Virtual reality in theatre education and design practice - new developments and applications

The global use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has already established new approaches to theatre education and research, shifting traditional methods of knowledge delivery towards a more visually enhanced experience, which is especially important for teaching scenography. In this paper, I examine the role of multimedia within the field of theatre studies, with particular focus on the theory and practice of theatre design and education. I discuss various IT applications that have transformed the way we experience, learn and co-create our cultural heritage. I explore a suite of rapidly developing communication and computer-visualization techniques that enable reciprocal exchange between students, theatre performances and artefacts. Eventually, I analyse novel technology-mediated teaching techniques that attempt to provide a new media platform for visually enhanced information transfer. My findings indicate that the recent developments in the personalization of knowledge delivery, and also in student-centred study and e-learning, necessitate the transformation of the learners from passive consumers of digital products to active and creative participants in the learning experience

Parametric Surfaces for Augmented Architecture representation

Augmented Reality (AR) represents a growing communication channel, responding to the need to expand reality with additional information, offering easy and engaging access to digital data. AR for architectural representation allows a simple interaction with 3D models, facilitating spatial understanding of complex volumes and topological relationships between parts, overcoming some limitations related to Virtual Reality. In the last decade different developments in the pipeline process have seen a significant advancement in technological and algorithmic aspects, paying less attention to 3D modeling generation. For this, the article explores the construction of basic geometries for 3D model’s generation, highlighting the relationship between geometry and topology, basic for a consistent normal distribution. Moreover, a critical evaluation about corrective paths of existing 3D models is presented, analysing a complex architectural case study, the virtual model of Villa del Verginese, an emblematic example for topological emerged problems. The final aim of the paper is to refocus attention on 3D model construction, suggesting some "good practices" useful for preventing, minimizing or correcting topological problems, extending the accessibility of AR to people engaged in architectural representation

Knowledge Organization Systems (KOS) in the Semantic Web: A Multi-Dimensional Review

Since the Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS) specification and its SKOS eXtension for Labels (SKOS-XL) became formal W3C recommendations in 2009 a significant number of conventional knowledge organization systems (KOS) (including thesauri, classification schemes, name authorities, and lists of codes and terms, produced before the arrival of the ontology-wave) have made their journeys to join the Semantic Web mainstream. This paper uses "LOD KOS" as an umbrella term to refer to all of the value vocabularies and lightweight ontologies within the Semantic Web framework. The paper provides an overview of what the LOD KOS movement has brought to various communities and users. These are not limited to the colonies of the value vocabulary constructors and providers, nor the catalogers and indexers who have a long history of applying the vocabularies to their products. The LOD dataset producers and LOD service providers, the information architects and interface designers, and researchers in sciences and humanities, are also direct beneficiaries of LOD KOS. The paper examines a set of the collected cases (experimental or in real applications) and aims to find the usages of LOD KOS in order to share the practices and ideas among communities and users. Through the viewpoints of a number of different user groups, the functions of LOD KOS are examined from multiple dimensions. This paper focuses on the LOD dataset producers, vocabulary producers, and researchers (as end-users of KOS).Comment: 31 pages, 12 figures, accepted paper in International Journal on Digital Librarie

Serious Games in Cultural Heritage

Although the widespread use of gaming for leisure purposes has been well documented, the use of games to support cultural heritage purposes, such as historical teaching and learning, or for enhancing museum visits, has been less well considered. The state-of-the-art in serious game technology is identical to that of the state-of-the-art in entertainment games technology. As a result the field of serious heritage games concerns itself with recent advances in computer games, real-time computer graphics, virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence. On the other hand, the main strengths of serious gaming applications may be generalised as being in the areas of communication, visual expression of information, collaboration mechanisms, interactivity and entertainment. In this report, we will focus on the state-of-the-art with respect to the theories, methods and technologies used in serious heritage games. We provide an overview of existing literature of relevance to the domain, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the described methods and point out unsolved problems and challenges. In addition, several case studies illustrating the application of methods and technologies used in cultural heritage are presented

