ARM4CH: A Methodology for Autonomous Reality Modelling for Cultural Heritage

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Automation
• Digital Heritage
• Surveying and Geomatics

Background:

• Current 3D Reality Modeling (RM) of Cultural Heritage (CH) relies on manual 3D scanning and photogrammetry.
• This traditional process requires significant expert intervention, involving laborious planning and time-consuming execution.
• Site-specific constraints and requirements add complexity to manual 3D digitization efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel methodology for autonomous 3D Reality Modeling (RM) of Cultural Heritage (CH) monuments.
• To minimize human intervention in the digitization process through automation.
• To introduce an Industry 4.0-based approach for reality modeling and surveying of cultural spaces.

Main Methods:

• Employing autonomous robotic agents equipped with advanced sensors (e.g., terrestrial, mobile 3D scanners, photogrammetric imaging).
• Developing a systematic and repeatable methodology for autonomous 3D data acquisition.
• Implementing an Industry 4.0 framework for automated reality modeling.

Main Results:

• Autonomous robotic agents can perform 3D RM systematically, repeatably, and accurately.
• Reduced need for manual labor and expert intervention in CH digitization.
• The methodology lays the groundwork for future real-life scenario evaluations.

Conclusions:

• Autonomous robotic agents offer a viable solution for efficient and accurate 3D Reality Modeling of Cultural Heritage.
• The proposed Industry 4.0 methodology enhances the digitization of cultural spaces.
• Automated RM has potential applications in digital twin platforms for CH monitoring and management.