TeLearn - DigiCult

Virtual heritage

Context

Research projects in the domain virtual cultural heritage support applications for museums, archaeological and natural heritage sites. In this context, culture is seen as an advanced test-bed or an early adopter of emerging technologies. These technologies cover 3G-based site guidance and visitor systems, satellite-supported navigation, simulation, virtual, augmented and mixed realities, and advanced techniques and tools for capturing and rendering cultural artefacts.

FP7 project

• V-MusT.net - Virtual Museum Transnational Network
  V-MusT.net proposes a framework to overcome the problem that most virtual museums are transient; they are created during a project and disappear afterwards. Besides training activities and a virtual museum laboratory, the network will set up a service platform to integrate virtual museum tools and services, to be used by the whole community. V-MusT.net will bridge technological domains, archival, social and cognitive sciences.

FP6 projects addressing virtual cultural heritage

• AGAMEMNON researched how to exploit 3G mobile phones equipped with embedded cameras for enhancing visits of open-air archaeological sites and museums. These devices can provide visitors with enriched and personalised multimedia (pictures, video, audio, text) information on monuments.
• CINeSPACE designed and implemented a mobile rich media information exchange platform for the promotion of urban film and cultural heritage.
• EPOCH, a Network of Excellence, has collected information on the use of ICTs in cultural heritage and performed research on toolkits for creating cultural heritage applications. EPOCH also helped spreading excellence through dissemination and training activities, studying the socio-economic impact of cultural heritage, and exploring mechanisms for ICT deployment in heritage organisations.
• TNT has built the largest collection of Neanderthal findings in Europe - in an online database. Virtual representations created with state-of-the-art technology make the fragile and dispersed fossils and artefacts continuously accessible for scientists and other interested public, independent on their location.
• VENUS provided scientific methodologies and technological tools for the virtual exploration of deep underwater archaeology sites.

Previous research

Current research into the interface between technology and heritage sites and visitor experiences builds upon a portfolio of earlier projects such as 3D-Murale, ARCHEOGUIDE, ARCO, art-e-fact, CHOSA, DHX, DOMINICO, PAST, PURE-FORM, RENAISSANCE, TELLMARIS, TOURBOT, VRCHIP, VIHAP3D, VIRTUAL, and Virtual Showcases. More information on these projects is available from the projects page of the former DigiCult website.