Tag Archives: visualisation

UNESCO Chair of Cultural Heritage and Visualisation

Academic, Digital Humanities, heritage, UNESCO Chair, , , ,

The 2016-2020 UNESCO Chair of Cultural Heritage and Visualisation has ended. First UNESCO Chair at Curtin. Less than 4 years, but various awards/prizes, media releases and press interviews, 3 Australian Research Council (+international) grants, some grant applications still pending.

The next big publication, in February 2021, will be an edited book on virtual heritage, published by Ubiquity Press, edited by Erik Champion. Online chapters will be open access, and suitable for university course reading lists.

Papers available at https://computation.curtin.edu.au/research/groups/unesco-chair-cultural-heritage-visualisation/ but needs updating.

I’d like to thank Hafizur Rahaman, our two PhD students Mafkereseb Bekele and Ikrom Nishanbaev, and the many collaborators and colleagues we met on the journey.

UNESCO CHAIR Projects (September 2016-June 2019)

Digital Humanities, heritage, virtual heritage, Virtual Reality, visualisation, workshop, , , ,

2019 Time-layered cultural map of Australia (Erik Champion and research assistant): 2018 ARC LIEF LE190100019  grant (hosted by Newcastle), $420,000 awarded GIS Programming and VR/MR mapping. URL: https://www.arc.gov.au/news-publications/media/research-highlights/australian-cultural-and-historical-data-be-linked-new-research-infrastructure

2019 GIS AR and mapping (Curtin Institute for Computation grant) (Erik Champion, David McMeekin, Hafizur Rahaman). Linked Open Data for 3D Heritage ARC grants Moviemap Geolocated Datasets and XR-Makerspace, Workflow and Web Portfolio Platform Development), $30,263.88.

2018 PhD project (Ikrom Nishanbaev): 3D/GIS Semantic Web-3D repository and Website-interface for cultural heritage objects and associated paradata.

2019 MCASI grant (Hafizur Rahaman, Michelle Johnston): AR-triggered language guide (mobile device to recognise 3D objects, play associated sounds and display associated text helping a user to understand a language) $2000.

2018 Erik Champion With Research Fellow (Dr Hafizur Rahaman). Open source photogrammetry to 3D digital models to augmented and mixed reality.

Mafkereseb Bekele (centre) winning a Young CAADRIA 2019 award (Hafizur Rahaman L and Marc Schnabel R).

2017 PhD project (Mafkereseb Bekele): Collaborative Learning with Microsoft HoloLens (sites: WA Museum-Xantho steam engine and Duyfken)-, can augment scale and create interactive map-based historical journeys as well. Featured in papers at CAADRIA (best student paper: Mafkereseb Bekele) and Computer Applications in Archaeology (Erik Champion).

2018 Summer intern (Corbin Yap). Latest Unreal game engine ported to 4 stereo and non-stereo displays of Curtin HIVE VR centre.

2017 Software Engineering project (with co-mentor Dr Karen Miller) gesture-based interface to Minecraft and other game engines.

Research Fellow Opportunity

Announcements, archaeology, Digital Humanities, virtual heritage, Virtual Reality, visualisation, , , , ,

UNESCO Research Fellow in Cultural Heritage & Visualisation, Curtin University.

Direct Link here or at the Curtin University Vacancies, Perth, Western Australia.

The role starts in 2016.

Position Title:UNESCO Research Fellow in Cultural Heritage & Visualisation
Position Number:3553170
Tenure:Full-time, fixed term until 1 September 2020
Salary Range:$97,076 – $115,277 (ALB)
Location:Bentley
Description:Do you have experience with digital archaeology and a passion to join the School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts?

Curtin University has, in cooperation with UNESCO, established a Chair in Cultural Heritage and Visualisation. The purpose of the Chair is to promote an integrated system of research, training, information and documentation on virtual heritage sites and facilitate collaboration between high-level, internationally-recognized researchers and teaching staff of the University and other institutions in Australia, Europe and North America and in other regions of the world.

