• Publicationsclose
• Open Access close
• Conference object close
• IT close
• Flore (Florence Research Repository) close
• Ktisis close
• Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage close

The “E.Stone” project is based on the survey, documentation investigation and physical, geochemical and petrographic characterisation of the great zoomorphic and phytomorphic stones of Sardinia. The name chosen to indicate this project means the full value of these stones, standing before the beginning of human history. The main task of this project is the investigation and the documentation, both based on an accurate digital survey, taken using laser scanner units supported by topographical survey and integrated by GPS tracing and photographic and photogrammetric survey, with a meaningful research aimed to specific investigations on the rock characteristics. The further development of the collected data will be aimed to the definition of a digital “state of the knowledge” about the stone. This research will produce the following main benefits: the creation of a pilot monitoring station documenting the decay processes of stones for make the future projections on based on current alteration trends; the creation of a clear and stable archive of these monuments oriented to be a preservation tool; the opportunity to allow the reply, at any distance, a copy in any material of the original item.

Abstract. The age scale synchronisation between the Talos Dome and the EPICA Dome C ice cores was carried on through the identification of several common volcanic signatures. This paper describes the rigorous method, using the signature of volcanic sulphate, which was employed for the last 42 kyr of the record. Using this tight stratigraphic link, we transferred the EDC age scale to the Talos Dome ice core, producing a new age scale for the last 12 kyr. We estimated the discrepancies between the modelled TALDICE-1 age scale and the new scale during the studied period, by evaluating the ratio R of the apparent duration of temporal intervals between pairs of isochrones. Except for a very few cases, R ranges between 0.8 and 1.2, corresponding to an uncertainty of up to 20% in the estimate of the time duration in at least one of the two ice cores. At this stage our approach does not allow us to unequivocally identify which of the models is affected by errors, but, taking into account only the historically known volcanic events, we found that discrepancies up to 200 yr appear in the last two millennia in the TALDICE-1 model, while our new age scale shows a much better agreement with the volcanic absolute horizons. Thus, we propose for the Talos Dome ice core a new age scale (covering the whole Holocene) obtained by a direct transfer, via our stratigraphic link, from the EDC modelled age scale by Lemieux-Dudon et al. (2010).

Technology and the fruition of cultural heritage are becoming increasingly more entwined, especially with the advent of smart audio guides, virtual and augmented reality, and interactive installations. Machine learning and computer vision are important components of this ongoing integration, enabling new interaction modalities between user and museum. Nonetheless, the most frequent way of interacting with paintings and statues still remains taking pictures. Yet images alone can only convey the aesthetics of the artwork, lacking is information which is often required to fully understand and appreciate it. Usually this additional knowledge comes both from the artwork itself (and therefore the image depicting it) and from an external source of knowledge, such as an information sheet. While the former can be inferred by computer vision algorithms, the latter needs more structured data to pair visual content with relevant information. Regardless of its source, this information still must be be effectively transmitted to the user. A popular emerging trend in computer vision is Visual Question Answering (VQA), in which users can interact with a neural network by posing questions in natural language and receiving answers about the visual content. We believe that this will be the evolution of smart audio guides for museum visits and simple image browsing on personal smartphones. This will turn the classic audio guide into a smart personal instructor with which the visitor can interact by asking for explanations focused on specific interests. The advantages are twofold: on the one hand the cognitive burden of the visitor will decrease, limiting the flow of information to what the user actually wants to hear; and on the other hand it proposes the most natural way of interacting with a guide, favoring engagement. Comment: accepted at FlorenceHeritech 2020

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is one of Ravenna’s UNESCO protected monuments, globally renowned for the extraordinary mosaic decorations that cover the internal surfaces. The famous starry vault profoundly engages and inspires the observer. It has been studied for its accuracy in the representation of the real sky, but also because of its mystical and symbolic meaning in relation to the iconographic tradition of the time. The building has also been subject of archeoastronomical research (Romano in Orientamenti ad sidera. Astronomia, riti e calendari per la fondazione di templi e citta. Un esempio a Ravenna. Edizioni Essegi, Ravenna, 1995), which is here presented in depth. The present contribution also examines other architectural elements beyond orientation: particular attention is payed to the small slit windows of the building to investigate their possible archaeoastronomical significance. In the study of these elements, particular attention should be payed to the elaboration of architectural survey data, which has to be produced following established procedures and techniques. A functional 3D model will be developed from the data of the archaeoastronomical analysis to display the original morphology of the building (the floor was about 1.4 m lower because of subsidence movements), astronomical phenomena, and allow for multimedia communication of the scientific content produced. Finally, the related issues will be investigated: the geometric and projective transformations of the starry dome, the geometric shape of space also in relation to the unit of measurement used.

