Periodic Reporting for period 3 - INCEPTION (Inclusive Cultural Heritage in Europe through 3D semantic modelling)
Período documentado: 2017-12-01 hasta 2019-05-31
INCEPTION is aimed at realising advanced 3D modelling for accessing and understanding European cultural assets, improving the understanding of European Cultural Heritage (CH) via digital sources. The project outlines new avenues in the way tangible CH is studied, visualised, curated, displayed and monitored, significantly improving our understanding of Europe's cultural identity and diversity.
Issues being addressed are the need of enhanced processing for data capturing; the lack of tools for managing heritage data in parametric environment (BIM); the need for a platform to share and explore digital models of Heritage buildings.
The key-targeted achievement is the development of a cloud-based platform, in order to accomplish the main objectives of accessing, understanding and strengthening European CH by means of enriched 3D models. The whole project is based on the close connection between state-of-the-art architectural modeling technologies (BIM) and the latest cutting-edge web technologies. The platform is grounded on semantic web technologies in order to enrich heritage 3D models by using Semantic Web standards. The platform is a space for interchange of information among professionals, students, scholars, curators, non-expert users, etc. The Semantic Web structure interlinks the platform with external CH available linked data and makes it gradually enhanced by specific flexible data structures provided as project specific ontologies.
Issues being addressed are the need of enhanced processing for data capturing; the lack of tools for managing heritage data in parametric environment (BIM); the need for a platform to share and explore digital models of Heritage buildings.
The key-targeted achievement is the development of a cloud-based platform, in order to accomplish the main objectives of accessing, understanding and strengthening European CH by means of enriched 3D models. The whole project is based on the close connection between state-of-the-art architectural modeling technologies (BIM) and the latest cutting-edge web technologies. The platform is grounded on semantic web technologies in order to enrich heritage 3D models by using Semantic Web standards. The platform is a space for interchange of information among professionals, students, scholars, curators, non-expert users, etc. The Semantic Web structure interlinks the platform with external CH available linked data and makes it gradually enhanced by specific flexible data structures provided as project specific ontologies.
Work performed under six technical WPs and Dissemination and Management includes several results that can be summarized as follows:
- Methodology framework and collaborative cross-disciplinary setting up, identifying and mapping stakeholders’ knowledge demands, consolidation of users’ key requirements and establishing a broad and dedicated stakeholder panel, deepening the significance of the digital integrated documentation of cultural heritage assets (WP1);
- Advancement in Heritage data capturing and documentation by developing a Data Acquisition Protocol and the realization of the concept of optimized firmware for 3D data acquisition of Cultural Heritage and enhancement of 3D laser scanner devices (WP2);
- Advancement in managing 3D models supporting the storing of CH information by developing an integrated software architecture for HBIM graphic-semantic interoperability. Web service for the semantic organization of targeted information related to heritage buildings and sites; H-BIM ontology combining architectural classification elements and external enriched information; Plug-in for REVIT to extract primary parametrical features from point clouds; Plug-in for REVIT to interconnect the different surveying and imaging instruments to BIM are main achieved results (WP3);
- Development of the INCEPTION H-BIM Platform. This development includes a very structured reusable component based setup making use of many available (open source) solutions around the Semantic Web based Fuseki-2 database with Sparql end-point. Many components and converters have been developed to support parsing content from open standards like IFC, Collada, ISO STEP AP’s. The two main complex tasks tackled were using real Semantic Web content including storing the geometry from very large data sets and still being able to have a high-performance H-BIM platform; combining textured data and real BIM data via different open standards from different source applications within one powerful Web based 3D viewer embedded in the platform (WP4);
- Development of use cases and nine Demonstration Cases in six different countries (IT, ES, NL, CY, EL, HR), testing INCEPTION outcomes and methodologies on different heritage sites and buildings, and developing an Exploitation plan for each Demo case (WP5);
- Development of user applications addressing all defined stakeholders and users, tested and validated through Demonstration Cases. Applications include CH Condition Assessment and Asset Management Tool; User application for on-site deployment (AR app); User application for off-site deployment (VR app), immersive Virtual Reality application aims particularly at optimizing the off-site exploration and visualization interface.
All applications work through the 3D models stored on the INCEPTION Platform (WP6).
A wide range of exploitation activities has been carried out, including identification of INCEPTION’s core business plan for the platform, eight Key Exploitable Results (KERs), case related Business Plans (BP) for nine demonstration cases, in addition to strategies for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). The intensive Dissemination activity has been performed through the participation in several national and international conferences, workshops and events also promoted by the EU Commission, often by invitation. Several scientific publications have been delivered (WP7).
