Can you help shape the future for digital 3D Cultural Heritage objects?

As a multimedia process, the e-documentation of Cultural Heritage assets is a great challenge: it addresses the digital representation of the shape, appearance and conservation condition of the cultural objects expected to become 3D models. The production of high quality 3D models is still very demanding, time-consuming and expensive. This is partly because the modelling is carried out for individual objects rather than for entire collections, but also because the formats provided in digital reconstructions are often not interoperable, which means they can’t be easily accessed, reused or preserved.

Towards new perspectives and understandings

3D reconstructions should progress beyond current levels to provide the necessary semantic information needed by researchers and creatives. For these reasons, a Task Force led by Dr. Marinos Ioannides, from Cyprus University of Technology, will develop standard guidelines and formats intended for cultural heritage communities. These will cover semantically-aware 3D objects with a view to improve their archiving, retrieval, reusability and sustainability enriching the geometrical structure(s) with related knowledge, taking into account the range of devices, models and software applications involved.

Luster LL1693 - 3D model for interior 3d visualization, CCO

Improving 3D objects in the framework of Europeana

The Task Force intends to make an important contribution to improving Europeana Data Quality in the area of 3D Assets and standardization (CEN). Among the expected outcomes of the Task Force are a scope determination for both tangible objects and related intangible cultural issues, as well as recommendations for the retrieval, publishing, linking and use of 3D objects in the framework of Europeana.

During the first meeting of the Task Force last May in Olimje, Slovenia, the participants gave an overview of the issues currently existing in the area of 3D Cultural Heritage documentation. A fruitful discussion followed, covering the current 3D formats, geometrical accuracy), data quality, texture, preservation records, authentication (original copy or duplicates), and the intangible aspect (ie: manufacturing/production technology). Another important question was raised: who, in Europe and in the world, is interested to use Europeana’s 3D content? What is the main objective of harvesting 3D content to Europeana? A list of potential possible users was drawn up as a result of the meeting, which will be reviewed and extended.

We need your input!

Another outcome was the creation of a survey including all the questions raised during the meeting, which is currently distributed it among the members of the Task Force Group for their final review. We need your input! We are asking professionals in Europe for their participation: do you have any advice regarding the current and future e-documentation of 3D Cultural Heritage objects? We are inviting you to take this 15 minutes long survey available here. The results will be presented during the next physical meeting of the group, and published before the end of 2017 on the channels of Europeana Professional, CIPA (Comité International de Photogrammétrie Architecturale), Digital Heritage Research Lab, and Digitale Rekonstruktion.