with many outliers indicate the robustness and cost effectiveness of the proposed method towards an affordable 3D reconstruction.

An image filtering scheme for images of cultural interest is presented. The model utilize a semi supervised approach for the creation of an appropriate distance learning metric, which is used for the filtering. User’s feedback is involved only for a minor set of data, defined using optics algorithm and sparse modeling representative selection. Such approach facilitates the refinement of retrieval results always under the scope of the end user needs.

This paper presents a semi-automatic approach for creating a 3D model from point clouds. The proposed approach consists in the development of two successive algorithms. First, the segmentation of the point cloud in geometric primitives is made based on RANSAC paradigm. Then, in a modelling step, the geometric primitives are used for either surface modelling or boundaries extraction and more particularly sectional view extraction. Regarding the results analysis, the developed approach is promising despite some limitations. Not only the limitations, but also potential improvements of our processing chain are discussed. Finally, a bridge towards HBIM is considered.

Despite extensive research having been conducted on the subject, the problem of three-dimensional information systems for historical cities is actually still unresolved. In addition, commercially available software seems to be increasingly aiming at a quick development of unspecific urban settings, rather than at a metrically and perceptively faithful representation of reality. In this scenario, the SIUR 3D software (

Sistema Informativo URbano tridimensionale

) is based on a management structure that links an interactive, photorealistic and metrically reliable model of a city with a qualitative database of the historical, archaeological and material scope of an architectural part. Such application uses the Unity 3D game engine for geometrical models management and is equipped for online data sharing.

3D reconstructions of passed or altered as well as 3D constructions of never existent historic artefacts, in brief intangible artefacts, are likewise results and subjects of complex socio-technical interaction. Consequently, virtual libraries and platforms supporting 3D reconstruction projects have to meet technical requirements dedicated to creation and interoperation in the same time as they have to track individual workflows and to assist scientific customs and cooperation strategies. Based on observations from various 3D reconstruction projects, this article will highlight typical phenomena and practical strategies related to data and knowledge management and suggest implications for a design of virtual libraries and platforms.

Europe is diverse and complex – and its built cultural heritage reflects this. Millions of buildings, archaeological sites and city centres exist from Podsreda Castle in Slovenia to the historic core of Bilbao, Spain. This is one of Europe’s many strengths; however this diversity and complexity make the management of information concerning these resources a difficult task. In order to better manage Europe’s Cultural Heritage it is necessary to understand the current state of information systems and how they are used. To meet these aims four streams were researched in the framework of the European project EU-CHIC. This research offered a better understanding of how current systems are used, who uses them, how they function and what are the future research needs of the field. This in turn allows for better final recommendations for improvement in the management of Cultural Heritage. The four streams are: Government officials and decision makers, Professional end-users of information systems, Existing research and Future research priorities of information systems development and implementation. This paper describes the methodology of obtaining information from each stream, the final results and possible perspectives of further implementation, development and research into data management information systems and thus into integrated management approach to cultural heritage preservation.

An influential effect of IT to museums and other Cultural Content owners organizations is the digitization of collections and in general their content. In this paper, a framework for distribution and commercialization of cultural content is proposed extending an earlier work of the authors. In this work, the framework has been upgraded to include features that protect the cultural content purchased online, to be freely distributed among users through p2p networks or file transfer or copy/paste, etc. The framework utilizes cryptographic algorithms, hash functions, block ciphers and computer’s static and unique parameters/properties. The first are used for continuous hashing and digest matching of the database’s contents for quality assurance. The block ciphers are used to enable on-line selling, through encryption of digital objects. The computer’s static and unique parameters are used to ensure the customer identity and content-distribution legibility. The system’s architecture that implements the above framework is presented and explained. This work illustrates a novel approach that utilize cryptographic and security techniques for secure distribution of Cultural Content.

This paper presents a complete methodology for HBIM generation based on NURBS derived from a set of point clouds. NURBS combined with profiles and anchor points allow one to model the shape of complex historical objects surveyed with laser scanning techniques. As NURBS are mathematical functions defined through mathematical vectors, they can be converted into BIM objects in order to add semantic information.

M3art database contains data about colours behaviour in VIS and NIR spectral bands. The database is open, publicly available and should serve as the knowledge base for further study of optical properties of pigments, drawing materials and canvases. The content of database consists of FORS and digital camera data collected in range 400-1050nm. Measurements were made on up to three layer samples composed of canvas, underdrawing and colour layers. The colorants were selected to represent historical painting techniques in Gothic and Renaissance According to underdrawing acquisition ability four material categories were established.

In archaeology, the intensive application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) with their specialized capabilities in analysing spatial objects and relations, is hampered by the data particularities. Consequently, the idea arises to develop a comprehensive four-dimensional (4D,

i.e.

3D and time) GIS tailored to archaeology, which would facilitate simultaneously handling the spatial and temporal dimensions. This paper endeavours to propose a methodological framework for the development of such a 4D archaeological GIS. This methodology is centred on the usability of the system and therefore integrates a methodology based on human cognition and the approach of the user-centred design cycle. The proposed framework consists of three pillars: (i) the user-oriented, (ii) data-oriented and (iii) analysis-oriented pillar.

Taiwanese indigenous people have abundant cultural identities. Unfortunately, this precious intangible cultural heritage is fading away due to migration and urbanization. This study aims to (1) explore folk dances of these people in order to preserve the dances in digital form, (2) describe those dances by symbolic features extracted for classification, (3) compare results from interdisciplinary studies to help understand social structures among Taiwanese indigenous people. This study showed the basis-step dance classification and the correlation between other disciplines; the correlation of dance relates to language closer than to genetics. The classification described in this paper could serve as the basis for a study of observation of ethnic cultural correlations.

