VAST03: The 4th International Symposium on Virtual Reality, Archaeology and Intelligent Cultural Heritage

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https://diglib.eg.org/handle/10.2312/462

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Animating the Dance Archives
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Wilke, Lars; Calvert, Tom; Ryman, Rhonda; Fox, Ilene; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
Dance notation systems such as Labanotation provide a means to record the scores that are necessary for dance reconstruction and archival recording. To make Labanotation scores more accessible to dancers, choreographers and researchers the LabanDancer system has been developed to translate Labanotation scores recorded in the LabanWriter editor into 3-d human figure animations. The challenges involved in developing this translator are discussed.
Computer Aided Analysis of Underdrawings in Infrared Reflectograms
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Kammerer, Paul; Zolda, Ernestine; Sablatnig, Robert; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
Recent developments in computer vision are providing powerful tools for the evaluation of data gathered by art historians and archaeologists. New camera hardware allows new insights into cultural heritage, especially if infrared cameras are concerned, since they allow the of study structures that are visually hidden. In this paper preliminary results of developing a system for automatic analysis of infrared reflectograms are presented. We concentrate on an algorithm for the automatic segmentation of strokes in underdrawings - the basic concept of the artist - in ancient panel paintings and the removal of cracks in infrared images. The purpose of the stroke analysis is the determination of the drawing tool used to draft the painting. This information allows significant support for a systematic stylistic approach in the analysis of paintings. Stroke segmentation in paintings is related to the extraction and recognition of handwriting, therefore similar techniques to segment the strokes from the background incorporating boundary information are used. Results of the algorithms developed are presented for both test panels and real reflectograms.
Design and Application of an Augmented Reality System for continuous, context-sensitive guided tours of indoor and outdoor cultural sites and museums
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Vlahakis, V.; Pliakas, T.; Demiris, A.; Ioannidis, N.; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
The exploitation of augmented reality and mobile computing for the implementation of context and locationsensitive tours of archaeological sites and museums is explored in this paper. The LIFEPLUS system is presented as a novel approach offering advanced interactive audiovisual presentations to visitors of ancient Pompeii in Italy. The hardware architecture and main functionalities are presented.
Digital Reunification of the Parthenon and its Sculptures
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Stumpfel, Jessi; Tchou, Christopher; Yun, Nathan; Martinez, Philippe; Hawkins, Timothy; Jones, Andrew; Emerson, Brian; Debevec, Paul; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
The location, condition, and number of the Parthenon sculptures present a considerable challenge to archeologists and researchers studying this monument. Although the Parthenon proudly stands on the Athenian Acropolis after nearly 2,500 years, many of its sculptures have been damaged or lost. Since the end of the 18th century, its surviving sculptural decorations have been scattered to museums around the world. We propose a strategy for digitally capturing a large number of sculptures while minimizing impact on site and working under time and resource constraints. Our system employs a custom structured light scanner and adapted techniques for organizing, aligning and merging the data. In particular this paper details our effort to digitally record the Parthenon sculpture collection in the Basel Skulpturhalle museum, which exhibits plaster casts of most of the known existing pediments, metopes, and frieze. We demonstrate our results by virtually placing the scanned sculptures on the Parthenon.
The Dissemination and Promotion of Cultural Heritage Sites to People 'on the move' Employing Digital TV.
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Tsekleves, E.; Cosmas, J.; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
This paper examines the CHIMBS (Cultural Heritage Interactive Multimedia Broadcast Services) research project that endeavours to create cultural heritage related service scenarios. The aim is to promote and disseminate Europe s cultural heritage sites to people "on the move" employing the CISMUNDUS system architecture and application tools (DVB-T, UMTS/GPRS), empowering the cultural heritage visitor with real-time, access of a range of synchronised media at remote locations through portable devices.
