Michela Cigola

Application of robots for inspection and restoration of historical sites

In this paper a study of feasibility is presented for using robots or robotic systems in novel applications concerning with activities related to analysis and restoration of historical sites of architectonic interest. The work has been developed within a collaboration between DART and LARM Laboratories, of University of Cassino. Design requirements and peculiarities of operation of robotic systems are analyzed for the application in restoration of historical sites. The proposed application is completely novel and of great interest.

Service Robots for Restoration of Goods of Cultural Heritage

The preservation and benefit of goods of Cultural Heritage need careful surveying and restoration that can be understood as service tasks for suitable robotic systems. New service robots can be conceived once the specificity of the application in the Cultural Heritage area for architectural goods is carefully considered, both with technical aspects and from operators’ viewpoints. In particular, in this chapter no technical aspects are discussed as fundamental for the acceptance and use by operators in the new field of service robot application for survey and restoration of architectonic goods of Cultural Heritage value. Examples are illustrated from authors’ experience with the aim to stress the problems and challenges in applications for service robotic systems in Cultural Heritage frames.

Trends in the drawing of mechanisms since the early Middle Ages

Abstract Drawing of mechanisms is a fundamental tool for mechanical design and representation. In this paper a historical study on the evolution of representation of mechanisms has been carried out in order to establish the historic background and identify the progress over time. Investigating several authors has identified basic changes in the evolution of mechanism drawing, and a few examples are reported in this paper to stress the main concepts. The drawing of mechanisms has evolved from an intentionally incomplete representation to a naturalistic and pictorial view, then from concise sketches and kinematic diagrams to modern abstract graphic pictures. The development of mechanism drawing has been strongly linked with and affected by the evolution of knowledge in mechanical sciences and particularly mechanism design.

HeritageBot Service Robot assisting in Cultural Heritage

This paper presents results of HeritageBot, a regional research project for developing a robotic platform to be used in Cultural Heritage frameworks. The design and a prototype of HBOT Platform for demo purposes is introduced with features of low-cost construction and user-oriented performance. The design requirements are presented for application in monitoring and working within frames for conservation of goods of Cultural Heritage with characteristics that are aimed for technological transfer and entrepreneurship plans.

A Robotic Mobile Platform for Service Tasks in Cultural Heritage

Recently, the preservation and survey of cultural heritage goods is attracting increasing interest from the media. Several famous historical sites seem to require an increased effort to maintain their preservation. Nevertheless, it is very difficult to find sufficient funds and human resources to fulfil these needs. Accordingly, this paper outlines a specific application of service robotics to cultural heritage, with the aim to reduce the required time and costs for surveying and maintaining cultural heritage goods. These applications require careful attention paid to the proper design of a robotic mobile platform with the features necessary to fulfil tasks of architectonic survey and preservation. To this end, specific operation scenarios have been carefully described in order to identify the specific design requirements and constraints that are raised by, for example, the necessity of operation over delicate surfaces, or the presence of unevenness or obstacles. The authors then propose a design solution for a service robot fit for the analysis, survey and conservation of historical sites, as based on the characteristics of the outlined scenarios. A preliminary prototype is also described herewith, in order to show its engineering feasibility in relation to the simulated operation scenarios.

Technologies Applied to Cultural Heritage. A Robot application in Architectural Survey.

In this work a study of feasibility is illustrated to design and build a mobile robot for inspection and analysis of historical sites of architectonic interest. This novel application for robotic systems can be considered of great interest because nowadays the need of more and more accurate and efficient survey activity requires enhancement and even development of procedures with more reliable, innovative, and advanced characteristics. Within this expectation robots and robotic systems seem to be suitable solutions even with the purposes of: operating in environments that cannot be reached by human operators. The study of feasibility concerns with the analysis and simulation of a robotic system that can be used for operating in historical sites. Basic features of such mobile robots, either legged or wheeled, are well known, but specific requirements should be considered for the proposed applications in archaeological/architectural sites, which can be considered as a novelty in the field of Robotics. Basic features of the proposed robotic system can be summarized as follows: the robot should be able to move inside the archaeological and/or architectural sites by carrying surveying devices and by avoiding damage of the surface and other parts of the site.

The Use of Remote Monitored Mobile Tools for the Survey of Architectural and Archaeological Heritage

The use of digital survey technology and representation techniques for the documentation of archaeological sites, has grown significantly in recent years. The contribution focuses on digital survey tools able to return point clouds, applied to remote-controlled mobile platforms. The mobile platforms equipped with XYZ or RGB data acquisition sensors are able to overcome some physical limits not solvable by making use of traditional instruments. The gap created by dimensional reasons it could be exceeded using this kind of tools. All this in order to complete the limit in the traditional survey and increase the level of knowledge of architectural and archaeological artifacts. This research has been made by the Laboratory of the University of Cassino DART, through a series of examples and a trial made on the Casinum Archaeological area, the studio will define the state of art of this subject that it connects indissolubly knowledge and experimental technology.

A Robotic Solution for the Restoration of Fresco Paintings

In this paper, a service robot solution is presented for the analysis, surveying and restoration of fresco paintings. The proposed design approach integrates robot design and restoration operation. It aims to merge them into a feasible solution that can be both practical and feasible for restorers. The simulation results are reported to show a successful design solution, which has been conceived with the constraints of a low-cost user-oriented design and the consideration of cultural heritage.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (Second Half of the Ist Century B.C.)

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio was a Roman architect/engineer, who in his treatise “De Architectura” in I B.C. described in great detail design and operation of machines for civil engineering. The treatise is a comprehensive reference from Antiquity that, having been rediscovered during the Renaissance, was studied and reprinted both for its historical background and for technical inspiration. In this chapter the focus is on machine developments.

Historical Development of Paper Mills and Their Machines in South Latium During the Nineteenth Century

The paper describes the industry of the papermaking in the vicinity of the Benedictine Abbey in Montecassino (Italy). The focus is mainly on the factories that were supplied by hydraulic energy that was available in that area. The historical analysis of the papermakers in the area begins with a factory that was established in the town of Sant’Elia Fiumerapido by abbey monks in 1516. The plant was chosen because it was provided with a water mill that made the Abbey’s extensive ‘scriptorium’ independent of outside sources for the provision of suitable paper. Drawings of past plants at different scales have permitted us to analyze the historical and technical evolution of the papermaking in the specific area under the influence and supervision of the Montecassino Abbey. A specific analysis is carried out on the development of machines by observing their structure and operation, in conjunction with calling attention to recovering of the past needs for papermakers through the remains of their machinery.