Motion capture (mocap) technology is an efficient method for digitizing art-performances, and it is becoming a popular method for the preservation and dissemination of dances. However, stylistic variations of human motion are difficult to measure and cannot be directly extracted from the motion capture data itself. In this work, we present a framework based on Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) that aims to identify style qualities in motion and provides a mechanism for motion indexing using the four LMA components (

Body

,

Effort

,

Shape

,

Space

), which can also be subsequently used for intuitive motion retrieval. We have designed and implemented a prototype motion search engine in which users can perform queries using motion clips in a folk dance database. Results demonstrate that the proposed method can be used in place, or in combination with text-based queries, to enable more effective and flexible motion database search and retrieval.

This paper presents the Indiana Ontology for modeling the knowledge about Mount Bego’s rock art and its exploitation in the IndianaMAS project. Although many projects use ontologies for semantic processing of cultural heritage digital objects, we are not aware of such ontologies in the rock art domain. Also, the Indiana Ontology is fully and seamlessly integrated with the IndianaMAS framework components, namely the intelligent software agents and the Digital Library used to classify and store multimedia and multilingual objects, thus making the IndianaMAS framework a good representative of an advanced and innovative information management system for the cultural heritage domain.

Looting and theft of cultural property has been a problem for decades. While there are no exact figures, some agencies suggest it is a criminal industry grossing in the billions annually. Documentation is an essential and key component to finding lost or stolen cultural property and in establishing ownership in a court of law. However, the data on cultural heritage is locked up in data silos making it exceptionally difficult to search, locate, and obtain reliable documentation. Through an advancement of the Semantic Web, called Linked Open Data (LOD), walls can disappear and the potential for a global database on cultural heritage becomes possible. We will introduce and demonstrate how LOD is produced and point to new tools such as Karma that can handle conversion of large quantities of cultural heritage data to LOD. With LOD and a tool like Karma we can establish bridges across repositories of information and simplify access to cultural heritage information that in the long term could help protect cultural property from looting and theft.

Automatic enrichment of metadata is one option for digital libraries to add multilingual terms to their resources. Adding links to external vocabularies further contextualizes the metadata in a linked data environment. This paper reports on a case study using the digital library Europeana, which implements this type of automatic contextualization and enrichment strategy. A group of content and metadata experts analyzed seven datasets in Europeana and evaluated the successes and challenges of the implemented enrichment strategy. For each of the three enrichment process stages (analysis, linking and augmentation), common problems and errors were identified. The paper further categorizes the enrichment challenges by original cause and describes consequences of the enrichment errors for the user interactions within digital libraries. Results serve as best practice examples for analyzing enrichment challenges and provide insights and recommendations for other large digital libraries implementing similar enrichment or contextualization strategies.

In this indirect augmented reality system we have reconstructed about 1 km of the Via Appia Antica with three time periods represented: 320 CE, 71 BCE, and 49 BCE. This situated simulation explores the notion of narrative movement and travel across space and time in a cultural heritage context. The transitions between the temporal phases are triggered by the users active repositioning on location. Included in the system is also a quiz consisting of verbal and image–based alternatives to a variety of questions related to the information provided in the virtual environments. We describe the main elements of the simulation, its technical solution and production, as well as the feedback from real users testing on location. We close with a reflection on the multimodal quiz and how it relates to memory and learning.

To populate real, ancient cultural heritage sites with low-cost, mobile virtual augmentations has been a demand from cultural professionals established long time ago. In this work we aim to address this demand by introducing three main novelties: a) employing an open, cross-platform mobile framework for 3D virtual character rendering & animation based on open standards b) for outdoors life-size augmented reality simulations c) and enhancing the performance of these simulations by introducing a geometric algebra animation interpolation method adapted for mobile devices.

For interactive 3D visualisation of textured landscape and architecture models, which were created at the HafenCity University Hamburg as 3D CAD models or triangle meshes, the modern game engine Unity is used. Textured models and point clouds are presented in a viewer application so that the user can navigate as in a virtual world of a computer game. The point of view is interactively chosen by the user to access the model in a virtual walk through. Low-cost-system components such as 3D monitors are used for the stereoscopic display of the objects. By using a smart phone app, the device becomes a head mounted display to create an even more immersive exploration of the data. The inertial sensors of the phone are used for the tracking of the head. In order to control movements of the virtual point of view different controls are used. The controls are taken from classical game consoles or from “off the shelf” PC accessories. In the developed software the following navigation controllers can be used: Sony Dualshock3, Nintendo WiiMote & Nunchuk, Microsoft Kinect, Leap Motion, XSens MTi. At the moment the software processes meshed models in FBX format, while the point cloud data is imported using the ASCII coded PLY format (XYZRGB) and processed on the basis of DirectX 11.

Augmented reality is a rapidly evolving technology that enriches reality with computer generated information as well as a powerful tool that provides innovative ways of information access at cultural heritage sites. In this paper, an augmented reality application that allows the visualization of a part of the Middle Stoa in the Ancient Agora of Athens is presented. Users of this application, pointing their tablet PC at the present situation, have the opportunity to see what this building looked like in ancient times, as its three dimensional model is displayed on the camera view of their device, projected on the modern-day ruins.

Cultural Heritage is always a project (even in reference to the past) and could be specifically expressed in the form and manner of the use of display interfaces for the visualization and documentation located by heritage sites. in fact, well-established techniques of visual representation in the history of visual media are part of our Cultural Heritage as well: from drawings to movies, and including the form of iconographic atlases. The legacy of these practices of representation can be embodied by augmented reality devices in the heritage sites: this approach requires a visual interface -and the order of its interactions- to be organized through subsequent levels of spatial, morphological and semantic competence of its final user. Here we propose some guidelines for the design of an integrative display device conceived in connection with the case study of the

cité de l’ architecture et du patrimoine

in Paris, France.

Heritage conservation studies concerning how climate influences Asian cultural heritage are rare. The object of this study was to utilize the concept of heritage climatology together with a spatial analysis approach that includes respective climate parameter risks to cultural heritage sites. The study area, the island of Taiwan, is located between the Ryukyu isles in the north and the Philippine archipelagos in the south. It lies across the Tropic of Cancer, and its climate is influenced by the East Asian Monsoon. Northern and central Taiwan has a humid subtropical climate while most of southern Taiwan has a tropical monsoon climate. With nearly 300 hundred years of history, Taiwan displays much cultural diversity, which is the result of racial mingling of indigenous peoples, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, and Japanese since ancient times, leaving behind rich cultural heritage sites.