A Survey of Geometric Analysis in Cultural Heritage

We present a review of recent techniques for performing geometric analysis in cultural heritage (CH) applications. The survey is aimed at researchers in the areas of computer graphics, computer vision and CH computing, as well as to scholars and practitioners in the CH field. The problems considered include shape perception enhancement, restoration and preservation support, monitoring over time, object interpretation and collection analysis. All of these problems typically rely on an understanding of the structure of the shapes in question at both a local and global level. In this survey, we discuss the different problem forms and review the main solution methods, aided by classification criteria based on the geometric scale at which the analysis is performed and the cardinality of the relationships among object parts exploited during the analysis. We finalize the report by discussing open problems and future perspectives

Developing serious games for cultural heritage: a state-of-the-art review

Although the widespread use of gaming for leisure purposes has been well documented, the use of games to support cultural heritage purposes, such as historical teaching and learning, or for enhancing museum visits, has been less well considered. The state-of-the-art in serious game technology is identical to that of the state-of-the-art in entertainment games technology. As a result, the field of serious heritage games concerns itself with recent advances in computer games, real-time computer graphics, virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence. On the other hand, the main strengths of serious gaming applications may be generalised as being in the areas of communication, visual expression of information, collaboration mechanisms, interactivity and entertainment. In this report, we will focus on the state-of-the-art with respect to the theories, methods and technologies used in serious heritage games. We provide an overview of existing literature of relevance to the domain, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the described methods and point out unsolved problems and challenges. In addition, several case studies illustrating the application of methods and technologies used in cultural heritage are presented

Procedimiento HBIM para implementar el conocimiento histórico-constructivo. El caso de la Real Colegiata de San Isidoro (León, España)