Enhancing Virtual Reality Walkthroughs of Archaeological Sites
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Papaioannou, G.; Gaitatzes, A.; Christopoulos, D.; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
This paper describes the methodological aspects of the application of various established and new graphics techniques in virtual reality applications, in order to visually enrich conventional walkthroughs and extend the common capabilities of virtual environment visualization platforms. The paper describes these techniques and goes to the extent of explaining various practical implementation issues. Examples and application case studies are provided to demonstrate the enhancements.
Genuine Archaeology and Real Computer Graphics
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Brown, Duncan; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
There are many places where archaeology and computer graphics meet, but perhaps it is time we identified where they really fit together. It may also be useful to follow this up with a consideration of how, since the application of computer graphics, our understanding of the practice of archaeology has benefited and how our understanding of the past has developed.
High Fidelity Lighting of Knossos
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Roussos, Ioannis; Chalmers, Alan; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
Five kilometres from Heraklion, Crete is the Minoan Palace of Knossos. First discovered in 1878 by Minos Kalokairinos, the site today is most commonly associated with Sir Arthur Evans who bought the space in 1898 when Turkish occupation ceased in Crete. Evans excavated the site between 1900 and 1931, publishing a six volumes set 'The Palace of Minos at Knossos'. During his study, Evans carried out a number of 'reconstructions' at the site which have been the subject of much controversy over the years. Recent developments in computer graphics enable archaeological sites to be reconstructed on a computer without any alteration of the site itself. However, if such computer reconstructions are to be meaningful tools to enable archaeologists to explore hypothesis about a site, then these reconstructions have to be high fidelity representations incorporating all known evidence including, for visualisation of the site, knowledge of the lighting that was present when the site was being used. This paper describes a high fidelity reconstruction of part of the Knossos palace including accurate modelling of flame that may have been used to light the environment in the past.
Interactive virtual mummy dissections in a historical anatomic theatre
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Seipel, S.; Lindkvist, M.; Pettersson, L.W.; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
This paper presents an interactive projection-based application for visual exploration of virtual mummies. It is part of an exposition on the Cultural Heritage of the Egyptian Mummies in the Museum Gustavianum, in Uppsala. We describe a general-purpose projection metaphor for correctly presenting virtual 3D images on the dissection table of a historical anatomic theatre. This method allows for dynamic offaxis perspective viewing situations as well as it provides keystone correction for excessive projection angles as necessitated by the specific installation environment. For the application to reach out beyond the scope of the exhibition, we developed an adaptive image-based rendering approach that scales with the performance of the rendering host. Based on dynamic mesh simplification of the 3D mummy model, it automatically performs re-projections of texture images in order to maintain correct visual results. For interaction purposes with a digitiser tablet we present a means of stroke-based input that provides ease of use to non-expert visitors of the exhibition.
Managing the real with the virtual: A role for digital media recording in archaeological fieldwork
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) LÓPEZ, Michael ASHLEY; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
Recent innovations in digital media have allowed for a surge of new techniques to be applied to an old problem - how to record and archive the archaeological record and the process of archaeological fieldwork. Like many new technologies, digital recording is rife with limitations and challenges - low resolution when compared to traditional film, a lack of standards for both media types and archiving methods, expensive entry costs and a relatively high technical skill level required for implementing a complete digital recording methodology, to name a few. However, the benefits of embracing digital recording techniques range from the practical to the profound, for once the initial investment has been made, digital media is relatively inexpensive and allows for a more rich and finer grain of recording, including exciting innovations in GIS-information systems and visualization tools. While the benefits may outweigh the costs, there is within the field of archaeology a strong "Resistance To Change" and a feeling that digital media recording, while novel and promising, is nonessential when compared to traditional photography and illustration.