This study used different maps to gain information about potential climatic impact on Taiwan’s cultural heritage and landscape. There are four kinds of map that use ArcGIS to analyze and demarcate regions not only by climate parameters but also by risk to heritage. These four types of map are climate maps, heritage climate maps, heritage maps and heritage risk maps. By comparison of our field study results and heritage risk maps, we found that in northeastern areas of this island wooden materials of heritage have a higher risk of structural cracking, color fading and bio-degradation, while northern part, central and southern mountainous areas have a higher risk of weathering of stone materials. In addition, metal materials in southern Taiwan have a high risk of corrosion due to air pollution and acid rain.

In traditional buildings thermal comfort has been accomplished through the exploitation of passive strategies, i.e. natural ventilation and shading. This paper focuses on the investigation of natural ventilation in the vernacular architecture of Cyprus and on the documentation of the positive contribution of this strategy to the thermal comfort of the interior spaces of traditional shells. A typical traditional dwelling in the core of the semi-mountainous settlement of Kapedes was selected as a case study. For this purpose, a procedure of documenting the environmental data of the dwelling under study in different types of ventilation has been carried out, i.e. without any ventilation, with cross ventilation and with single-sided ventilation. This procedure was repeated in two different periods of the year (summer and autumn). The research indicates cross ventilation as the most effective type of natural ventilation, compared to the single-sided ventilation. Cross ventilation gives positive results in the improvement of the interior conditions during the summer (cooling period) and also contributes to the extension of the period of thermal comfort in the interior spaces of traditional dwellings.

Starting with an observation of a vast number of players, and a marked lack in the cultural heritage sector of a specific implementation plan to identify operational protocols and guidelines based on shared models, this paper aims to present the development of an open source software platform with the feature that it contains detailed information always updated and shareable concerning both the state of preservation of the buildings and the restriction and planning requirements situation of the frames of reference on which these assets stand on, for a complete valorisation of cultural heritage. This platform offers a tool designed to disseminate, as widely as possible, the data indispensable for promoting a more informed and active protection and valorisation policy of cultural heritage, both by administrators and those who in different ways operate in the cultural heritage sector. It also supplies integrated knowledge of the heritage asset and its context so that it becomes a factor of cultural, social and economic growth of the territorial system in which it is located. The methodological approach described, of the systemic kind, has allowed testing in two different contexts, the Regions of Lazio and Calabria, an operational model defined in an innovative setting for the preventive conservation and documentation of the architectural cultural heritage, to aid in the decision process for planning and regenerating landscapes and cultural sites.

We propose a workflow based on a combination of computed tomography, 3D images and 3D printing to analyse different archaeological material dating from the Iron Age, a weight axis, a helical piece, and a fibula. This workflow enables a preservative analysis of the artefacts that are unreachable because encased either in stone, corrosion or ashes. Computed tomography images together with 3D printing provide a rich toolbox for archaeologist work allowing to access a tangible representation of hidden artefacts. These technologies are combined in an efficient, affordable and accurate workflow compatible with Preventive archaeology constraints.

In this paper, we present the microwave-assisted synthesis and characterization of alkaline nanomaterials for the preservation of cultural heritage. Calcium and barium hydroxide nanomaterials suspended in aqueous as well as alcoholic medium were applied on different samples to check their effectiveness. The effect of treatment was measured using pH value and alkaline reserve test. The alkaline reserve test results indicate improvement in the alkaline buffer with significant reduction in acidity of the papers and improvement in pH value of the surfaces. Ethanol was found as best solvent on the basis of suspension of nanoparticles, pH value and ease of application through spray gun. Accelerated ageing test revealed that the reinforcement effect of these nanomaterials persisted throughout the ageing. All the results converged in individuating these nanometric particles as an innovative, completely compatible, and efficient material for the consolidation of old and new paper surfaces.

Improving the quality of life in remote communities is directly related to the survival and enhancement of their culture, built heritage and landscapes. Conservation of these places creates a spirit of home while interlinking generations including diaspora to connect them to their past to reinforce a sense of belonging. But these unique places and their values are extremely fragile thus must be identified, recorded (digitally) and vigorously protected. Successful rural development aids in this protection and is a process that aims to improve the quality of life though helping people set their own priorities through effective and inclusive involvement, improving local capacity, social services

as well as

culture

. However, rural development that does not address culture, the built environment or landscape risks damaging the community, its values and sustainability.

This paper describes the MAXICULTURE methodology for the socio-economic impact assessment of the DigiCult domain and projects funded by the European Commission, including the development process and the implementation trajectory for the MAXICULTURE lifecycle. With the term DigiCult domain we refer to a specific research field of the European Commission in which projects investigate how ICT instruments and future development can be applied to the Cultural Heritage sector for improving access to digital cultural resources and the related user experience, in order to also increase the innovation, the growth of the domain and the interlink with Culture and Creativity industries. The MAXICULTURE methodology is presented here in its second revision while the final version will be made available at the end of the MAXICULTURE project after being tested with DigiCult projects. This document incorporates the feedback received from projects.

Constant technological progress results in new possibilities to produce reliable and rich spatial data of cultural heritage objects. In order to make optimal use of these capabilities, it is important to identify and name the information required to best serve the reasoning processes in these application fields. Correspondingly it is necessary to know about the characteristics of digitization techniques producing the content adapted to the needs of the applications. Due to the considerable complexity of instruments and processes producing the data, it is helpful to have a clear structure which relates the capabilities of the instruments to the requirements of the applications. This paper addresses this topic and shows a way of structuring spatial techniques as well as how this structure can be related to applications in the field of cultural heritage.