[EN] The development of Historic Building Information Modelling (HBIM) focuses (among other uses) on the adaptation of the BIM methodology to the historical building’s features, as well as on increasing geometric accuracy and on model data enrichment. Regarding the first issue, it can be underlined, on the one hand, that historical buildings are the result of a sequence of transformations that take place throughout their whole history; they cannot be considered as unitary objects that have been created in a single moment. Therefore, they have a temporal sequence which can be understood as the essence of their evolving nature. On the other hand, historical architecture has different construction materials and techniques, with other kinds of features and pathological processes that are quite different from those of contemporary buildings. In this line, this study proposes a new workflow that allows outlining new criteria that include both the temporal sequence and the constructive features of historical buildings. For this purpose, the case study of the Real Colegiata of San Isidoro in León (Spain) has been considered. In order to create the model, several modelling strategies have been used to compare both the results and the time spent in this task. Then, the model has been divided into several parts, both in terms of constructive criteria and temporal stratification, and thus, the database and the implemented information have been organized following such essential aspects of the historical building. Finally, to provide an advanced and more efficient use of the information, customized queries have been created using Dynamo, allowing searching with combined criteria and the isolation and visualization of the resulting elements. This could be helpful for both research and conservation and management activities.Highlights:A comparison of modelling strategies applied to historical buildings taking into consideration their singularities and estimation of required times and benefits.The division and taxonomy of the model to incorporate both the temporal sequence and the constructive aspects, allowing enrichment of the HBIM model with customized parameters.The development of queries generated in Dynamo to allow customized and combined searches of data, optimizing the use of the database.[ES] El desarrollo del modelado de información de edificios históricos (HBIM) se ha centrado, entre otros aspectos, en la adaptación de la metodología BIM a las características específicas de la arquitectura histórica, en el aumento de la precisión geométrica y en el enriquecimiento de los datos relacionados con el modelo. En referencia al primer aspecto, podemos destacar que los edificios históricos se caracterizan por ser el producto de una secuencia de transformaciones que tienen lugar a lo largo de su historia, de modo que no pueden concebirse como objetos unitarios creados en un momento determinado, sino que incorporan una secuencia temporal que forma parte de su esencia evolutiva. Por otro lado, a diferencia de las edificaciones actuales, la arquitectura histórica emplea técnicas y materiales constructivos distintos con características y patología diferentes. En esta línea, el presente trabajo tiene como objetivo proponer un nuevo método de trabajo que permita incorporar la secuencia temporal y las características constructivas de los edificios históricos, centrándose en el caso de la Real Colegiata de San Isidoro, en León (España). Para ello, se han analizado y comparado varias estrategias de modelado, atendiendo fundamentalmente a los resultados obtenidos y al tiempo empleado en cada una de ellas. Posteriormente, el modelo se ha dividido en varias partes, teniendo en cuenta las características constructivas y la estratificación temporal y, de este modo, tanto la base de datos como la información implementada se han organizado en base a estos aspectos esenciales del edificio histórico. Finalmente, con la intención de permitir un uso avanzado y más eficiente de la información, se ha creado un sistema de consultas personalizadas con Dynamo, lo que permite la búsqueda basada en criterios combinados y la identificación y visualización de los elementos resultantes, lo cual podrá ser útil para las labores de investigación y de conservación.This research has been developed within the framework of the CampusWorld programme of the Università Politecnica delle Marche (Italy). The research is also partially framed in CIVITAS, Strategic research project of UNIVPM. The authors would like to thank the helpful collaboration of both the staff of the Museo de San Isidoro, as well as of the Servicio de Restauración of the Dirección General de Patrimonio Cultural of the Junta de Castilla y León for providing the access and some data of the analyzed building.Santoni, A.; Martín-Talaverano, R.; Quattrini, R.; Murillo-Fragero, JI. (2021). HBIM approach to implement the historical and constructive knowledge. The case of the Real Colegiata of San Isidoro (León, Spain). Virtual Archaeology Review. 