Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality: A Possible Continuum for the Enhancement of Architectural Heritage

Augmented reality and artificial intelligence technologies are increasingly involved in the interpretation, classification, and eventually in our understanding of the built environment. This paper collects three recent on-site research experiences, which developed mobile app prototypes and experimented with these advancements in the relationship between computer vision and architectural artifacts. The first project concerns the vaulted atria of Baroque Turin and integrates a work of analysis and representation with augmented reality applications to visualize interpretative 3D models. The second project focuses on the development of a mobile app to access data on monuments, exploiting deep learning technologies for image recognition. The application field is the Imperial Fora in Rome. The third project is part of the so-called "third mission" of universities, being developed in partnership with a company operating in the electronic telecommunications infrastructure sector. The project explores automatic methods for updating existing building information modeling databases on antenna tower sites. This experience, the last in chronological order, though focused on a modern architectural asset, is meant to reframe and integrate the previous ones, updating the methods and the foreseen developments, and stressing the potential of the combined use of the studied technologies. The joint consideration of the three projects is aimed at reflecting on the processes, which from different techniques for the recognition of spatial features, produce schematic understanding and operational uses of the shape of built heritage

AUGMENTED TURIN BAROQUE ATRIA: AR EXPERIENCES FOR ENHANCING CULTURAL HERITAGE

Abstract. This paper presents the most recent developments in a project aimed to the documentation, storage and dissemination of the cultural heritage. The subject of the project are more than 70 Baroque atria in Turin, recognized by critics for their particular unitary vaulted systems Our research team is currently working on digitizing documents and studying ways to enhance and share these results through ICT. In particular, we want to explore possibilities for recognizing and tracing three-dimensional objects in augmented reality (AR) applications connected to the collected data. Recent developments in this field relate to the technology available on widespread mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, allowing for real-time 3D scanning. Using software prototypes, we want to introduce some problems involved in integrating this technology into digital archives.</p

Usefulness of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in predicting the presence of autonomic neuropathy in type I diabetic patients.

This study investigated whether nondipping (defined as a day–night change in blood pressure (BP) <=0%) could be assumed as a diagnostic index for autonomic neuropathy, and assessed its accuracy in discriminating between type I diabetic patients with and without autonomic neuropathy. In 87 type I diabetic patients with normal renal function (age 36+-11, duration 17+-9 years, serum creatinine 67.2+-15.9 mcmol/l), four cardiovascular tests and 24-h BP monitoring were performed, and the percentage day–night change (Delta) in systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) was calculated. Sixteen patients had Delta SBP and/or Delta DBP <=0%. In a multiple logistic regression with adjustment for sex, age, and body mass index, the odds ratio for having autonomic neuropathy was seven times higher in patients with DSBP <=0% as opposed to those without (odds ratio 6.97, CI 1.4–34.9, P=0.018). Using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis, DBP showed an acceptable accuracy in discriminating between patients with and without autonomic neuropathy (area under the ROC curve 0.69+-0.06 and 0.72+-0.05 for Delta SBP and Delta DBP, respectively). Adequate cutoff values were 0% for Delta SBP (sensitivity, 26%; specificity, 95%; positive predictive value, 87%) and 5% for Delta DBP (sensitivity, 26%; specificity, 92%; positive predictive value, 81%). In type I diabetic patients with normal renal function, a value of Delta SBP p0% identifies the presence of autonomic neuropathy with a very high chance. Nondipping at the cutoff proposed could be considered an adjunctive marker of autonomic neuropathy provided with a high specificity and low sensitivity

Intelligenza artificiale e realtà aumentata per la condivisione del patrimonio culturale