The integration of socio-economic aspects of heritage with innovative technologies for its documentation is progressively bringing the recording activities closer to heritage management and valorisation. This paper investigates the surveying and documentation phases of one of the most important monuments in Cyprus – the Monastery of St. Herakleidios in Politiko village, on the outskirts of the capital of Lefkosia. St. Herakleidios was the first Archbishop of Cyprus and his cult was very influential all throughout the island. With its frescos, St. Heraklideios church has inspired many byzantine artists that have decorated churches of Troodos Mountain, such as UNESCO protected Archangel Michael church and the church of Kalopanayotis village. This paper discusses the results of the survey conducted on the cave considered to be the tomb of St. Herakleidios and its church. New tendencies of surveying and modelling that could contribute to a better communication of heritage and to a more reflective society are discussed in the conclusion.

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is a cost-effective technique for archaeologists that can be used to survey large archaeological areas in relation to traditional methods. Since UAVs are capable of surveying archaeological areas from above, datasets derived on this platform can be used to generate accurate orthophotos, digital terrain models (DTMs) and can generate a variety of datasets that can be used to document and identify archaeological areas. In addition, various sensors can be added to the UAV platform including multi-spectral, infrared and thermal cameras. This paper provides a detailed presentation of the application of UAVs using a commercial high resolution camera and details post-processing techniques applied to generate an accurate orthophoto and DTM to be used to survey the archaeological site and its landscape. A total of 331 images generated from a UAV survey of a portion of the site of Curium in Cyprus are used to illustrate methods of site documentation and archaeological survey to identify buried remains.

The destructive nature of archaeological excavations and the spatial character of archaeological finds make 3D models valuable contributions to the documentation of archaeological information. Laser scanning allows highly accurate 3D reconstructions, but involves considerable costs and expert knowledge. Therefore, photo modelling could be considered as a useful alternative. In this paper, we will demonstrate on the one hand the cost-efficiency and the consequent time-efficiency of the technique and on the other hand its (sub-decimeter) accuracy. Furthermore, the possibilities and advantages of motorized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and helium balloons as airborne platform for image acquisition are shown. For this purpose, a case study is performed at the Mayan archaeological site of Edzna (Mexico). Using the Structure from Motion (SfM) and Multi-View Stereo (MVS) algorithm, terrestrial and aerial photographic recordings are processed into the final 3D models. For the quality assessment the photographic recordings are supplemented with topographic measurements.

The castle of Coatfrec is a medieval castle in Brittany constituting merely a few remaining ruins currently in the process of restoration. Beyond its great archeological interest, it has become, over the course of the last few years, the subject of experimentation in digital archeology. Methods of 3D scanning were implored in order to gauge comparisons between the remaining structures and their absent hypothetical ones, resulting in the first quantitative results of its kind. This paper seeks to introduce the methods which carried out said research, as well as to present the subsequent results obtained using these new digital tools.

The design of virtual tools allows to create new ways of fruition in the immaterial web dimension, and to apply multimedia languages in real cultural sites.The historical investigation, instrumental geometrical survey and restitution with spherical photos carried out in the Sanctuary of Santa Maria in San Celso in Milan is described. Aim of the research was the enhancement of an artistic heritage often not sufficiently known, in the belief that three-dimensional reconstructions are now an essential tool of technical-scientific knowledge as well as an attractive form of visualization and dissemination to the public.

The Lençóis Project began in 2004 as an architectural documentation project for the historic site of Lençóis located in Chapada Diamantina region in Bahia State (Brazil). It has generated a huge multimedia database that plays a vital role for the conservation and restoration of the buildings, to preserve the memory of this heritage. In order to achieve best results a set of digital technologies is required. As this project has no specific subvention or grants, the use of low cost digital technologies, mainly Spherical Digital Photogrammetry, was welcome. The survey, carried out in 2013, and was used to update the documentation about

Avenida 7 de Setembro

and the

Prefeitura Municipal

.

The position of the Sardinia Island made it the crossing point of many cultural and political events, but at the same time its isolation has favored the manifestation unique Cultural Heritage phenomena. The network of the Romanesque churches disseminated all around this island clearly shows how an architectural language can be declined. On the bases of different architectural characteristics and petrophysical features of lithologies used, 18 significant churches have been chosen from the different medieval geographical-political areas of the Sardinia named “Giudicati”. Each of these were surveyed with the following methods: photography, 3D Laser Scanner for the whole interior and exterior parts, photogrammetry of a selected set of stone surface samples, direct sampling of representative rocks for geochemical and petrophysical analysis. All data were then treated and analyzed to deepen the knowledge about the most meaningful aspects of different construction techniques and use of materials, provenance of raw geomaterials, stone alterations and structure decay As the result, a base was created to read common behaviors, design choices, recursive constructive solutions, and the “models” guiding the ancient intentions. This contribution will present the progress state of this research and its results.

This paper presents a project on one of the very significant historical landmarks of Ottoman Culture and the most-visited touristic place in Istanbul, Dolmabahce Palace. In this project, a very famous public symbol gate, Saltanat Gate, is chosen with its historical and complex architecture to be reconstructed in 3D digital format by using various scanning techniques and computer graphics. In this paper, the overall process for 3D reconstruction of the gate is described along with a touch-screen based 3D rendering system. Various techniques are used to capture 3D point clouds from many different angles, to generate detailed surface meshes and to handle technical challenges, such as missing points, high resolution data acquisition and vibration at high positions.

This paper deals with the problem of surveying Architectural Perspectives, generally painted in a 1:1 scale, which represent illusory spaces, enlarging the hosting real spaces. In particular, we intend to propose a method of survey, applicable to the case of painted surfaces in general; this method allows us to achieve high-resolution images with a large information content that gives us detailed information on the colours and on the painting construction signs, in addition to the metric data. For this purpose, we tested image-based integrated survey techniques, which aim, on the one hand, at the construction of three-dimensional virtual models through consolidated image-based modelling techniques, on the other at the construction of high resolution images that have metric valence.