As a Research Fellow, you will work with the UNESCO Chair on a project which aims to survey and promote guidelines, tutorials and open access tools for the design, preservation and teaching of 3D models and landscapes of UNESCO heritage sites, particularly in Australia. You will be expected to contribute to grant writing and research publications.

Along with a relevant doctoral qualification, the ideal candidate would have experience in aspects of digital archaeology, architectural computing, or databases and related programming (especially in the creation and maintenance of online repositories). Evidence of quality research outputs and interpersonal skills are also essential.

Benefits and Remuneration:The salary ranges presented are those which are contained within the University’s Enterprise Agreements; as are the employee benefits which include employer superannuation contribution at the rate of the current Government Superannuation Guarantee amount up to 17 percent, study assistance, a comprehensive salary packaging and wellness programs and flexible and family friendly work practices.
Contact Person:Professor Erik Champion
Contact Email:erik.champion@curtin.edu.au
Valuing Diversity and Affirmative Action:Curtin University embraces diversity and inclusion and invites applications from women, men and intersex individuals who share the University’s values, ethics, international outlook, value diversity and have an informed respect for indigenous people. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment process and supportive workplace, therefore, if you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at time of application. We will then work with you to identify the best way to assist you through the recruitment process. All personal information will be kept confidential in compliance with relevant privacy legislation.
Submit Application:To submit an application, click on the Apply Now button.
Disclaimer:Curtin reserves the right at its sole discretion to withdraw from the recruitment process, not to make an appointment, or to appoint by invitation, at anytime.
Applications Close:5 pm, Monday 24 October 2016 (AWST)

PhD Scholarships-Cultural Heritage & Visualisation

3D and game editors, Announcements, archaeology, Architecture, Conference, Digital Humanities, PhD, virtual heritage, Virtual Reality, visualisation, , , , , ,

There are 2 PhD scholarships now open at Curtin University, for students interested in 3D models of heritage sites, community participation, heritage issues and preservation of the 3D models themselves:

http://scholarships.curtin.edu.au/scholarships/scholarship.cfm?id=2782.0

 

UNESCO Chair-the fun begins

Announcements, virtual heritage, , , , , , ,

Announced via our internal Curtin University website:

Partnership with UNESCO

Curtin recently signed a contract to establish the University’s first UNESCO Chair of Cultural Heritage and Visualisation for Professor Erik Champion (School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts). The Chair will cooperate closely with UNESCO on programs and activities, and facilitate new projects and collaborations with other UNESCO chairs and scholars, particularly in the field of digital cultural heritage. Two related PhD Scholarships and a Research Fellow position will shortly be advertised and there will be a program to invite visiting fellows from around the world.

At the partnership signing with Professor Alan Dench, Associate Professor Michele Willson and Professor Erik Champion of the Faculty of Humanities.

UNESCO Chair in Cultural Heritage & Visualisation at Curtin University of Technology

Announcements, archaeology, digital heritage, Digital Humanities, heritage, PhD, Postdoc, virtual heritage, Virtual Reality, visualisation, ,

Just received this by email, last night:

Establishment of a UNESCO Chair in Cultural Heritage and Visualisation at Curtin University of Technology. Third Parties: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

So the agreement is signed and I will hear from Human Resources regards the provision of two PhD students and a contracted Research Fellow. The majority of their work will be in providing workflows and tutorials and repository guidelines for the storage and deployment and educational use of 3D heritage models/site simulations. I will have to find other avenues of funding for my major line of research, game-like simulation design of heritage sites and historical events and processes.