Modelling the Walled City of Nicosia
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Dikaiakou, M.; Efthymiou, A.; Chrysanthou, Y.; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
This paper presents our initial results in producing a 3D model of the Chrysaliniotisa Quarter in Nicosia using the GIS data of the region, and an analysis of the structure of the area s buildings. We tried to create a partly-automatic system, which was aimed at producing a realistic model of the geometry and architectural style of the district, rather than an exact reconstruction of every detail. The residential buildings of the particular area follow some well defined architectural styles, which allows us to follow an automatic building generation, based on the 2D digital data and a library of predefined 3D building blocks. Starting from the GIS file, the data is sorted, examined and processed to detect the houses features and style as accurately as possible. The 3D model is then constructed by stitching together the appropriate blocks from the component library. Besides the automatic-generation method, we have used ImageModeler from RealViz to create accurate 3D representations of landmarks and exceptional buildings as well as for the building blocks.
Monticello Through the Window
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Williams, Nathaniel; Hantak, Chad; Low, Kok-Lim; Thomas, John; Keller, Kurtis; Nyland, Lars; Luebke, David; Lastra, Anselmo; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
We present a case study in the use of virtual environment technology for cultural heritage applications, describing a collaborative effort to construct two cultural heritage exhibits for a five month exhibition at the New Orleans Museum of Art. To illustrate the factors that shape museum exhibit design, we explore the initial conceptual phase and discuss our reasons for choosing certain designs. We describe the two exhibits that we built in turn, focusing on equipment and on robustness. Although little went awry during the exhibition, we explain how certain equipment did fail and how we had prepared for such crises by keeping spare equipment on-site. Finally, we report on the success of the undertaking and close with some thoughts and advice for researchers attempting similar museum-oriented projects.
Multi-Platform Skeletal Visualisation and Reproduction in Stereolithography
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Magnanti, B.; Nicholls, A.; Sayle, R.; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
Adapting well-known molecular visualisation packages to accommodate the display of skeletal human remains is discussed. Features of the system include rapid generation of surfaces, real-time manipulation, viewing of the wireframe and conversion of files from the GRASP file format to one suitable for stereolithography. Additional work has adapted the viewer as a Java applet and incorporated database capabilities. Future developments for the system are discussed.
New Approaches to Efficient Rendering of Complex Reconstructed Environments
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Havemann, S.; Fellner, Dieter W.; Day, A. M.; Arnold, D. B.; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
The creation of complete reconstructions of populated urban environments are technically difficult tasks primarily due to economic constraints in the modeling phase: complex models need to keep rendering aspects in mind in order to warrant interactive rendering speeds which makes this kind of work a labor-intensive task for highly skilled personel. Specialized modelling tools, which exploit knowledge of the types of object being modelled by working in the application domain, can be used to create appealing virtual reconstructions quickly. At the same time, the structural information from the modeller gives essential hints to the interactive renderer to determine efficient interactive display strategies through the use of level-of-detail and culling techniques. Even more important, only a shift in the modeling paradigm from 'just in case' to 'just in time' can solve the problem applications are faced in real-time rendering. In this paper we discuss the way in which polygonal and multi-resolution surface techniques can complement one another in the effective rendering of complex reconstructed environments.We also draw more general conclusions which apply to other software systems that share the same objectives.
On the Interactive 3D Reconstruction of Iberian Vessels
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Melero, F.J.; Torres, J.C.; León, A.; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
Reconstructing vessels from sherds is a complex task, specially for hand made pottery. That is the case of the Iberian vessels. The reconstruction process can be done in three steps: orientation of the sherd, computing the symmetry axis and detecting the profile. This paper presents methods to accomplish these three tasks in a semi-automatic way. This algorithm has been implemented within a reconstruction application that has been successfully used to reconstruct Iberian pottery.
Photorealism and Non-Photorealism in Virtual Heritage Representation
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Roussou, Maria; Drettakis, George; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
The area of virtual heritage has long been concentrated on generating digital reconstructions of historical or archaeological artefacts and sites with enough fidelity to be truly accurate representations of their real-world counterparts. In some cases, the advancement of tools and techniques for achieving greater visual realism has distracted from the development of other directions that enhance a virtual experience, such as interactivity, sound or touch. Recent trends in the area of non-photorealistic rendering shift focus to the development of more "believable" environments, while maintaining the accuracy and validity of the visualised data, which is significant for archaeological research. In this paper we argue that it is important to enhance the perception of realism, achieved both through photorealistic and non-photorealistic visualisation approaches, with interactivity. This is illustrated by two example projects which develop prototype virtual environments created for specialists as well as novice users.