Karstic landscape is a specific heritage, where surface and underground are part of single landscape. Where underground (caves, shafts...) played an important role in the development of surface. Landscape where natural an anthropogenic processes worked hand in hand. Caves were often treated as being separate from the outside landscape, recorded in isolation form landscape which they are part of. However, this complex heritage requires integrative methodologies, that would integrate cave record with the landscape.

The Wanshan petroglyphs are a unique and valuable cultural heritage of Taiwan bearing spiral, concentric-circular and human motifs and patterns associated with Rukai tribal legends and myths. Located in sparsely populated mountains in south Taiwan, the petroglyphs have been well preserved and a simulation was created by integrating various digital technologies, including 3D laser scanning, 3D point cloud modelling, 360-degree interactive panoramic imaging and 3D virtual reality creating. The integral application of technologies allows not only the cultural values of the practically inaccessible heritage to be delivered to the general public but also the research outcomes to be used as groundwork for future cultural heritage preservation and educational outreach.

In the last few decades various conceptual models, methods and techniques have been studied to allow 3D digital access to Cultural Heritage (CH). Among these is BIM (Building Information Modeling): originally built up for construction projects, it has been already experimented in the CH domain, but not enough in the archaeological field. This paper illustrates a framework to create 3D archaeological models integrated with databases using BIM. The models implemented are queryable by the connection with a Relational Database Management System and sharable on the web. Parametric solid and semantic models are integrated with 3D standardized database models that are finally manageable in the public cloud. The BIM application’s work-flow here described has been experimented on the Roman structures inside the Crypt of St. Sergius and Bacchus Church (Rome). The experiment has highlighted capabilities and limitations of BIM applications in the archaeological domain.

Among the actions developed in order to submit the Bologna porticoes ensemble to World heritage sites of UNESCO, there is a platform conceived for on-line accessing the huge amount of data and resources related to the porticoes. The core of platform will consist of reality-based high quality 3D models usable and navigable within the system as main user interface. The paper describes methods, procedures and best practices developed to implement the digital archive with checked uniform quality and consistency reality-based 3D digital models.

The cosmological nature of Islamic architecture makes it a useful case study for the capability of the adaptation, assimilation and accommodation with the development of evolutionary algorithms and their applications in architectural design. Genetic algorithm derives its structure from the observation of nature. Since algorithmic art consists of generation of images on the basis of algorithms, algorithms can be viewed as a notation, and notation is something that music has but visual artifacts in general miss. This paper aims to discover the role of evolutionary algorithms in historical Islamic architecture. Also, we shall try to investigate the way in which the future development could occur not only through the discovery of new facts or theories, but also through the rise and dissemination of new visions having different explanation of Islamic architecture that considers it as a result of serious application of formation through evolutionary genetic algorithm.

The Mother Church of San Cataldo (Sicily) has always been affected by structural problems, today still evident. Established in an area characterized by a geological heterogeneity it was over time subjected to restoration work that caused additional weakness. The study carried by the authors of this paper has allowed experimentally use 3D laser scanning to support the analysis of decays and structural damages of this monumental masonry construction, combined and integrated with the essential historical research and the visual observation. The precise identification of building diseases and especially of the causes that determine their occurrence is an inevitable prerequisite for the definition of restoration work targeted and mutually cooperating to the preservation of cultural heritage for the sake of future generations.

To commemorate the 500

th

anniversary of the birth of John Calvin, the International Museum of the Reformation, Geneva has organized an exhibition entitled "A Day in the Life of John Calvin". MIRALab has simulated in 3D the Reformer in his familiar surroundings and activities; this helped foster a better understanding of his life, in the manner of a documentary film. How do we represent this emblematic figure in the context of the XXI century when almost nothing left of the iconographic testimonies? This question raises the major challenge existing in 3D reconstruction of tangible and intangible cultural heritage artefacts. The main difficulty is to obtain a 3D representation which accurately reflects and respects the character built upon the collective memory. In this paper, we focus on the 3D simulation of a mythic figure of the reformer -era based on the convergence of various historical data. As a result, we provide 3D scenes depicting key moments of a day in the life of John Calvin.

The meSch project, Material Encounters with Digital Cultural Heritage, has the goal of designing, developing and deploying tools for the creation of tangible interactives that will connect the physical experience of heritage with relevant digital cross-media information in novel ways. A wealth of digital cultural heritage content is available in on-line repositories and archives, but is used in a limited way and through rather static modes of delivery. meSch enables heritage professionals to create physical artifacts enriched by digital content without the need for specialised technical knowledge. The approach adopted is grounded on principles of co-design, the broad participation of designers, developers and stakeholders into the process, and on a Do-It-Yourself philosophy to making and experimentation. The ambition of the project is to enable the creation of an open community of cultural heritage institutions driving and sharing a new generation of physical/digital museum interactives.

Through PLAYHIST experiment we want to prove that “Learning by playing” concept is valid for history museums and cultural centers on the terms of Cultural Heritage. Our main purpose with this project is the transformation of an interactive film about Ancient Greece into an interactive and collaborative serious game over the environment of Tholos (a 3D, dome shaped Virtual Reality theatre/museum with 130 seats) in the Foundation of the Hellenic World of Athens (Greece). With this approach shift we want to demonstrate that introducing gamification concept in historical contents improve visitor’s learning way in this fields.

Another challenge of the project is the development and integration of a broad range of software to provide experimenters with powerful instrumented capabilities right across the Future Media Internet landscape. These capabilities have been collected into five areas: experiment, social, audio visual, pervasive and 3D contents.

And finally, the metrics that we use for testing that “learning by playing” -in the context of a cultural center or a history museum provides a better understanding of an historical subject- are Quality of Experience and Quality of Learning. These metrics will be gathered by the components of the project and different questionnaires.