Le problematiche relative alla fruizione e condivisione del Patrimonio Culturale sempre più coinvolgono l’integrazione tra tecnologie digitali per l’analisi, l’interpretazione, la comunicazione, la diffusione. L’intreccio fra artificial intelligence (AI) e augmented reality (AR) si sta rivelando particolarmente interessante nella valorizzazione del patrimonio, grazie alle nuove possibilità di riconoscimento e ancoraggio fra prodotti digitali e consistenze fisiche, in altre parole tra virtuale e reale. L’idea che guida le differenti esperienze di seguito presentate è che libri, documenti, manufatti, edifici, città, nella loro consistenza fisica, possano essere una chiave d’accesso condivisa alla conoscenza del bene, per orientarsi tra piani di analisi e livelli informativi che si moltiplicano. Le scelte rispetto agli strumenti digitali impiegati sono state orientate a criteri di sostenibilità dei progetti e dei loro sviluppi, preferendo free and open source software (FOSS), o comunque software gratuito, per contenere i costi di implementazione e favorire l'interoperabilità dei risultati. Gli esperimenti che seguono, di carattere spiccatamente euristico, illustrano come, proprio a partire dallo spazio fisico, siano stati realizzati strumenti di espansione delle esperienze finalizzate alla condivisione del patrimonio e, in prospettiva, alla partecipazione della collettività alla sua salvaguardia. Problems related to the use and sharing of Cultural Heritage increasingly involve the integration of digital technologies for analysis, interpretation, communication and dissemination. Artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and their links are proving particularly interesting in the enhancement of heritage, thanks to new possibilities of recognition and anchoring between digital products and physical features, that is between virtual and real. The experiences presented below are based on the idea that books, documents, artefacts, buildings, cities, as physical assets, can be a shared access key to knowledge on heritage, in order to navigate through the spread of information layers and levels of analysis. The choice of the employed digital tools was based on sustainability criteria for project development and scaling, favoring free and open source software (FOSS) or otherwise free to use software, to reduce implementation costs and improve output interoperability. In the described experiments, which have a marked heuristic character, starting right from the physical space, tools have been developed to enhance the experience of sharing cultural heritage and subsequently foster collective participation and safeguard actions

SCALABLE AR FOR BIM ON TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK SITES

A growing number of research works, experiments and applications is investigating the potential at the intersection of augmented reality (AR) and the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Project management, project communication, collaborative design, maintenance and construction progress documentation, construction site safety, and training are some of the cases that can benefit from blending real and virtual views through mobile devices. In recent years, research also highlighted how mixed reality and building information modeling (BIM) could cooperate to provide effective communication between multiple agents and closer interaction between digital information and the building site. Nevertheless, consolidated applications in these fields are still limited, especially when compared to other areas of AR adoption. This paper presents the development of an AR-based mobile app for exploring telecommunications tower sites and interacting with a related BIM database. The project aims to provide easy-to-use tools to maintain both the physical assets and an up-to-date model. We discuss critical issues in developing a scalable and interoperable application, supporting the feasibility study of similar solutions in the AEC sector

A case of labial fusion and urinary pseudo-incontinence in an elderly woman. A surgical treatment and a review

Labial fusion is defined as either partial or complete adherence of the labia minora (1), and also called vulvar fusion, adhesions of the labia minor or conglutination of the labia minora and sinechia of the vulva. The complete and severe labial fusion is a rare pathology with a small number of cases reported in the literature in adults. We present a case report of a postmenopausal woman who presented with voiding difficulty and incontinence and was treated by surgical division of the adhesions and immediate resolution of the urinary incontinence confirmed by multichannel urodynamic test postoperatively

Does autonomic neuropathy play a role in erythropoietin regulation in non-proteinuric Type 2 diabetic patients?

Aims Erythropoietin (EPO)-deficient anaemia has been described in Type 1 diabetic patients with both severe autonomic neuropathy (AN) and proteinuria. This study was aimed at distinguishing between the effects of AN and nephropathy on haemoglobin and EPO levels in Type 2 diabetic patients at an early stage of diabetic nephropathy. Methods In 64 Type 2 diabetic patients (age 52 +/- 10 years, duration 10 +/- 9 years) without overt nephropathy and other causes of anaemia or EPO deficit, we assessed cardiovascular tests of AN, 24-h blood pressure (BP) monitoring, urinary albumin excretion rate (UAE), a full blood count, and serum EPO. Results Although the Type 2 diabetic patients with AN did not show differences in haemoglobin and EPO when compared with patients without AN, the presence of haemoglobin < 13 g/dl was associated with the presence of AN (chi(2)= 3.9, P < 0.05) and of postural hypotension (chi(2)= 7.8, P < 0.05). In a multiple regression analysis including as independent variables gender, body mass index, duration of diabetes, smoking, creatinine, 24-h UAE, 24-h diastolic BP, ferritin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and autonomic score, we found that the only variables independently related to haematocrit were autonomic score, ferritin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Finally, the physiological inverse relationship between EPO and haemoglobin present in a control group of 42 non-diabetic non-anaemic subjects was completely lost in Type 2 diabetic patients. The slopes of the regression lines between EPO and haemoglobin of the control subjects and the Type 2 diabetic patients were significantly different (t = 14.4, P < 0.0001). Conclusion This study documents an early abnormality of EPO regulation in Type 2 diabetes before clinical nephropathy and points to a contributory role of AN in EPO dysregulation