Enabling Users to Create and Document 3D Content for Heritage

This paper presents research on developing processes for content creation of 3D assets of public monuments and sculptures in towns and cities in the Sussex area of the United Kingdom. This type of heritage is usually located in neighbourhoods among the public, who live and interact with them on a day to day basis. The paper recognises the challenges involved in requiring non-experts to use software and hardware for 3D graphics, which are not yet of common use. Hence, the research has been focused from early stages to gather feedback in order to lower the threshold of 3D technologies. Specifically, this paper addresses the development and use of tools to allow users to create 3D content and integrate it with semantic information. The information is disseminated in a Web based format. As a result, the public sculptures and monuments database supports scholar and public dissemination by presenting a variety of integrated documentation on the project Web site: http://www.publicsculpturesofsussex.co.uk.