This paper presents user interaction modules of a recent digital cultural heritage conservation and exploration project concerning two important museums: Istanbul Archeology Museum and the Museum of Dolmabahçe Palace Collections in Istanbul. The project aims at enriching the visitor experience through modern digital technologies. Main modules include 3D scanning of the artifacts, information screen and mobile interaction with Augmented Reality.3D scanning task includes capturing the accurate 3D geometry of the target artifacts. Information screen enables users to browse the museum catalogue with multimedia content which results in easier and enjoyable learning while keeping a stronger visitor engagement. Mobile module relies on visual computing applied to camera images of a mobile device to locate the artifacts in the scene and lay artificial tags/markers on the screen. The result is a more natural and flexible method to interact with historical artifacts.

This paper addresses management issues in a multifaceted archaeological project, using a web-based archive system with a 3D user interface. The diverse specialties needed for driving the surveys and restoration work at the archaeological project and the fact that the team is composed of people of different nations means work may progress asynchronously, which can result in a failure to maintain the communications needed to ensure that everyone and everything is kept up to date. A mechanism is desirable for the spontaneous updating, accumulating and sharing of information on findings to better enable frequent discussions. The proposed system generates a 3D virtual copy of the field site that a user may explore and embed information by making an association with a physical object at a site over the Internet. Here we present the implementation scheme of the proposed system based on an on-going project at Mastaba Idout in Saqqara, Egypt.

This paper presents a user evaluation related to the overall experience of a number of volunteers obtained by visiting two virtual museums populated with digitized Cypriot cultural heritage/art items using different virtual reality display systems. The two virtual museums used are replicas of an engraving museum and a virtual Byzantine icons museum. During the experiment visitors were able to use a Head Mounted Display or a stereoscopic Powerwall projection in order to obtain an immersive 3D experience. The results of the user evaluation indicate that both ways of presenting the museum received an equal usability score among the users but at the same time a number of drawbacks of each method were indicated. The findings of the research are crucial in enabling the use of a user-centered design process approach to improve the prototypes and develop virtual experiences for additional museums. The ultimate aim of our approach is to develop applications that showcase Cypriot Cultural Heritage in a way that attracts visitors to visit the original museums.

Risk management has been an important trend for the conservation of cultural properties (CH) in recent years. However, the disaster prevention framework or tools researched by experts are somewhat difficult for the general public to understand. As a result, it causes problems in implementation. The establishment of an effective communication platform is a solution to this problem.

This research takes the 1000-year-old Quing-Lin settlement in Kinmen Island as an example using GIS as a platform for the communication of risk management. Firstly, we surveyed the value (tangible, intangible) and risk indicators of the village. After all results were put in the GIS system, we communicated with the stakeholders to obtain a preliminary agreement. Secondly, based on the self-rescue concept, a proposed risk management plan was conferred and adjusted after discussion with the community.

The public will understand the basic principles more by advertising the concept. GIS platform is able to deliver messages more accurately so that effective interaction can be achieved.

For international trends and activities pointing out, the conservational activation and adding values of cultural heritage are currently concerning issues in the world. The significant topics of universal values are integration, multi-participation and resource sharing. This project has analyzed current necessary of management system of cultural heritage in Taiwan. Kinmen, a potential location for applying registration of World Heritage, is an example of system manipulation for 3 phases of cultural heritage lifecycle which are registration, restoration and maintenance management. The project also represents the laws of Taiwan cultural heritage and concepts of World Heritage on a platform by Metadata planning and G.I.S management.

In the light of current developments in Information Communication Technologies, this paper presents three case studies of the usage of geo-information technologies concerning the management and recovery of historical built heritage. With reference to the experiences of the authors in Sardinia, Italy the first example reports on the impact of the Regional Spatial Data Infrastructure to the safeguard of historical built heritage in urban and regional landscape planning. The second example reports on the use of Geographic Information Systems in historical centres redevelopment. The third example deals with the development of a web-based knowledge base on the earth architectural heritage aimed at supporting its recovery and reuse. Some conclusive remarks outline the role of authoritative and volunteered sources of information in the domain of historical built heritage.

This paper presents studies for the evaluation of a system enhancing the relations and cooperation among stakeholders in CH environment. The proposal is supported by a spatial information system managing the knowledge concerning conservation conditions of architectural assets. The key strength of the system is the engagement of different stakeholders, ranging from the municipalities or other public or private owner, taking on the responsibility of the maintenance of the heritage, to the subjects who promote the heritage safeguard taking part on the financial costs.

The system is based on the use of open source tools for both spatial and no-spatial data (QuantumGIS, PostgreSQL); it especially point on a tested images databases as a leading element for sharing knowledge, and in some other spatial analysis tools for spotting adjacent areas of CH assets. The images geoereferenced repository collects different aimed images including the ones acquired to generate 3D dense models with low–cost techniques.

The MUDI project, the restoration works for the new

Museo degli Innocenti

in Florence, is one of the most advanced examples of the opportunities offered by the high accuracy of the digital morphometric survey technique for the development of investigation processes, monitoring procedures and restoration works in plans aimed at preservation, maintenance and rehabilitation of historical buildings and structures. The digitalization of the “geometric memory” of the Renaissance building by Brunelleschi offers new approaches to studying, documenting, preserving, managing and communicating the architecture and its contents, not least the artistic collections and historical archive. Starting from metric knowledge, integrated design and data management also allow new design and technological integration so as to enhance architectural spaces and accessibility; the

Museo degli Innocenti

is now an important example of a virtuous path towards the future of heritage conservation, enhancement and dissemination.

Underwater archaeological excavation represents a traumatic and essentially destructive event in the history of artefacts, especially organic, and its underwater context. Indeed, due to their fragility, organic archaeological materials from underwater sites can be challenging to excavate, support, raise and transport to conservation facilities. This is due to the inherent difficulties of working underwater (limited time and potentially harsh conditions) and in particular the crucial stage of lifting artefacts from the seabed to the surface where mechanical damage can easily occur. Block lifting of fragile archaeological materials is a useful procedure often adopted on land excavations and allows the collection of information which could be irretrievably lost during more rapid excavation. This procedure could be used with success to recover fragile objects on an archaeological underwater excavation thanks to the new materials and techniques tested and adopted in the SASMAP project (http://sasmap.eu) as will be discussed.