Portals: Aiding Navigation in Virtual Museums
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Kotziampasis, Ioannis; Sidwell, Nathan; Chalmers, Alan; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
Distributed virtual environments offer an efficient way for a number of users to create complex 3D virtual worlds. However, navigation within these virtual environments can be significantly hampered by the lack of visibility between parts of the world, particularly when these parts are on different machines. This paper describes the use of portals to connect distributed virtual archaeological environments in such a way that the interconnected virtual environment will be visible from different machines in an efficient manner. A case study shows how a virtual museum can benefit from such a system.
Presenting an Archaeological Site in the Virtual Showcase
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Ledermann, Florian; Schmalstieg, Dieter; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
In this paper, we present our effort to use augmented reality technology to present an archaeological site inside the 'Virtual Showcase'. A scale model of the ruin of the roman 'Heidentor' is complemented with virtual overlays to provide the visitor with additional information about the exhibit and interact with it in various ways. Using a custom authoring framework, it is possible to create complex interactive presentations that allow a visitor to explore different paths of a story about the history of the building.
Providing Multimedia Tools for Recording, Reconstruction, Visualisation and Database Storage/Access of Archaeological Excavations
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Cosmas, J.; Itegaki, T.; Green, D.; Joseph, N.; Gool, L. Van; Zalesny, A.; Vanrintel, D.; Leberl, F.; Grabner, M.; Schindler, K.; Karner, K.; Gervautz, M.; Hynst, S.; Waelkens, M.; Vergauwen, M.; Pollefeys, M.; Cornelis, K.; Vereenooghe, T.; Sablatnig, R.; Kampel, M.; Axell, P.; Meyns, E.; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
Over the years archaeologists have been swift to embrace new advances in technology that allow them to more comprehensively document the results of their work. Today it is commonplace to find information technologies, in the form MS Office-type tools with some CAD and GIS, deployed for primary data capture, analysis, presentation and publication. While these computing technologies can be used effectively to record and interpret archaeological sites, the radical developments in 3D recording, reconstruction and visualisation tools have had relatively limited impact upon the archaeological community. This is unfortunate as these new technologies have the potential to (a) enable the archaeologists to record their unrepeatable experiments to unprecedented levels of accuracy, (b) enable the archaeologists to reconstruct artefacts such as pottery from sherds, textures and sites from different eras (c) visualise the wealth of excavated information in dynamic new ways away from the archaeological site during post-excavation analysis, (d) make this wealth of detail available to the scholarly community as part of the publication process and secure its digital longevity through its deposition in a trusted digital library/archive and (e) communicate the excitement and importance of their archaeological site and its finds to an interested non-academic audience. This paper describes the overall concept of the EU funded project, 3D Measurement and Virtual Reconstruction of Ancient Lost Worlds of Europe (3D MURALE), that has developed and created a set of low-cost multimedia tools for recording, reconstructing, encoding, and visualising archaeological artefacts and site.
Scholarly documentation through digital storytelling: opening the tomb of Ramsses II
(The Eurographics Association, 2003) Cain, Kevin; David Arnold and Alan Chalmers and Franco Niccolucci
Ramsses II's large but damaged tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings is now being revived by a French team (CNRS). Current excavation and study is meant to culminate not only in the tomb's first complete publication, but also in the tomb's first public opening--two goals with very different needs. We ask: how best should they be served? A multi-layered approach is presented that synthesizes laser scanning, 3D animation and complementary traditional techniques. We discuss work to date, seeking ways to accelerate epigraphy, mix digital photography with survey data and demystify the Egyptian Am Duat via the looking glass of 3D animation.

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