The specific objectives of this Chair are to:

  • create a Cultural Heritage and Visualisation network to use and advise on 3D models of World Heritage Sites, as well as to show how 3D models can be employed in teaching and research;
  • build capacity through community workshops and learning materials and distribute the teaching resources digitally at no cost to the end user, as well as train research students, post-doctorate scholars and visiting fellows;
  • recommend long-term archive guidelines and ways of linking 30 models to scholarly publications and related scholarly resources and infrastructures;
  • disseminate the results of research activities at conferences and workshops, via online papers, applications and learning materials; and,
  • cooperate closely with UNESCO on relevant programmes and activities, as well as with other relevant UNESCO Chairs.

UNESCO “Cultural Heritage and Visualisation” AIMS

digital heritage, virtual heritage, ,

As it draws closer here is what I need to work on for four years (create a network, build community capacity, recommend archival guidelines, disseminate research, cooperate with UNESCO):

The purpose of the Chair shall be to promote an integrated system of research, training, information and documentation on virtual heritage sites, science, sustainable development, social and ethical challenges, cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue, culture of peace, information and communication. It will facilitate collaboration between high-level, internationally-recognized researchers and teaching staff of the University and other institutions in Australia, Europe and North America and in other regions of the world.

The specific objectives of this Chair are to:

  1. create a Cultural Heritage and Visualisation network to use and advise on 3D models of World Heritage Sites as well as to show how 3D models can be employed in teaching and research etc.;
  2. build capacity through community workshops, learning materials including distributing the teaching resources digitally at no cost for the end user, training of research students and post-doctorate scholars and visiting fellows;
  3. recommend long-term archive guidelines and ways of linking 3D models to scholarly publications and related scholarly resources and infrastructures;
  4. disseminate the results of research activities at conferences and workshops, via online papers, applications and learning materials; and,
  5. cooperate closely with UNESCO on relevant programmes and activities.

If not DH what is it? (DH2015 presentation)

Digital Humanities, visualisation, ,

The below is the last slide from my Digital Humanities 2015 talk (“Seeing Is Revealing: A Critical Discussion on Visualisation And The Digital Humanities“) in Sydney
The paper is being reviewed for the Digital Scholarship in the Humanities Journal.

Slide 48
title: If not DH what is it?

  1. More emphasis has been on scientific visualisation, on non-interactive calculation + presentation of quantifiable data but DH Vis not only about data, also interactive. vague, questioning & rhetorical.
  2. Visualisation not only pretty, (refer Baldwin, S. 2013. The Idiocy of the Digital Literary..)
  3. Visualisation has to overcome ocularcentrism as Virtual Reality reflects not only sighted reality but non-sighted reality, visualisation is more than just the visual (explain using cave paintings!)
  4. Game design is not typically part of DH but an interesting vehicle for community feedback, cultural issues, critical reflection & medium-specific techniques (procedural rhetoric). Also huge issues, HCI, authenticity, develop scholarly arguments in collaboration, preserve etc.)
  5. It employs research in traditional humanities, converts IT people to humanities research (sometimes), preserves and communicates cultural heritage and cultural significance through alterity, cultural constraints and counterfactual imaginings.
  6. History / heritage is not always literature! DH audience not always literature-focused or interested in traditional forms of literacy.

Leipzig eHumanities Slides, and Visualisation Links

Conference, Digital Humanities, game, virtual heritage, visualisation, , ,

If anyone is interested in my 23/10/2013 Leipzig eHumanities presentation, which is mostly on virtual environments/games (and heritage),
I have just uploaded my presentation to
http://www.slideshare.net/nzerik/leipzig-ehumanities-23-october-2013-talk

But for ease of reference, for links to interesting Digital Humanities/Visualisation tools there is this:
http://www.slideshare.net/nzerik/visualization-notes-most-links-on-last-2-slides
Actually most links on slides 40 and 41.

Visiting Fellows to work with me at Curtin University in Visualisation, 2013

3D and game editors, Academic, Architecture, Biofeedback, design, Digital Humanities, game, virtual heritage, visualisation, , , , , , , , , , ,

I am very happy to announce that two Visting Fellows and two Early Career Visiting Fellows will work with me in October and November on various projects.

