3D Integrated Laser Scanner Survey and Modelling for Accessing and Understanding European Cultural Assets

The increasing development of 3D laser scanner technologies allows to create high definition databases based on even more detailed three-dimensional morphometric data. These “digital archives” are an extremely valuable research tool in cultural heritage field: the “geometric memory” is essential for knowledge, protection and sustainable conservation of Cultural Heritage, although there are still some limits to the exploitation of 3D models obtained by laser scanner survey. The growing numbers of unexploited and “un-interpreted” 3D models points out the remarkable need for innovative methods that could benefit from the informative value provided by new systems for surveying and representations as well as data management tools. The development of high quality 3D models in specific conditions, such as in Cultural Heritage field, is still time-consuming and expensive, and generates too large data. Furthermore the outcome of digital reconstructions is frequently provided in non-interoperable formats, and not easily accessible too. The European Project “INCEPTION - Inclusive Cultural Heritage in Europe through 3D semantic modelling”, funded by EC within the Programme Horizon 2020, proposes the enhancement of efficiency in 3D data capturing procedures and devices.