- Methodology framework and collaborative cross-disciplinary setting up, identifying and mapping stakeholders’ knowledge demands, consolidation of users’ key requirements and establishing a broad and dedicated stakeholder panel, deepening the significance of the digital integrated documentation of cultural heritage assets (WP1);
- Advancement in Heritage data capturing and documentation by developing a Data Acquisition Protocol and the realization of the concept of optimized firmware for 3D data acquisition of Cultural Heritage and enhancement of 3D laser scanner devices (WP2);
- Advancement in managing 3D models supporting the storing of CH information by developing an integrated software architecture for HBIM graphic-semantic interoperability. Web service for the semantic organization of targeted information related to heritage buildings and sites; H-BIM ontology combining architectural classification elements and external enriched information; Plug-in for REVIT to extract primary parametrical features from point clouds; Plug-in for REVIT to interconnect the different surveying and imaging instruments to BIM are main achieved results (WP3);
- Development of the INCEPTION H-BIM Platform. This development includes a very structured reusable component based setup making use of many available (open source) solutions around the Semantic Web based Fuseki-2 database with Sparql end-point. Many components and converters have been developed to support parsing content from open standards like IFC, Collada, ISO STEP AP’s. The two main complex tasks tackled were using real Semantic Web content including storing the geometry from very large data sets and still being able to have a high-performance H-BIM platform; combining textured data and real BIM data via different open standards from different source applications within one powerful Web based 3D viewer embedded in the platform (WP4);
- Development of use cases and nine Demonstration Cases in six different countries (IT, ES, NL, CY, EL, HR), testing INCEPTION outcomes and methodologies on different heritage sites and buildings, and developing an Exploitation plan for each Demo case (WP5);
- Development of user applications addressing all defined stakeholders and users, tested and validated through Demonstration Cases. Applications include CH Condition Assessment and Asset Management Tool; User application for on-site deployment (AR app); User application for off-site deployment (VR app), immersive Virtual Reality application aims particularly at optimizing the off-site exploration and visualization interface.
All applications work through the 3D models stored on the INCEPTION Platform (WP6).
A wide range of exploitation activities has been carried out, including identification of INCEPTION’s core business plan for the platform, eight Key Exploitable Results (KERs), case related Business Plans (BP) for nine demonstration cases, in addition to strategies for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). The intensive Dissemination activity has been performed through the participation in several national and international conferences, workshops and events also promoted by the EU Commission, often by invitation. Several scientific publications have been delivered (WP7).
INCEPTION advancement beyond the State of the Art faced three main fields:
Capturing: there is a wide range of devices and technologies for 3D data capturing, and more and more accurate and fast devices, but bigger data means time-consuming processes and very often, there is a lack of technological integration between different kinds of devices. INCEPTION proposes a protocol for 3D data capturing and device enhancement for a more efficient processing.
3D processing: nowadays there are performant software for data management and display of point cloud data and BIM with advanced solid modeling tools, but a standard for Cultural Heritage buildings is missing, as well as management for captured data interoperability. INCEPTION works in the direction of tools for managing point cloud in BIM environment and sets up a semantic ontology definition for Cultural Heritage buildings in order to share cross-disciplines data.
Model sharing: there is a lot of 3D data on Cultural Heritage buildings all over the Europe, and a wide range of technologies and user-oriented apps, but a platform to share digital models of Heritage buildings is missing. INCEPTION develops a cloud-based platform grounded on semantic web technologies, the possibility of collecting and explore time upgradable 3D models and user-oriented apps.
INCEPTION potential impacts address a cross-sector collaborative work in research and development in CH field, providing new benefits for researchers, professionals and experts. Optimized and time-saving procedures for data capturing and processing to reduce effort and number of repeated work on-site as well as time and cost; Return on Investment for SMEs; technology time to market; more interchangeable and re-usable 3D models; technical improvements of different industries involved in digital applications are some of the potential impacts.
Societal impacts are evident mainly in bringing positive effects to the policies addressed to the digitally preserving and sharing the European cultural heritage in danger. Digital technologies give the opportunity to improve and expand the comprehension of CH assets by means of different applications and devices.
Capturing: there is a wide range of devices and technologies for 3D data capturing, and more and more accurate and fast devices, but bigger data means time-consuming processes and very often, there is a lack of technological integration between different kinds of devices. INCEPTION proposes a protocol for 3D data capturing and device enhancement for a more efficient processing.
3D processing: nowadays there are performant software for data management and display of point cloud data and BIM with advanced solid modeling tools, but a standard for Cultural Heritage buildings is missing, as well as management for captured data interoperability. INCEPTION works in the direction of tools for managing point cloud in BIM environment and sets up a semantic ontology definition for Cultural Heritage buildings in order to share cross-disciplines data.
Model sharing: there is a lot of 3D data on Cultural Heritage buildings all over the Europe, and a wide range of technologies and user-oriented apps, but a platform to share digital models of Heritage buildings is missing. INCEPTION develops a cloud-based platform grounded on semantic web technologies, the possibility of collecting and explore time upgradable 3D models and user-oriented apps.
INCEPTION potential impacts address a cross-sector collaborative work in research and development in CH field, providing new benefits for researchers, professionals and experts. Optimized and time-saving procedures for data capturing and processing to reduce effort and number of repeated work on-site as well as time and cost; Return on Investment for SMEs; technology time to market; more interchangeable and re-usable 3D models; technical improvements of different industries involved in digital applications are some of the potential impacts.
Societal impacts are evident mainly in bringing positive effects to the policies addressed to the digitally preserving and sharing the European cultural heritage in danger. Digital technologies give the opportunity to improve and expand the comprehension of CH assets by means of different applications and devices.