They are (and please note, dates are provisional):

Visiting Fellows

 

Nov 4-27: Dr Jeffrey Jacobson, http://www.publicvr.org

To provide examples of interactive and immersive environments featuring architecture and archaeology of the ancient world, to run inside Curtin’s new visualisation facility, iDome, Stereo Wall, and/or possibly the Wedge. Upload and run public VR 3D models inside UNITY on the iDome. These are the Virtual Egyptian Temple, Living Forest, Theater District of Pompeii. Prototype ancient heritage sites to run on the 0.5 CAVE (actually it is a Wedge). Design and pilot evaluation environment for potential use in humanities subjects, including history, and the visualisation undergraduate degree.

Nov 16-Dec 16: Dr Rob H. Warren, Canada, http://blog.muninn-project.org
Link 3D models in virtual environments (Unity real-time engine) to the archival databases to create a specific pilot of a World War 1 simulation using accurate historic geo-data, weather data, astronomical data, and historical records. Design and pilot evaluation environment for potential use in humanities subjects, including history, and the visualisation undergraduate degree. Link to colleagues in New Zealand and Canada to discuss potential research collaborations

Early Career Visiting Fellows

Nov 4-11: Andrew Dekker, University of Queensland http://itee.uq.edu.au/~dekker/ OR http://uq.academia.edu/AndrewDekker

We will work together on the following project: Camera tracking and biofeedback for indirect interaction with virtual environments. This project will connect biofeedback devices and camera tracking devices with equipment in the Curtin Data Visualisation Facility (CDVF) and provide a research platform to evaluate how biofeedback can be a meaningful interaction component for virtual environments, especially for augmenting socially believable agents, and to enrich the apparent “life” and “atmosphere” of digitally created architectural environments.

Nov 18-25: Dr Hafizur Rahman, Bangladesh http://bdheritage.info and http://ttclc.net

Create a streamlined 3D model data and 3D virtual environment workflow, analyse and comparing different image modelling tools, and explain how their optimal deployment for community web portals of digitalised cultural heritage.

Acquiring 3D models for artifacts is always expensive, as it typically requires a 3D laser scanner and relevant training. However, 3D modeling of small artifacts is possible to produce with photographs using low cost software such as 3D Som Pro (http://www.3dsom.com/). This software can produce 3D wire mesh and baked images for rendering, which can later be use as a source for augmented reality application for interactive public display. Free AR Toolkit /BuildAR can be used here for making this interactive display for museums/heritage institutes and interested community groups who currently lack high end technological resources and related skills.

We will also compare the above to insight 3D (http://insight3d.sourceforge.net/), which is free and open source. We will produce schematic workflows, incorporating Blender 3D for modeling and we will consider alternatives such as Google SketchUp.

the Curtin Data Visualisation Facility (CDVF)

3D and game editors, Academic, Digital Humanities, virtual heritage, visualisation, , , , , ,

The Curtin Data Visualisation Facility (CDVF) is unusual in that a great deal of strategic direction comes from the Faculty of Humanities, but it will be open to all academics at Curtin University.
It is also part of the John Curtin Gallery, on the Curtin University main campus (Bentley). The launch is planned for the second week of November.

What will it be used for? To “meet a broad demand for visualisation, virtualisation and simulation infrastructure and capability in Western Australia. It will enable significantly better training environments and improved interpretation of research data across the university’s core areas of research.” (Curtin University website).

Currently being installed are:

  • A 4X3 high resolution tiled display.
  • A half-cylindrical stereo display (8 metres in diameter).
  • A wedge (2 high resolution stereo display screens at an angle to each other-the angle can be adjusted).
  • A truncated dome.