Vernacular architecture constitutes an important part of the cultural heritage of each country. This paper deals with the creation of a digital database including all the traditional settlements and dwellings of Cyprus, which is a part of a research programme funded by the University of Cyprus. This database constitutes the first all encompassing effort for the inclusion of all the available data of the traditional settlements of the island in a digital form. The object of the research programme is the creation of a multiple database with the inclusion of architectural and town planning elements of traditional settlements, environmental comfort conditions and social and economic data. The research of vernacular architecture that can be carried out through this database can help towards its preservation and reuse leading to a more sustainable development of the built environment.

In contemporary digital art computer technology plays an integral part not only in the creation of art pieces but also in their functioning as art works. Such digital art works have usually a performative or interactive character and therefore rely on an underlying working computer system. Since computer and information technology advances with such unrelenting pace, hardware and software modules soon become obsolete. How to preserve such digital art works in these circumstances from a art conservation standpoint is much debated but not clear yet. In this article we present and discuss issues in the conservation of digital art works using a case study of a ten years old interactive art installation.

This paper analyses the examples of the Maga, Oponoho and Dona settlements (the “Lower Three Settlements”) of the Rukai tribe to discuss changes in indigenous settlement spaces in response to the impact of an external culture. This study observes the actual spatial changes of the Maga, Oponoho and Dona settlements from the time Japanese police were stationed there, in terms of scale of facilities, policy promotion and geographical location. Furthermore, the study discusses the factors that caused differences in the degree and nature of these changes. The results provide an insight into spatial changes of indigenous settlements during the Japanese colonial era.

This paper presents work performed at the northeastern tip of the Yucatan peninsula aiming to assist in the preservation planning for the 16th century church at Ecab. The main goal of the presented work was to accurately document the existing site using non-destructive methodologies in order to perform visual and structural diagnostics off-site. The non-destructive methods used in the two day documentation of the church were 3D laser scanning, stereo panoramas, high-resolution imagery, aerial photography and thermal imaging. Documenting the current state of health is extremely important, and the data acquired can also inform plans for protection and preservation of cultural patrimony. The scope of this project was aimed towards the structural diagnosis and preservation of a historical monument, but the implications of combining all of these diagnostic methodologies reach much farther into the realm of historical, archaeological and anthropological analyses.

In this paper, several case studies will be presented in which calibration method of FEM models via structural natural frequencies identified onsite were applied. We can expect reliable analysis results from the well-calibrated model. Calibration is required to make the model, which includes, at least indirectly, any imperfection that exists in the structure, and which cannot be registered in any other way. Possibilities of structural health monitoring will be shown also, by comparing the natural frequencies obtained by measurements at different times: before, during and after the structural rehabilitation. This method is not omnipotent, so, except for the advantages, we shall show limitations of method related to the type of structure, weather conditions and other. Our experience with low-rise structures with great stiffness will be compared with the published experience of other authors.

At the beginning of the Patriotic War, the dome and tambour of the cathedral were damaged by several shells of anti-aircraft cannon during enemy action against Croatia in the year 1991. The cathedral was enlisted in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2001. In this paper, researches and analyses conducted before drafting the project of renovation of the dome will be presented. In addition, it will give the basic information on the cathedral, war damage and renewal work.

Development and conservation are key issues in cultural heritage management. This paper focuses on the emblematic heritage landscapes’ management practice in west and east, on the basis of field interviews, interpretation of oral history records, archives and secondary literature as well as relevant cartographic analysis; it explores the unavoidable impact caused by the Heritage Site designation on heritage landscape, people, and its intangible or tangible culture. It demonstrates the relationship between the cultural landscape and the people who reside there and some of the core issues for local communities and heritage managers and concludes that such “defined places” should have a sustainable relationship between people’s lives in their developing home place and the heritage designation, rational understanding is needed to evaluate sustainable conservation and development in such heritage landscapes.

X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy was performed to characterize pigment materials in a preliminary study of two mural paintings in the Catacombs of San Giovanni. XRF was one non-invasive, analytical technique employed as part of a comprehensive examination, which also included multispectral imaging and 3D modeling. XRF analysis contributed towards a better idea of the materials present, but definitive assignments for the pigments were not possible. The murals show some signs of degradation products including a calcium sulfate surface encrustation, and a bluish-black copper based pigment, which we suspect is the degradation of azurite into tenorite.

The aim of the

Chamera di percezione

is to amplify the perception of the work of art by triggering an experiential relationship to integrate the aesthetic-historic-philological studies relating to the artistic product and its genesis, directing attention at the response of the observer in relation to the aesthetic experience. The project proposes a “magic box” in which large-format high-definition images of Raphael’s

Madonna of the Goldfinch

are projected, making it possible to penetrate the painting while also revealing the recent restoration process. The approach to the

Chamera di percezione

is modelled in a crescendo, in images and sequences linked to the different levels. Planes of reading are overlaid, offering multiple possibilities of access to the art work. In this way, each person can pursue the approach best suited to their own inclinations.

The paper presents the outcomes of a regional project funded by the European Commission, aiming at identifying new strategies in the management and access of historical industrial archives. The study addresses different issues concerning the access to digital archives, such as data search and browsing. The paper focuses on data browsing proposing a semantic framework to support the different users’ communities in the exploration of industrial archives, based on two main components: a knowledge model of the archive content formalised in an ontology and a visual browsing module, which exploits ontology and visual exploration tools to facilitate the navigation of the archive content.

The objective of the planned project is to adapt a recent graph matching framework developed by the applicant to the problem of keyword spotting. The overall question to be answered is whether or not graph based representation and especially graph matching techniques can be beneficially employed for keyword spotting. For testing this novel keyword spotting framework, the Miroslav Gospels will be used. Miroslav Gospels is a 362-page illuminated manuscript Gospel Book on parchment with very rich decorations, which was inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in recognition of its historical value. It is one of the oldest surviving documents written in Old Church Slavonic. We plan to make the extracted word graphs from the Miroslav Gospels publicly available for further developments in graph based keyword spotting.

