CTE-Genova – Digital Factory for Culture
The project CTE-Genova – Digital Factory for Culture, CUP: B37F23000000008, has been approved by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT), as part of the call for proposals addressed to municipal administrations pursuant to the Ministerial Decree of August 12, 2022, for the creation of Emerging Technology Houses. This initiative falls under the Development and Cohesion Plan (PSC) of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT), approved by CIPESS Resolution No. 9/2021 and subsequently amended by CIPESS Resolution No. 9/2022.
The overarching goal of the CTE-Genova – Digital Factory for Culture project is to accelerate and catalyze new market opportunities for businesses—particularly start-ups and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)—by enabling the development and deployment of innovative solutions for the cultural and creative industries. These solutions leverage emerging technologies (IoT, AI, Augmented, Virtual and Immersive Reality, Blockchain), supported by advanced 5G/6G infrastructures.
Through its network of partners, the project brings together top-tier expertise in 5G/6G and enabling technologies, making their respective technological and infrastructural assets available to create a true 'Open Infrastructure' and a 'Widespread Incubator' across the territory, aimed at fostering business acceleration and creation pathways.
The project aims to show the potential of the most advanced technologies to enhance the cultural heritage ecosystem through the development of increased accessibility, security, preservation, and user engagement. This is achieved by implementing a dynamic, immersive, inclusive, attractive, and experiential "Distributed Museum" model, articulated across four strategic vertical sectors ("lighthouse use cases") as Proof of Concepts (PoC):
- Immersive experiences for citizens and tourists;
- Management and enhancement of cultural storage and archives;
- Conservation and restoration practices;
- Security and logistics for cultural assets.
All the proof of concepts have been developed with active involvement of the local Museums providing requirements and access to their belongings. Different acquisition technologies ranging from photogrammetry to hight accurate laser scanners and LiDAR have been used to create the 3D models of more than 70 artefacts and 7 museums.
Concerning the first vertical sectors, the obtained 3D models have been either adapted for their use in XR applications and/or for the 3D printed replica to support tactile and audio-assisted access for visually impaired visitors. In addition, three different PoC have been designed and developed exploiting XR technologies: one AR application and two immersive VR virtual museum experiences allowing engaging and user-friendly access to the 3D reconstruction of the masterpieces preserved in the storage facilities of the Genoese civic museums.
The AR application provides 7 itineraries in the town of Genova. These itineraries weave through participating museums, revealing 39 hidden treasures across the city and highlighting the deep connections between people and cultural heritage, with each carefully named route guiding visitors toward discovery, culminating in the museum as the final destination.
The first virtual exhibition aims to make available in the metaverse objects that are normally kept in museum storage either due to space limitations or because of their fragility. The second immersive virtual museum showcases innovative methods for navigating virtual worlds and hands-free interaction techniques.
Project presenters: Franca Giannini and Katia Lupinetti
