Advanced Imaging for Examining, Monitoring and Analysing Cultural Heritage Artefacts

Advanced Imaging for Examining, Monitoring and Analysing Cultural Heritage Artefacts: Cultural Heritage Analysis for New Generations offers a multidisciplinary
exploration of how innovative imaging techniques can contribute to the understanding and monitoring the evolution of heritage materials over time. This book takes cultural heritage digitisation to a new level by exploring digital datasets for deeper analysis and interpretation to develop methodologies for the assessment of changes in cultural heritage objects by comparing and combining digital datasets captured at different time periods.

Cultural heritage objects are constantly undergoing changes and degradation over time. In order to pass the legacy of these objects to future generations, it
is important to monitor, record, and understand these changes as accurately as possible. Over the years, cultural heritage digitisation using scientific imaging techniques has become more widespread and has created a wealth of datasets of different forms in 2D and 3D. This volume focuses on the processing and analysis of these datasets and their potential for offering insights in monitoring changes in cultural heritage artefacts for conservation purposes. This volume offers a comprehensive overview of a selection of innovative imaging techniques used for documentation and the assessment of ageing, degradations, and conservation treatment on certain cultural heritage materials. Based on the EU‑funded CHANGE project and drawing on real‑world case studies, this volume illustrates practical applications across diverse heritage materials and contexts. This volume enables readers to identify the most suitable techniques for documentation, conservation, and long‑term monitoring and understand best practices in integrating imaging data into heritage documentation workflows.

Adopting an interdisciplinary approach combining expertise on imaging techniques, computing, cultural heritage, and conservation science, this book offers an invaluable new approach to the digitisation of cultural heritage. This book will be invaluable for conservation professionals, heritage scientists, imaging specialists, museum practitioners, and students seeking to understand how imaging and analytical techniques can contribute to the assessment of change in cultural heritage
artefacts.

Advanced Imaging for Examining, Monitoring and Analysing Cultural Heritage Artefacts: Cultural Heritage Analysis for New Generations is intended for conservation professionals, heritage scientists, imaging specialists, museum practitioners, and students seeking to understand how imaging and analytical techniques can contribute to better documenting certain cultural heritage artefacts, among which are stone, ceramics, glass, painted metals, paintings, gilded surfaces, and parchments. It also serves researchers and institutions interested in change monitoring and material change, offering a clear entry point into the multidisciplinary outcomes of the ITN‑CHANGE project.

Christian Degrigny is currently Professor at Haute Ecole Arc Conservation-restauration (HE-Arc CR). Trained as an electrochemist, he obtained his PhD in analytical chemistry from the University of Paris VI in 1990 and specialised in the application of electrochemical techniques in metal conservation. He worked as a Conservation Scientist in France (1991–2001), Director of studies for a conservation programme in Finland (2001–2002) and Director of a diagnostic laboratory at the Malta Centre for Restoration (2003–2005). These various professional experiences have given him a broad understanding of the imaging techniques commonly used in conservation, enabled him to teach them, and sparked his interest in more innovative methods as well.

Sony George is Professor of Spectral Imaging at the Colourlab, Department of Computer Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He has been an active member at various roles in different EU projects and COST actions related to the field of cultural heritage documentation and analysis. His expertise includes multi‑hyperspectral imaging, computer vision, image quality, etc. He is a member of professional societies IEEE, ACM, and SPIE. Before joining NTNU, he worked as a Researcher at Gjøvik University College, Norway.

Jon Yngve Hardeberg is Professor of Colour Imaging at the Colourlab at NTNU ‑ Norwegian University of Science and Technology. His research interests include spectral imaging, image quality, material appearance, and cultural heritage imaging, and he has co‑authored over 400 publications. He has coordinated three European MSCA ITN projects (CP7.0, ApPEARS, CHANGE) and started three companies, Artikolor AS, Spektralion AS, and Safe Media AI AS, to develop, apply, and disseminate knowledge and tools in art history, colour science, spectral imaging, and artificial intelligence. He is a Fellow of the IS&T, Senior Member of
SPIE and IEEE, and member of Optica, ACM, and ICOM. He is the Norwegian delegate to Division 8 of the CIE (International Commission on Illumination), and founder and board member of Forum Farge, Norway’s member association in AIC ‑ International Colour Association.