The inventor, Associate Professor Paul Bourke, Director of iVEC@UWA, tells me it is not an iDome, as it uses fish eye projection and it is a truncated spherical dome, but it currently lacks a catchy name.
You can see some of Paul Bourke’s visualisation work featuring Gigapixel, 360 Ladybug panoramas and iDome scientific visualisation here: http://paulbourke.net/papers/curtin2013/slides.pdf
NB We are also part of iVEC, iVEC@Curtin, so we can borrow iVEC’s high quality recording and rendering equipment and access their services.

The CDVF is staffed by 2 technical assistants and an expert in Stereoscopic projection, Mr Andrew Woods, the Managing Director of CDVF.
Much of the content design will be handled at various creation nodes on campus.
At the School of Media Culture and Creative Arts I have access to the following new postgrad research lab, featuring dual screen MacPros and iMacs.

Computer Lab, Room 211B, Building 208, Curtin University

Do I have enough project ideas? Yes!
Next step: grants, partners, and students! If you any of the three, please contact me!

Does visualisation ever provide new insight in the humanities?

3D and game editors, virtual heritage, visualisation, ,

The Dean of Research at my Faculty of Humanities asked this yesterday.I have decided this could become a future book project, answering that question, I mean.

Some beginning links are here:
http://www.quora.com/What-are-some-critical-data-visualization-works
Data visualisation but good http://www.mulinblog.com/2013/09/03/data-visualization-matters/?utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer612ef&utm_medium=twitter
http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Apr-12/AprMay12_Bailey_Owens.html
http://viewshare.org/views/jefferson/fulton-street-trade-cards-collection/
Good slides roundup http://www.slideshare.net/smithss_27106/data-visualization-and-digital-humanities-research-a-survey-of-available-data-sets-and-tools
A conference this question may have been answered: http://hyperstudio.mit.edu/h-digital/

http://www.quora.com/Data-Visualization/Why-does-visualization-matter
To explain this to my students I usually refer to the best historical examples. Epidemiology, for instance, would not be the same without thematic mapping, as maps let you take a peek behind the data, see what the numbers hide. The classic is Snow’s Cholera map, obviously, which I praise here http://blog.visual.ly/infographi… but there are many others. I’d recommend two books about data maps: “Cartographies of Disease” http://www.amazon.com/Cartograph… and “Early Thematic Mapping in the History of Cartography”http://www.amazon.com/Early-Them… which revisits some well known names, such as Charles Joseph Minard, and casts lights on others that are not so well known.
http://blogs.hbr.org/hbr/hbreditors/2013/03/power_of_visualizations_aha_moment.html

here’s an “Aha!” moment sometimes. Even on the most obvious things. Take Matthew Bloch [and Shan Carter and Alan McLean]’s census maps.


Click to see larger image. View the interactive version here.
source: New York Times

I’m just seeing what I basically know: New York neighborhoods are segregated. But I felt it in a way I never had before. You can feel a good data visualization.

One thing we did was take a very simple unemployment chart — your most basic visualization — and we let people choose a Democrat or Republican interpretation of the data.


Click or touch to see larger image. View the interactive version here.
source: New York Times

You can literally see the visualization change based on whose point of view was highlighted. It would be silly to interpret any data viz as truth. They are interpretations of truth.

personal bit of information and apology

Conference, Digital Humanities, , , , ,

I am sorry I have not had much time to update the site lately, I have been very busy with organizing a workshop in Copenhagen
http://dighumlab.dk/news/single-news/artikel/cfp-cultural-heritage-creative-tools-and-archives-workshop/

The programme will appear soon and I am very happy with it, I think it will be a great event.

However June will probably not see much activity on this site as I will be tidying up loose ends here in Denmark before moving to Curtin University in Western Australia in July to start a new role. I am sorry in many ways to be leaving Europe but this is probably the right time to do so and some wonderful opportunities await.

In particular I am looking forward to working with iVEC, supervising PhD students, facilitating a new masters in visualisation for Curtin, and also help them develop new facilities such as this one for research into Cultural Visualisation (amongst other things).