CyArk is a non-profit organization dedicated to digitally preserving cultural heritage sites using technologies like laser scanning and 3D modeling. Their mission is to collect and provide open access to digital documentation of over 100 sites internationally. Some threats to these sites include urban sprawl, flooding, arson. CyArk has ongoing projects in Scotland, China, India, and the US. They follow best practices for data collection, processing, archiving, and dissemination. Data is collected using laser scanning, photography, and photogrammetry. It is processed and archived, then made accessible on their website through tools like 3D viewers and interactive applications.

1. DEDICATE Seminar
21 October 2013
Adam Frost
Introduction and operational framework
CyArk Europe is a registered charity in Scotland, number: SC044310

2. Our Mission
CyArk is dedicated to the digital preservation of cultural
heritage sites through the use of innovative methods,
to collect, archive, and provide open access to data
created by laser scanning, digital 3D modelling, and
other state of the art technologies.

3. Natural and anthropogenic threats
Urban Sprawl
Arson
Pyramids at Giza, Egypt Sungnyemun Gate, Seoul, South Korea
Flooding
Piazza San
Marco, Venice, Italy

4. The CyArk outline

5. Complete or partial survey data from over 100
sites internationally
CyArk’s progress

6. The Royal Kasubi Tombs | Uganda

7. The Scottish Ten project
CyArk, in partnership with Historic Scotland and the Glasgow School of Art’s Digital Design
Studio aims to digitally document 5 Scottish UNESCO World Heritage Sites and 5
international cultural heritage sites.

8. So far, 9 cultural heritage sites have been documented, including 5 Scottish sites:
New Lanark
Neolithic
Orkney
The Antonine
Wall
Edinburgh Old
and New Town
St Kilda

9. Working with partner countries to record 5 international sites (field data for 4
completed):
?
?
The Eastern
Qing
Tombs, China
Rani Ki Vav,
India
Mount
The Sydney
Rushmore, US Opera House,
Australia
Unannounced

10. CyArk’s operation
• Individually funded projects
• Philanthropic donations
• Working with partners
– Skills and knowledge transfer
– Dataset donation
– In kind support

11. Digital documentation overview
Project
workflow
Data collection
Receipt of external data
Processing
Consumption (deliverables)
Dissemination and presentation
Archival ingestion and storage
Data/metadata
management

12. Handling data
• Appropriate operational best practice
– Ensure file-level metadata is maintained, e.g. Exif
– Consistency of RAW and lossless formats
– No decimation, reduction, sub-sampling or
compression of data
• Security and fixity
– Storage redundancy and multiple backups
– Monitor integrity of data with checksums

13. Data collection
Digital documentation tools and methodologies
Principal capture techniques include:
- Laser scanning survey
- HDR digital photography
- Photogrammetry

14. Processing
Data-transformative workflows
Field
capture
Laser scanning data
Photographic/photogrammetric
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Raw scan data import
Registration (and georeferencing)
RGB colourisation
Quality assurance/control
Output
dataset
Input image selection
Processing algorithms/software
Parameters (texture, resolution settings)
Quality assurance/control

15. Producing deliverables
Common project outputs
and media include:
• Rendered animations
• Textured 3D models
• Architectural CAD
drawings (and other
survey outputs)
• Interactive game
environments
• Panoramic virtual tours
St Peter ad Vincula, Tower of
London

16. Digital curation
Internal
projects
Deposited
& donated
projects
Dissemination
Archival ingestion

17. Archive
Practice
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Standardising dataset structure
Conversion from proprietary to open formats
Format specific conversion: e.g. Point clouds –
ASCII XYZRGB/I point data
Generating ingestion metadata
System
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Scalable 2PB LTFS with Crossroads Strongbox
Media and data integrity verification (checksum)
Periodic off-site backup to secure, underground
Iron Mountain facility
Data migration

18. Dissemination
• Database driven website
• Embracing open access
– Site multimedia released
under Creative Commons
license
– Free access to 3D viewer for
point cloud data and 3D
models
– Lesson plans (K-12
education)
• Developed own tools…

19. Web
• Project/site information
and historical context
• Links to interactive
educational content,
lesson plans
• Designed to be socialmedia friendly, e.g.
unique content URLs
and comment system

20. SiteManager
• Bespoke web based
GIS
• Embedded
multimedia content
with metadata from
datasets
• Management with
content type filters,
layers, hierarchies
and sub-areas

21. 3D viewing tools
Church of St. Trophime, France
3D model & point cloud
viewer
• Measurable
• Perspective /
orthographic
• RGB/Intensity
• Clipping box
1.9m pts
338k pts

22. Interactive/mobile applications

23. Furthering the mission