C O N T E X T 1 3 3 : M A R C H 2 0 1 4 49 IHBC North West conference on digital heritage New technology for the historic environment The IHBC NW Branch Day Conference, held at the Cooperative Group’s Headquarters in Angel Square, Manchester, highlighted the opportunities and threats that digital application presented in surveying, recording and interpretation. Drew Hemment, chief executive of Future Everything, chaired the day. A full report is on the NW branch conference webpage. The first session was on surveying and recording. Paul Bryan, English Heritage geospatial imaging manager, spoke about digital recording. He explained that Structure from Motion (SfM) captures a wide range of multiple images. It is applicable to 2D and 3D work, like laser scanning. Laser scanning is fast and produces high resolution records, but generates large data files and requires sophisticated software. In 2012 Ironbridge was recorded using laser scanning. Existing 1999 survey data was not accurate enough for the proposed structural analysis. Harmondsworth Barn, Middlesex, had structural and conservation problems. Archived survey data was supplemented by laser scanning and SfM for building information modelling (BIM). English Heritage specifies digital recording across its estate, aware that today’s data collection is tomorrow’s archive. Jamie Quartermaine of Oxford Archaeology North spoke about modelling archaeological monuments and landscapes. He also favoured SfM. Digital terrain models could be created from multiple photographs taken from a mast. Photographs had been taken using a small balloon carrying a camera, but balloons could get caught up in trees or vegetation in the wind. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are much more stable. 3D modules, using survey control points and contouring, provide flexibility and can produce fly-arounds as well as models. Comprehensive mapping of excavations is an important part of archaeological work. Andrew Lowerre, a spatial analysis archaeologist with English Heritage, discussed practical applications of GIS: capturing information, and checking and manipulating the data. In the Audley End historic landscape GIS project, surveys had provided a range of information for heritage protection, identifying archaeological remains and car parking locations. Peter Insole, a senior archaeological officer from Bristol, spoke about Know Your Place (KYP), part of the process of maintaining the historic environment record (HER). The HER’s role was central in terms of place-making and material considerations. KYP facilitated participation through a dedicated website. Historical and modern maps were overlaid, and browsers could switch back and forth using a plug-in. The website includes visual archive material. KYP allowed people to upload material from their personal archives and make local listing nominations. People can survey the condition of listed buildings, using a phone app called Heritage Eye, and submit completed surveys and photographs to the HER. The second session was on interpretation. Lou Cordwell and Ray Mosley of magneticNorth introduced digital heritage interpretation: telling stories or helping people experience something. Gallery One of Cleveland features a large multi-touch screen. Visitors ‘like’ objects from the museum’s collection and ‘push’ them to an (iPad) ‘art lens’ to shape their own guided tour. Reflecting the Past (Newark Park) uses mirrors, sensors and images to tell stories. At Grange Court (Leominster) nexus tablets are used. Gareth Langley, co-founder of Stardostar, advocated a human-centred design, asking what is the point? How will people use it? How will they feel using it? The Cotswolds area of outstanding natural beauty project featured a kiosk created to teach 8–10 year olds about 6,000 years of landscape change. Hearmanchester.com interpreted the Rochdale Canal through audio portraits. Binaural Audio employs psycho acoustics and 3D stereo to enhance the real world around the person. By using a GPS-enabled device, sensors detect a person’s location and trigger music, sound effects and voices to tell a linear story, or a story that responds to people’s choices in turning left or right. Louise Hampson of the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture at the University ofYork spoke about church interpretation.The centre has produced interactive resources and a book series telling the story of the church in England. Phone apps had advantages: no hardware; easy updating; video and 3D modelling; attractive to young people; downloading ahead of visits; and making donations. There were disadvantages: not everyone had a smart phone; apps encouraged the use of mobile phones (in church); solid stone walls often meant poor signal or network coverage (if not downloaded in advance); and creating and maintaining multi-platform access was complex and potentially costly. In the discussion session the point was made that we should be looking at new ways of working and engaging the public. Interpretation was less top-down now. Some rhetorical questions were raised. Should ‘locals’ take decisions, since there were always tensions between specialists and locals? Do visitors really value vox
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