Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche

The Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologie dell’Informazione  (CNR-ISTI) is located in Pisa and mostly devoted to research on ICT, with several major application domains which include Cultural Heritage. Several collaborations are currently under way with first-rank academic and industrial partners in projects financed by the EU and other sources. The Visual Computing Lab (VCLab), one of the research departments of CNR-ISTI, has been active in visualisation and computer graphics since 1984; it is now composed of around 20 members. Current research focuses on the design of 3D digitisation/scanning, geometric data processing, visualization systems, efficient multi-resolution representation and rendering of huge datasets and 3D Web Applications. VCLab has a long track record in the use of 3D graphics for Cultural Heritage application, with important collaborations with CH institutions at national and international level (museums, restoration labs, governing bodies). VCLab participated in a number of EU and national projects. Among others we quote EC “ViHAP-3D”, EC NoE “EPOCH”, EC IP “3D-COFORM”, EC “V-City” and EC NoE “V-MUST.Net”, all of them related to CH applications, and a large number of smaller projects focusing on specific monuments or artworks.

The Institute of Technologies Applied to the Cultural Heritage  (CNR-ITABC) is located in Montelibretti (Rome); since 1981 CNR-ITABC is a centre of excellence in the field of the advanced researches and technologies applied to Cultural Heritage. In particular, it is involved in several areas from Geophysical Prospection to DVR applications for CH. A key role in the scientific activity of CNR-ITABC is represented by the Virtual Heritage Lab, whose researches are focused on digital projects, with a specific expertise in Virtual Heritage content development and VR applications, dedicated to museums and territories. ITABC is currently the coordinator of the EC NoE “V-MUST.net”. The lab has developed several Desktop VR applications in intra-site and in inter-sites contexts. Different techniques are used (digital surveying, data processing and spatial analysis, sites and landscape reconstructions) to obtain real-time interactive VR environments. The team’s work is focused on two research aspects: geo-spatial 3d component of cultural information and communication; on-line VR sharing (VR cooperative environments) and dissemination (VR webGIS). The team has developed 2d and 3d tools for CH, following an open source approach, specifically directed to: ancient landscapes reconstruction and 3d exploration (see at: www.vhlab.itabc.cnr.it )