12(24):49-65. https://doi.org/10.4995/var.2021.13661OJS49651224Achille, C., Fassi, F., Mandelli, A., Perfetti, L., Rechichi, F., & Teruggi, S. (2020). From a Traditional to a Digital Site: 2008-2019. The History of Milan Cathedral Survey. In B. Daniotti, M. Gianinetto, & S. Della Torre (Eds.), Digital Transformation of the Design, Construction and Management Processes of the Built Environment (pp. 331-341). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-33570-0_30Adami, A., Fassi, F., Fregonese, L., & Piana, M. (2018). Image-based techniques for the survey of mosaics in the St Mark's Basilica in Venice. Virtual Archaeology Review, 9(19), 1-20, https://doi.org/10.4995/var.2018.9087Aparicio Resco, P., & Figueiredo, C. (2017). El grado de evidencia histórico-arqueológica de las reconstrucciones virtuales: Hacia una escala de representación gráfica - The level of historical-archaeological evidence of virtual reconstructions: Towards a scale of graphical representation. Otras Arqueologías, 1. https://doi.org/10.23914/otarq.v0i1.96Apollonio, F. I., Gaiani, M., & Sun, Z. (2016). A Reality Integrated BIM for Architectural Heritage Conservation. Handbook of Research on Emerging Technologies for Architectural and Archaeological Heritage (pp. 31-65). IGI Global, Hershey. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-0675-1.ch002Banfi, F. (2017). BIM orientation: Grades of generation and information for different type of analysis and management process. International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, XLII-2/W5, 57-64. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-2-W5-57-2017Banfi, F., Brumana, R., & Stanga, C. (2019). Extended reality and informative models for the architectural heritage: from scan-to-BIM process to virtual and augmented reality. Virtual Archaeology Review, 10(21), 14-30. https://doi.org/10.4995/var.2019.11923Biagini, C., Capone, P., Donato, V., & Facchini, N. (2016). Towards the BIM implementation for historical building restoration sites. Automation in Construction, 71, 74-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.AUTCON.2016.03.003Bruno, N., & Roncella, R. (2019). HBIM for conservation: A new proposal for information modeling. Remote Sensing, 11(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11151751Brusaporci, S., Ruggeri, G., Maiezza, P., & Tata, A. (2018). AHBIM per l'analisi stratigrafica dell'architettura storica. Restauro Archeologico, 26(1), 112-131. https://doi.org/10.13128/RA-23463Caballero, L. (2010). Experiencia metodológica en Arqueología de la Arquitectura de un grupo de investigación. Instituto de Historia. CSIC. Madrid. In C. Martín Morales & E. De Vega (Eds.), Arqueología aplicada al estudio e intervención de edificios históricos. Últimas tendencias metodológicas, (pp. 103-120). Madrid: Ministerio de Cultura.Castellano-Román, M., & Pinto-Puerto, F. (2019). Dimensions and Levels of Knowledge in Heritage Building Information Modelling, HBIM: The model of the Charterhouse of Jerez (Cádiz, Spain). Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, 14, e00110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.daach.2019.e00110Felicetti, A., Murano, F., Ronzino, P., & Niccolucci, F. (2015). CIDOC CRM and epigraphy: A hermeneutic challenge. CEUR Workshop Proceedings, 1656, (pp. 55-68). CEUR-WS.Gargaro, S., Giudice, M. Del, & Ruffino, P. A. (2019). Towards a multi-functional HBIM model. SCIRES-IT - SCIentific RESearch and Information Technology, 8(2), 49-58. https://doi.org/10.2423/I22394303V8N2P49Iso Committee. (2019). UNI EN ISO 19650-1:2019 Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM) - Information management using building information modelling.Lerma, J. L., Navarro, S., Cabrelles, M., & Villaverde, V. (2010). Terrestrial laser scanning and close range photogrammetry for 3D archaeological documentation: the Upper Palaeolithic Cave of Parpalló as a case study. Journal of Archaeological Science, 37(3), 499-507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2009.10.011Lo Turco, M., Calvano, M., & Giovannini, E. C. (2019). DATA MODELING for MUSEUM COLLECTIONS. ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 42(2/W9), 433-440. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-2-W9-433-2019López, F. J., Lerones, P. M., Llamas, J., Gómez-García-Bermejo, J., & Zalama, E. (2018). A review of heritage building information modeling (H-BIM). Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, 2(2), 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/mti2020021Macher, H., Landes, T., & Grussenmeyer, P. (2017). From point clouds to building information models: 3D semi-automatic reconstruction of indoors of existing buildings. Applied Sciences, 7(10), 1030. https://doi.org/10.3390/app7101030Maietti, F., Di Giulio, R., Medici, M., Ferrari, F., Piaia, E., & Brunoro, S. (2019). Accessing and Understanding Heritage Buildings through ICT. The INCEPTION Methodology Applied to the Istituto degli Innocenti. International Journal of Architectural Heritage, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/15583058.2019.1683780Malinverni, E. S., Pierdicca, R., Paolanti, M., Martini, M., Morbidoni, C., Matrone, F., & Lingua, A. (2019). Deep learning for semantic segmentation of 3D point cloud. International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, XLII-2/W15, 735-742. