The virtual heritage track allows you to study how information technology can be applied to the traditional goals of cultural heritage professionals: discovery, recording, restoration, analysis, interpretation, and transmission of 3D human creations.
Watch how Virtual Heritage is making a difference
In this track, you’ll receive practical training in the use of 3D tools for analysis of cultural heritage objects and hone your ability to conceptualize and demonstrate how to use these tools to develop new and compelling solutions to important problems faced in fields such as:
You’ll focus on digitization of 3D objects, including digitally restoring objects to their original condition by using best practices of the profession and time-tested principles of art and architectural restoration. You’ll learn how to publish your 3D models on web pages, print them on a 3D printer, and visualize them interactively in a virtual reality environment to make the items more available to researchers.
Virtual Heritage is the study of how information technology can be applied in pursuit of the traditional goals of cultural heritage professionals: the discovery, recording, restoration, analysis, interpretation, and transmission of three-dimensional human creations from the small scale of a cylinder seal, vase, or statue to the large scale of a building, settlement, or cultural landscape. The purpose of our program is both to offer students practical training in the use of 3D tools (e.g., PhotoScan, AutoCad, 3D Studio Max, Unity, Zbrush, etc.) and also to develop the student’s ability to conceptualize and demonstrate how these tools can be used to develop new and compelling solutions to important problems faced by professionals in fields such as Anthropology, Archaeology, Conservation, Exhibition Design, Egyptology, as well as Art and Architectural History.
Gabriele Guidi: Track Director
From 1999 Gabriele Guidi began to do research on 3D imaging technologies applied to Cultural Heritage, leading the digitization of important artworks from Donatello and Leonardo da Vinci. He developed methods for integrating active and passive 3D devices, for 3D equipment characterization and for large-scale 3D digitization in museums.He is now involved in the application of 3D Digitization to cultural heritage, industrial design, mechanical engineering, and art.
Theory and practice of Virtual Heritage, use of game engines for historical simulation, virtual archaeoastronomy, application of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in museums and on cultural heritage sites, digital reconstruction of the monuments of ancient Rome and other sites of the classical world.
Katy Borner (Victor H. Yngve Professor of Information Science)
3D collaborative Virtual Environments; data modeling; visualization, computer vision and graphics.
Use of the game engine Unity for scientific simulations.
Mesoamerican archaeology.
Museum exhibition design.
Renaissance and Baroque art and architectural history.
Julie Van Voorhis (Art History)
Classical art and architectural history.
Egyptology.
A student must successfully complete ninety (90) credit hours of graduate-level coursework. The specific track requirements are listed below.
All required courses provided by faculty in Virtual Heritage are open to students from other tracks and programs.
NOTE: A student must take I609 and/or I709.
NOTE: A student must complete two rotations of I790. A third rotation will not count for course credit.
NOTE: These courses must be appropriate for a Ph.D. in Informatics.
NOTE: Typical minors include Archaeology, Art History, Anthropology, Egyptology.
In addition to required courses, students are encouraged to take the following courses:
Archaeology, Art History, Anthropology, Egyptology.
Written and oral examinations decided by program committee based on bibliography from the two introductory courses in Virtual Heritage and specific research interests of candidate. Typical written exam: three papers or one-week take home exam.
