Benjamin Hervy

Augmented historical scale model for museums: from curation to multi-modal promotion

In this paper, we describe an interactive museum application dedicated to historical scale models. This comes from a joint work between multidisciplinary teams: industrial engineering researchers, historians, museum curators and interactive interface designer. We present here the result of the project, based on scientific methodology. Results include system architecture, hardware and software, some use cases and user evaluation figures. This paper also underlines some methodologies issues that illustrate future possibilities.

Virtual conservation and interaction with our cultural heritage: Framework for multi-dimension model based interface

Thanks to rapid development of Virtual Reality technologies, the research is not only limited in military training and scientific visualization realm, it has been expanded into more multidisciplinary areas, such as education, archaeology, conservation of culture heritage, etc. Many heritage objects can be found in museum, among them, historical mock-up represents a city with its precious historical value. The objective of this paper is not only to propose a prototype of future interface that uses VR technology in visualizing and interacting with 3D mockups, but also to provide a tool for decision-making aid, which helps to select proper interface depending on the content we desire to display. Our proposals exploit a variety of State of the Art, and raise a concept named multi-dimension model based interface, which can be applied to multiple VR applications, gives more information than a simple history book, explains to user the real cultural value in a virtual environment.

Co-working for Knowledge Management in Cultural Heritage: Towards a PLM for Museum

Dealing with historical knowledge implies specific approaches. Then, modeling it and the different know-hows involved is a complex task. Indeed, patrimonial objects are historical witnesses whose life cycle is hard to handle. In this paper, we discuss possibilities of managing such heterogeneous content through a PLM system dedicated to historical knowledge and museum. Based on previous research in the field of ancient advanced archaeology, we demonstrate our process through an industrial research and development project with a history museum.

Intelligent Reverse-Engineering Segmentation: Automatic Semantic Recognition of Large 3D Digitalized Cloud of Points Dedicated to Heritage Objects

In this article we present a multidisciplinary experimentation realized between a mechanical laboratory, a computer scientist laboratory and a museum. Our goal is to provide automatic tools for non-expert people who want to use 3D digitized elements. After scanning an objet, we obtain a huge amount of points. In order to manipulate it, it is necessary to decimate it. However, when doing this operation, we can optimize the algorithms for creating semantic topology; obviously we can do it automatically. Consequently, we are going to do what we name segmentation: we extract meaning from 3D points and meshes. Our experimentation deals with a physical mock-up of Nantes city that have been designed in 1900. After digitalization, we have created a software that can: 1. use the whole 3D cloud of points as an input; 2. fill a knowledge database with an intelligent segmentation of the 3D virtual models: ground, walls, roofs... This use case is the first step of our research. At the end, we aim to deploy our method to complex mechanical parts. Nowadays, when designing CAD parts we use as well as volume parts than surface parts or meshes. We know is it not necessary to reconstruct all the triangles. It is a lost of time and we can directly use cloud of points for CAD design. However, the design tree will not be updated. So, with our method, imagine that one day we can digitalize a motor and a system could automatically create the 3D mock-up and the design tree.

Framework for historical knowledge management in museology

Dealing with historical knowledge is a complex task as it involves specific approaches modelling and know-how. Heritage objects are historical witnesses with life cycles that are difficult to clearly identify. In this paper, we discuss the possibilities of managing such a heterogeneous content through a PLM system that concentrates on historical knowledge and museums. Based on previous research in the field of advanced industrial archaeology, we demonstrate our process through an industrial research and development project with a history museum.