Digital 3D Technologies for Humanities Research and Education: An Overview

Digital 3D modelling and visualization technologies have been widely applied to support research in the humanities since the 1980s. Since technological backgrounds, project opportunities, and methodological considerations for application are widely discussed in the literature, one of the next tasks is to validate these techniques within a wider scientific community and establish them in the culture of academic disciplines. This article resulted from a postdoctoral thesis and is intended to provide a comprehensive overview on the use of digital 3D technologies in the humanities with regards to (1) scenarios, user communities, and epistemic challenges; (2) technologies, UX design, and workflows; and (3) framework conditions as legislation, infrastructures, and teaching programs. Although the results are of relevance for 3D modelling in all humanities disciplines, the focus of our studies is on modelling of past architectural and cultural landscape objects via interpretative 3D reconstruction methods

New technologies for urban designers: the VENUE project

In this report, we first outline the basic idea of VENUE. This involves developing digital tools froma foundation of geographic information systems (GIS) software which we then apply to urbandesign, a subject area and profession which has little tradition in using such tools. Our project wasto develop two types of tool, namely functional analysis based on embedding models of movementin local environments into GIS based on ideas from the field of space syntax; and secondlyfashioning these ideas in a wider digital context in which the entire range of GIS technologies werebrought to bear at the local scale. By local scale, we mean the representation of urban environmentsfrom about 1: 500 to around 1: 2500

An overview of virtual city modelling : emerging organisational issues

This paper presents a recent overview of the increasing use of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies for the simulation of urban environments. It builds on previous research conducted on the identification of three-dimensional (3D) city models and offers an analysis of the development, utilization and construction of VR city models. Issues pertaining to advantages, barriers and ownership are identified. The paper describes a case study of the development of a VR model for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in the UK and outlines the role that academic institutions can play in both the creation and utilization of urban models. The study offers a new approach for the creation, management and update of urban models and reflects on issues which are emerging. Areas for future research are discussed

Sharing 3D city models: an overview

This study describes the computing methods now available to enable the sharing of three-dimensional (3D) data between various stakeholders for the purposes of city modeling and considers the need for a seamless approach for sharing, transmitting, and maintaining 3D city models. The study offers an overview of the technologies and the issues related to remote access, collaboration, and version control. It builds upon previous research on 3D city models where issues were raised on utilizing, updating and maintaining 3D city models and providing access to various stakeholders. This paper will also describe a case study which is currently analyzing the remote access requirements for a sustainable computer model of NewcastleGateshead in England. Options available will be examined and areas of future research will be discussed

3D Data Processing Toward Maintenance and Conservation. The Integrated Digital Documentation of Casa de Vidro

During the last decade, 3D integrated surveys and BIM modelling procedures have greatly improved the overall knowledge on some Brazilian Modernist buildings. In this framework, the Casa de Vidro 3D survey carried out by DIAPReM centre at Ferrara University, beside the important outputs, analysis and researches achieved from the point cloud database processing, was also useful to test several awareness increasing activities in cooperation with local stakeholders. The first digital documentation test of the Casa de Vidro allowed verifying the feasibility of a full survey on the building towards the restoration and possible placement of new architectures into the garden as an archive-museum of the Lina Bo and P.M. Bardi Foundation. Later, full 3D integrated survey and diagnostic analysis were carried out to achieve the total digital documentation of the house sponsored by the Keeping it Modern initiative of Getty Foundation (Los Angeles). Following its characteristics, the survey had to take into consideration the different architectural features, up to the relationship of architecture and nature. These 3D documentation activities and the point cloud processing allowed several analysis in a multidisciplinary framework

Research and Education in Computational Science and Engineering

Over the past two decades the field of computational science and engineering (CSE) has penetrated both basic and applied research in academia, industry, and laboratories to advance discovery, optimize systems, support decision-makers, and educate the scientific and engineering workforce. Informed by centuries of theory and experiment, CSE performs computational experiments to answer questions that neither theory nor experiment alone is equipped to answer. CSE provides scientists and engineers of all persuasions with algorithmic inventions and software systems that transcend disciplines and scales. Carried on a wave of digital technology, CSE brings the power of parallelism to bear on troves of data. Mathematics-based advanced computing has become a prevalent means of discovery and innovation in essentially all areas of science, engineering, technology, and society; and the CSE community is at the core of this transformation. However, a combination of disruptive developments---including the architectural complexity of extreme-scale computing, the data revolution that engulfs the planet, and the specialization required to follow the applications to new frontiers---is redefining the scope and reach of the CSE endeavor. This report describes the rapid expansion of CSE and the challenges to sustaining its bold advances. The report also presents strategies and directions for CSE research and education for the next decade.Comment: Major revision, to appear in SIAM Revie