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-2-W15-735-2019Marchetti, A., Redi, F., Savini, F., Trizio, I., & Giannangeli, A. (2017). La chiesa di San Cipriano a Castelvecchio Calvisio(AQ) nella Baronia di Carapelle: documentazione speditiva e analisi stratigrafica 3D del manufatto. Archeologia Dell'Architettura», XXII, 2017, 239-253.Martín-Talaverano, R., Murillo-Fragero, J. I., & Utrero-Agudo, M. (2021). Reflexiones y criterios relativos a la creación de modelos BIM de edificios históricos. Arqueología de la Arquitectura, 18.Murphy, M., McGovern, E., & Pavia, S. (2009). Historic building information modelling (HBIM). Structural Survey, 27(4), 311-327. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-8379-2.ch007Nespeca, R. (2018). Towards a 3D digital model for management and fruition of Ducal Palace at Urbino. An integrated survey with mobile mapping. SCIRES-IT - SCIentific RESearch and Information Technology, 8(2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.2423/I22394303V8N2P1Paris, L., & Wahbeh, W. (2016). Survey and representation of the parametric geometries in HBIM Rilievo e rappresentazione delle geometrie parametriche per l 'HBIM. DISEGNARECON, 9(16).Quattrini, R., Malinverni, E. S., Clini, P., Nespeca, R., & Orlietti, E. (2015). From TLS to HBIM. High quality semantically-aware 3D modeling of complex architecture. International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, XL-5/W4, 367-374. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprsarchives-XL-5-W4-367-2015Quattrini, R., Pierdicca, R., & Morbidoni, C. (2017). Knowledge-based data enrichment for HBIM: Exploring high-quality models using the semantic-web. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 28, 129-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2017.05.004Quattrini, R., Pierdicca, R., Morbidoni, C., & Malinverni, E. S. (2017). Conservation-oriented HBIM. The bimexplorer web tool. International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 42(5W1). https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-Archives-XLII-5-W1-275-2017Santagati, C., & Lo Turco, M. (2016). From structure from motion to historical building information modeling: populating a semantic-aware library of architectural elements. Journal of Electronic Imaging, 26(1), 011007. https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JEI.26.1.011007Simeone, D., Cursi, S., & Acierno, M. (2019). BIM semantic-enrichment for built heritage representation. Automation in Construction, 97, 122-137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2018.11.004Simeone, D., Cursi, S., Toldo, I., & Carrara, G. (2014). B ( H ) IM - Built Heritage Information Modelling. Extending BIM approach to historical and archaeological heritage representation. ECAADe, 1, (pp.613-622).Tomalini, A., & Lo Turco, M. (2019). Parametric heritage. The digital reconstruction of P.L. Nervi's Palazzo del Lavoro in the 3Dmodelling age. International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 42(2/W15), 1149-1155. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-2-W15-1149-2019Uni Committee. (2017). UNI 11337-5:2017 Titolo : Edilizia e opere di ingegneria civile - Gestione digitale dei processi informativi delle costruzioni - Parte 5: Flussi informativi nei processi digitalizzati (pp. 1-24).Utrero-Agudo, M. A., & Murillo-Fragero, J. I. (2017). Arqueología de la Basílilca de San Isidoro de León. In M. A. Utrero Agudo, E. Álvarez Areces, J. M. Baltuille Martín, & J. I. Murillo Fragero (Eds.), La Real Colegiata de San Isidoro de León. Diez siglos de construcción y reconstrucción en piedra (pp. 25-166). Madrid: Instituto Geológico y Minero de España.Utrero-Agudo, M. A., Murillo-Fragero, J. I., & Martín-Talaverano, R. (2016). Virtual models for archaeological research and 2.0 dissemination: The early medieval church of San Cebrián de Mazote (Spain). SCIRES-IT - SCIentific RESearch and Information Technology, 6(2), 93-108. https://doi.org/10.2423/I22394303V6N2P93Utrero-Agudo, M., & Murillo-Fragero, J. I. (2014). San Isidoro de León. Construcción y reconstrucción de una basílica románica. Arqueologia de La Arquitectura, 11. https://doi.org/10.3989/arq.arqt.2014.011Volk, R., Stengel, J., & Schultmann, F. (2014). Building Information Modeling (BIM) for existing buildings-Literature review and future needs. Automation in Construction, 38, 109-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2013.10.02

Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) System for Ancient Documentary Artefacts

This tutorial summarises our uses of reflectance transformation imaging in archaeological contexts. It introduces the UK AHRC funded project reflectance Transformation Imaging for Anciant Documentary Artefacts and demonstrates imaging methodologies