The paper presents the first results of the Cortona Heritage Project, which takes the opportunity to use the techniques of Virtual heritage to implementing concrete and innovative modes making the very rich cultural heritage of ancient Tuscan cities accessible for more people and engaging new publics by promoting its knowledge among young generations.

Abstract Research activity on ejectors is ongoing at the University of Florence since the late nineties. The most important achievement is a 40 kW ejector chiller designed according to the “CRMC” criterion. The experimentally validated CFD simulations have given some hints about some possible improvements, i.e. refine the surface finish of the ejector, study the effect of heat transfer and improve the final part of the diffuser, which in its present shape does not produce a measurable compression. The prototype has been recently filled with low-GWP refrigerant R1233zd, as a drop-in replacement of previously used R245fa. Both fluids are “dry-expanding” and hence significantly easier to model in CFD simulations. Synthetic low-GWP refrigerants may be an option for ejector chillers, due to their ability to reach below-zero temperature and high volumetric refrigerant capacity. Some lessons learned with synthetic refrigerants can be transferred to the project of a steam ejector chiller, which remains one of our future targets. Herein we resume the principal findings gathered by means of experimental and numerical activity on our prototype and propose a few ideas for the future research.

Abstract. Cultural heritage digitization and 3D modelling processes are mainly based on laser scanning and digital photogrammetry techniques to produce complete, detailed and photorealistic three-dimensional surveys: geometric as well as chromatic aspects, in turn testimony of materials, work techniques, state of preservation, etc., are documented using digitization processes. The paper explores the topic of 3D documentation for conservation purposes; it analyses how geomatics contributes in different steps of a restoration process and it presents an overview of different uses of 3D models for the conservation and enhancement of the cultural heritage. The paper reports on the project to digitize the earthenware frieze of the Ospedale del Ceppo in Pistoia (Italy) for 3D documentation, restoration work support, and digital and physical reconstruction and integration purposes. The intent to design an exhibition area suggests new ways to take advantage of 3D data originally acquired for documentation and scientific purposes.

Present highest energy heavy ion experiments show the dominance of the fluid dynamical processes. The possibility of new collective phenomena, rotation and turbulence occurs, which were known only in macroscopic systems up to now. These cand be detected with a new type of polarization measurements. publishedVersion

ATHENA H2020 Twinning project is a three-year duration project and its main objective is to strengthen the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) Remote Sensing Science and Geo-Environment Research Laboratory in the field of “Remote Sensing Archaeology” by creating a unique link between two internationally-leading research institutions: National Research Council of Italy (CNR) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). Through the ATHENA project, CUT’s staff research profile and expertise will be raised while S&T capacity of the linked institutions will be enhanced. In this paper the abovementioned objectives are presented through the various activities accomplished in the first year of the project. These activities include both virtual training by experts in topics such as active remote sensing sensors and sophisticated algorithms, as well as scientific workshops dedicated to specific earth observation and cultural heritage aspects. During this first year, outreached activities have been also performed aiming to promote remote sensing and other non-destructive techniques, including geophysics, for monitoring and safeguarding archaeological heritage of Cyprus. The ATHENA center aims to serve the local community of Cyprus, but at the same time to be established in the wider area of eastern Mediterranean.

This paper discusses an approach for identification of historic buildings that combines Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) survey, Deviation Analysis (DA) and Finite Element (FE) numerical modelling. The methodology is presented through the application to an illustrative case study: an early medieval period brick minaret located in Aksaray (Turkey). Precise direction of inclination, leaning angle, local deviations from circular building shape, deflections from vertical planes, local curvatures and related maps were obtained with high accuracy by DA, based on detailed point cloud 3D mesh model. In addition, differently from traditional approaches in FE analysis, a method for direct transfer of high accuracy TLS based 3D model to FE structural analysis is introduced. The FE model is subsequently employed to interpret and verify structural health of the historic building. Conference on Florence Heri-Tech - The Future of Heritage Science and Technologies -- MAY 16-18, 2018 -- Florence, ITALY WOS: 000452025100085 Univ Florence