Through case studies, we discuss design considerations for implementing an interactive DigiLog Book which provides the aesthetic feeling of analog books and the digitalized multisensory feedbacks by exploiting augmented reality (AR) technology. Specifically, we explain the following design considerations in planning and implementing DigiLog Books on storytelling, education, and cultural heritage: 1) conceptual design to effectively convey historical, cultural and artistic, or educational values to the reader, 2) AR contents and book design to highlight the unique characteristics of DigiLog Books, and 3) interaction design to naturally conduct input and output functions of DigiLog Books as a tangible AR interface. Through these design considerations, the reader will better understand contents of DigiLog Books and derive more interesting experiences from their use. Finally, we discuss the value of DigiLog Books as an aesthetical digital communication media and its future directions. Our considerations and discussion could be useful for guiding the design and implementation of new print media.

This research and educational project aimed to create an interactive website featuring virtual 3-D walkthroughs of three buildings from the ancient city of Marion in Polis Chrysochous, Cyprus. The earliest structure dates from the Cypro-Geometric period (10th–9th century

bce

) and the latest was destroyed in 312

bce

in the early Hellenistic period. The project builds on models presented at EuroMed 2012 and aims to complement a long-term exhibition on Cyprus and presentation on the web. In a joint Computer Science and Art and Archaeology seminar at Princeton University in the spring of 2014, three groups of students created reconstructions and populated them with 3-D scanned objects. Each group proposed a visual metaphor that conveys un-certainty and phasing in these 3-D visualizations and created an online concept for manipulating the models. Scholars and the public can experiment with and learn from these visual recreations that are consistent with archaeological data.

The findings of prehistoric logboats, dugout canoes and other vessels all over the world mark the beginning of shipbuilding and transportation traditions. The part of this important world heritage landscape is also Ljubljansko barje. This great story of transportation on water, which is closely linked to man’s traditional coexistence with water and his life in aquatic environments, has a strong symbolic meaning since the vast majority of humanity lives near the seas, lakes and rivers. In the general story of shipping traditions, shipbuilding and vessel typology in the framework of world heritage, the simple prehistoric vessels as logboats, canoe, basket boats, reed boats, bamboo rafts, etc. are, have not been paid enough attention so far, although they definitely deserve it, as they represent the origins of the mankind navigation tradition.

Increasingly, interest in the application of integrated ICT technologies to cultural heritage as well as the popularity of mobile devices, enable researchers to experiment with new strategies in order to enhance tangible and intangible heritage. This paper discusses the results of a research project carried out in collaboration between TekneHub, a laboratory of the Emilia-Romagna High Technologies Network, the creative enterprise Tryeco 2.0, the enterprise TechSigno and the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale of Ferrara. First, the study tested QR Code technology for the exploitation of museum collections. The research was based on the application of

Quality Function Deployment

(QFD), a user-centered design methodology which allows the most effective engagement strategies to be identified in relation to the behavior of the end users involved. Secondly, the study defined the level of interoperability between RFId technology, previously studied within the same museum, and QR Code technology.

This article describes a methodology (and a tool) to associate, in an automatic or semi-automatic way, multilingual specialist glossaries to tags stored in the AESS archive of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The main objective of this research, developed within projects performed with Italian Lombardy Region, is to link AESS TAGs with corresponding terms in MultiWordNet (MWN), AgroVoc or DBPedia, to help cataloguers to structure term correctly and to have right translations and good descriptions to insert them in AESS archive.

The paper addresses the question of what constitutes the basic documental unit in the domain of oral archives and stems from the digitizing and cataloguing experience of the

Gra.fo

project (SNS, UNISI & Regione Toscana). Considering the extremely high variety of archives collected in field research by linguists, anthropologists, ethno-musicologists, and amateurs, it aims at identifying a set of criteria that could help cataloguers in editing oral documents. Genre, aims, research protocol, and communicative context are the guide elements chosen for the definition of the documental unit, which may occasionally appear controversial, since audio documents can be contextless and not supported by accompanying material.

The amount of digitized cultural heritage in Europe continues to grow: the digitization activities have a positive impact on the society, by making the cultural heritage more accessible for the citizens, and by generating benefits to the content owners. Several questions arise about digitized cultural heritage: how can digital cultural data be re-used at best, what is the impact on society and how to preserve it in the long term? This paper offers an overview of EU projects that try to provide answers: EuropeanaPhotography, Europeana Space, RICHES, PREFORMA, Civic Epistemologies. The common key-words in order to guarantee the best results are in any case knowledge-sharing and networking.

This paper presents Europeana Cloud, a Best Practice Network coordinated by the Europeana Foundation, which aims at setting the foundations and building Europeana Research, a platform allowing third parties to develop tools and services based on Europeana content. Through a collaborative, user-centred and a mixed methods approach, we have tried to identify the needs of researchers in the fields of the Humanities and the Social Sciences, while attempting to actively engage various sub-disciplines in the course of our work.

The acquaintance of Museums and Cultural Heritage (CH) institutions with the digital age challenges is of no question a matter of survival. Nevertheless, the dialogue between CH and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) do not always lead to a harmonious symbiosis. Moreover, the question of if and how ICT could add value to collections, museums and cultural sites and enhance access and communication between stakeholders and users/visitors is a critical open question from many perspectives. In this paper we discuss the main types, obstacles, and benefits of such collaborations, based on interviews held with both CH stakeholders and technology providers, done in the frame of the European project eCultValue.

The revolutionary development in digital theory and technology calls for non-trivial decisions in bridging between the virtual and real worlds. The field of conservation of cultural heritage thus provides various challenges, especially with regards to learning, study and investigation of

tangible

heritage through applications of

intangible

ICT technologies. This paper examines the interaction between e-learning, and the actual on-site learning and study of historic buildings and sites, with an emphasis on their visual characteristics. In this context, the paper presents some aspects of application of a methodology which allows basic documentation, monitoring and primary analysis of data on cultural (built) heritage sites by general public through educational process enabled by an e-learning platform.