Survey of 3D digital heritage repositories and platforms

Despite the increasing number of three-dimensional (3D) model portals and online repositories catering for digital heritage scholars, students and interested members of the general public, there are very few recent academic publications that offer a critical analysis when reviewing the relative pote...

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Main Authors: Erik Champion, Hafizur Rahaman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitat Politècnica de València 2020-07-01
Series:Virtual Archaeology Review
Subjects:
Online Access:https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/var/article/view/13226
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author Erik Champion
Hafizur Rahaman
author_facet Erik Champion
Hafizur Rahaman
author_sort Erik Champion
collection DOAJ
description Despite the increasing number of three-dimensional (3D) model portals and online repositories catering for digital heritage scholars, students and interested members of the general public, there are very few recent academic publications that offer a critical analysis when reviewing the relative potential of these portals and online repositories. Solid reviews of the features and functions they offer are insufficient; there is also a lack of explanations as to how these assets and their related functionality can further the digital heritage (and virtual heritage) field, and help in the preservation, maintenance, and promotion of real-world 3D heritage sites and assets. What features do they offer? How could their feature list better cater for the needs of the GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives and museums) sector? This article’s priority is to examine the useful features of 8 institutional and 11 commercial repositories designed specifically to host 3D digital models. The available features of their associated 3D viewers, where applicable, are also analysed, connecting recommendations for future-proofing with the need to address current gaps and weaknesses in the scholarly field of 3D digital heritage. Many projects do not address the requirements stipulated by charters, such as access, reusability, and preservation. The lack of preservation strategies and examples highlights the oxymoronic nature of virtual heritage (oxymoronic in the sense that the virtual heritage projects themselves are seldom preserved). To study these concerns, six criteria for gauging the usefulness of the 3D repositories to host 3D digital models and related digital assets are suggested. The authors also provide 13 features that would be useful additions for their 3D viewers. Highlights: • A survey of relevant features from eight institutional and eleven commercial online 3D repositories in the scholarly fieldof 3D digital heritage. • Presents a critical review of their hosting services and 3D model viewer features. • Proposes six features to enhance services of 3D repositories to support the GLAM sector, heritage scholars andheritage communities.
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spelling doaj-art-ff94de50ae104c84a7a429abddb052fa2025-08-20T02:56:19ZengUniversitat Politècnica de ValènciaVirtual Archaeology Review1989-99472020-07-01112311510.4995/var.2020.132268194Survey of 3D digital heritage repositories and platformsErik Champion0Hafizur Rahaman1Curtin UniversityCurtin UniversityDespite the increasing number of three-dimensional (3D) model portals and online repositories catering for digital heritage scholars, students and interested members of the general public, there are very few recent academic publications that offer a critical analysis when reviewing the relative potential of these portals and online repositories. Solid reviews of the features and functions they offer are insufficient; there is also a lack of explanations as to how these assets and their related functionality can further the digital heritage (and virtual heritage) field, and help in the preservation, maintenance, and promotion of real-world 3D heritage sites and assets. What features do they offer? How could their feature list better cater for the needs of the GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives and museums) sector? This article’s priority is to examine the useful features of 8 institutional and 11 commercial repositories designed specifically to host 3D digital models. The available features of their associated 3D viewers, where applicable, are also analysed, connecting recommendations for future-proofing with the need to address current gaps and weaknesses in the scholarly field of 3D digital heritage. Many projects do not address the requirements stipulated by charters, such as access, reusability, and preservation. The lack of preservation strategies and examples highlights the oxymoronic nature of virtual heritage (oxymoronic in the sense that the virtual heritage projects themselves are seldom preserved). To study these concerns, six criteria for gauging the usefulness of the 3D repositories to host 3D digital models and related digital assets are suggested. The authors also provide 13 features that would be useful additions for their 3D viewers. Highlights: • A survey of relevant features from eight institutional and eleven commercial online 3D repositories in the scholarly fieldof 3D digital heritage. • Presents a critical review of their hosting services and 3D model viewer features. • Proposes six features to enhance services of 3D repositories to support the GLAM sector, heritage scholars andheritage communities.https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/var/article/view/132263d modelportalsrepositoriesdigital cultural heritagevirtual heritagesurvey
spellingShingle Erik Champion
Hafizur Rahaman
Survey of 3D digital heritage repositories and platforms
Virtual Archaeology Review
3d model
portals
repositories
digital cultural heritage
virtual heritage
survey
title Survey of 3D digital heritage repositories and platforms
title_full Survey of 3D digital heritage repositories and platforms
title_fullStr Survey of 3D digital heritage repositories and platforms
title_full_unstemmed Survey of 3D digital heritage repositories and platforms
title_short Survey of 3D digital heritage repositories and platforms
title_sort survey of 3d digital heritage repositories and platforms
topic 3d model
portals
repositories
digital cultural heritage
virtual heritage
survey
url https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/var/article/view/13226
work_keys_str_mv AT erikchampion surveyof3ddigitalheritagerepositoriesandplatforms
AT hafizurrahaman surveyof3ddigitalheritagerepositoriesandplatforms