5dmeteora Framework: Management and Web Publishing of Cultural Heritage Data

Abstract

Abstract. Cultural Heritage (CH) management software represents virtual information in various ways aiming either at usability and long-term preservation or interactivity and immersiveness. A single web-based framework that couples the organization of geospatial, multimedia and relational data with 4D visualization, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) is presented in this paper (https://meteora.topo.auth.gr/5dmeteora.php). It comprises the 5dMeteora platform and the Content Management System (CMS) for uploading, processing, publishing and updating its content. The 5dMeteora platform integrates a responsive 3D viewer of high-resolution models in the basis of 3DHOP (3D Heritage Online Platform) and Nexus.js multi-resolution library. It offers data retrieval and interpretation mechanisms through navigation tools, clickable geometries in the 3D scene, named hotspots, and semantic organization of metadata. Its content and interactive services are differentiated, based on the scientific specialty or the field of interest of the users. To achieve the sense of spatial presence, VR and AR viewports are designed to give a clearer understanding of spatial bounds and context of 3D CH assets. The proposed CMS allows dynamic content management, automation of 3DHOP’s operations regarding 3D data uploading and hotspots defining, real-time preview of the 3D scene as well as extensibility at all levels (e.g., new data types). It is built upon a MySQL Database Management System and developed with PHP scripting, backend JavaScript and Ajax controllers as well as front-end web languages. The database maintains and manages the entities of every type of data supported by the platform, while encryption methods guarantee data confidentiality and integrity. The presented work is the first valid attempt of open-source software that automates the dissemination of 3D and 2D content for customized eXtented Reality (XR) experiences and reaches multiple levels of interactivity for different users (experts, non-experts). It can meet the needs of domain experts that own or manage multimodal heritage data.

Condition Assessment of Heritage Buildings via Photogrammetry: A Scoping Review from the Perspective of Decision Makers

“…Differently, in the great majority of studies discussed in Section 3.4.2, where the 3D models are the main host environments, great attention is paid to some functions that might enhance the interaction with coloured point clouds, texturized polygonal meshes and resulting orthoimages beyond the basic functions of visualization, measurement and labelling through web-based commercial viewers. These functions include 2D [168] or 3D [171][172][173][174][175] annotation of thematic features, such as construction materials and alteration patterns, identification of ontologies for textured geometries and linked records [171][172][173][174][175], different levels of interaction depending of the final users [167,171,172], different levels of resolution of the displayed models [170][171][172], visualization in immersive XR (extended Reality) [171,172] and application of machine learning routines [175].…”

“…The multi-resolution approach ensures fast data transfer, rendering and loading, thus compensating for size and complexity, with additional features for annotating points of interest, extracting the original coordinates of any selected point, measuring distance between two selected points and a cross-section toolset for real-time orthogonal sections through the 3D scene or specific models. Staring from this experience, the same research group [171,172] later presented their creation of an open-source web-based platform as a centralized data hub, moving beyond advanced photogrammetric techniques for 3D capture and multi-dimensional documentation, by integrating metric data with cultural and historical resources in order to form a critical knowledge base for multiple purposes and user types. In detail, the METEORA platform is able to store and display 3D models, from aerial and ground CRPs among others, with different levels of detail and different referenced descriptive texts and images depending on the final users, which include geotechnical engineers, archaeologists/architects, historians/philologists/theologians, and teachers.…”