Reimagining memorial spaces through digital technologies: A typology of CemTech

Area of Science:

• Digital Humanities
• Heritage Studies
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Digital technologies are increasingly influencing how people interact with cultural heritage sites.
• Cemeteries, as significant memorial and cultural spaces, are beginning to adopt digital innovations.
• Understanding the landscape of these digital tools is crucial for appreciating their impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the development and characteristics of digital cemetery technologies (cemtech).
• To understand how cemtech is reimagining memorial spaces and visitor experiences.
• To create a typology and thematic analysis of existing cemtech.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of cemtech examples across online records, academic literature, patents, and trade publications.
• Development of a typology based on application type, technical components, target users, and development status.
• Thematic analysis of application types to identify functional themes.

Main Results:

• A typology of cemtech was established based on four key characteristics.
• Five higher-level themes of cemtech functionality were identified: Wayfinding, Narrativizing, Presencing, Emplacing, and Repurposing.
• The analysis highlights distinct design trajectories and innovative possibilities for cemetery use.

Conclusions:

• Cemtech represents a significant evolution in memorial space engagement.
• The identified typology and themes provide a framework for understanding cemtech development.
• Digital technologies offer new avenues for experiencing and utilizing cemeteries.