The Role of 3D Models in Virtual Heritage Infrastructures

Abstract

The success of virtual heritage projects, through the careful inspection, contextualization and modification of 3D digital heritage models with virtual reality technology, is still problematic. Models are hard to find, impossible to download and edit, in unusual, unwieldy or obsolete formats. Many of the freely available models are standalone 3D meshes with no accompanying metadata or information on how the acquisition of the data. Few have information on if or how the models can be shared (and if they are editable). Fewer still quantify the accuracy of the scanning or modelling process, or make available the scholarly documents, field reports, photographs and site plans that allowed the designers to extract enough information for their models. Where there are suitable models in standard formats that are available from repositories, such as in Europeana library portal, they are likely to be in unwieldy 3D Formats. For example, 3D models encased in the proprietary PDF format cannot be extended, altered or otherwise removed from the PDF. Part of the problem has been with the development of virtual heritage; part of the problem has been due to a lack of necessary infrastructure. In this chapter, I will suggest another way of looking at virtual heritage, and I will promote the concept of a scholarly ecosystem for virtual heritage where both the media assets involved and the communities (of scholars, shareholders and the general public) are all active participants in the development of digital heritage that is a part of living heritage.