By Chung Jae-suk
Anyone who handles cultural properties may be regarded as being stuck in the analog era, averse to change while exercising little regard for innovation and development. These days, however, information and communication technology (ICT) creates new content when it crosses paths with culture. That includes cultural heritage.
A monopoly on information is a vestige of the past. Nowadays, information spreads simultaneously and multifariously around the globe in real time. In an era of informatization, there is no need to store information; it can be accessed or downloaded through mobile devices anytime anywhere.
It's been a long time since holograms, which were depicted in the classic sci-fi movie "Star Wars," began functioning as an everyday technology.
Is there any role that cutting-edge technologies can play in preserving cultural heritage? Can we expect a time machine that can help us to stop our singular reliance on historical objects to explain the past? Probably not. New technologies are making an impact on our imagination.
In particular, Korea is recognized for its application of advanced scientific technologies in preserving and managing cultural heritage. Non-destructive techniques using X-ray computer tomography (X-ray CT) have been introduced to scan and restore historical objects. A variety of state-of-the art equipment, including underground surveying devices, are being employed to search for historical remnants.
Groundbreaking technologies are also used in natural heritage. Thus, preservation methods used in handling individual historical artifacts are being shared.
Unlike such tangible cultural properties as ancient architecture, stone pagodas and pottery ware, natural heritage is large in scale and includes elements that are less clear than, say, personal ornaments excavated from tombs. The concept of natural heritage, unlike typical ecosystems, includes human culture intermixed with the natural environment, so its value is not easy to calculate. Therefore, enormous amounts of financial and human resources are needed to conserve and manage natural heritage scattered in different regions. Science and technology have begun to resolve such problems.
For example, drones are used in surveying and photographing vast natural heritage areas for long-term conservation and management, and in assessing the damage caused by a natural disaster. This reduces time and costs considerably.
Last week, a drone equipped with a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system flew over the Dokdo islets on the easternmost edge of Korean territory for the first time.
LiDAR measures the distance to a target or its features by emitting near-infrared laser light. It was previously deployed in manned aircraft for map making and surveying. Now, LiDAR-equipped drones fly over cultural properties in areas that are difficult to access or hidden by natural surroundings such as vegetation. There are reports of such drones being used overseas to excavate the remains of ancient cities hidden under thick jungles, or to survey cultural heritage located in mountainous areas or adjacent to minefields.
Drones can also detect potential dangers and gauge risks, helping preventive measures to be adopted.
Gone are the days when cultural properties were merely placed in museum display cases for visitors. Digital technology will soon restore the paleo-environment from where historical artifacts originated. Visitors will be able to see the vivid scene and feel the atmosphere of these sites in their previous state. Technological convergence encompassing 3D video technology will make this a reality.
Photographing the environment around the site where cultural properties were found with broadband 3D scanners; conducting a digital analysis of historical sources related with the cultural properties as well as detailed natural elements such as the sounds of wind and water; and combining all the data into multimedia content ― these are the tasks to be done. Then we will be able to meet the cultural properties in an environment that resembles the era of their origin. There is no need to say that such information must be created based on scientific data accumulated over a long period of time.
The day has come when we no longer visit our ancestors' legacy in our imaginations only. Thanks to practical data acquired through cultural properties and augmented reality (AR), we will be able to enjoy the luxury of experiencing restored heritage environments. Any place in the world will be accessible, regardless of our physical condition. Some places may even appear to be far more magnificent than reality. All of this will heighten heritage enjoyment and appreciation.
A great diversity of digital cultural heritage content produced in this way will be useful for not only scientific research but also cultural and artistic creation and film shooting. This will add to our proud cultural heritage to be highly considered by the global community on the wave of hallyu.
The Cultural Heritage Administration will continue to use cutting-edge digital technology in creating a well of cultural heritage, and guard the well so that it will never go dry.
Chung Jae-suk is administrator of the Cultural Heritage Administration.
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| Chung Jae-suk, Administrator of Cultural Heritage Administration |
A monopoly on information is a vestige of the past. Nowadays, information spreads simultaneously and multifariously around the globe in real time. In an era of informatization, there is no need to store information; it can be accessed or downloaded through mobile devices anytime anywhere.
It's been a long time since holograms, which were depicted in the classic sci-fi movie "Star Wars," began functioning as an everyday technology.
Is there any role that cutting-edge technologies can play in preserving cultural heritage? Can we expect a time machine that can help us to stop our singular reliance on historical objects to explain the past? Probably not. New technologies are making an impact on our imagination.
In particular, Korea is recognized for its application of advanced scientific technologies in preserving and managing cultural heritage. Non-destructive techniques using X-ray computer tomography (X-ray CT) have been introduced to scan and restore historical objects. A variety of state-of-the art equipment, including underground surveying devices, are being employed to search for historical remnants.
Groundbreaking technologies are also used in natural heritage. Thus, preservation methods used in handling individual historical artifacts are being shared.
Unlike such tangible cultural properties as ancient architecture, stone pagodas and pottery ware, natural heritage is large in scale and includes elements that are less clear than, say, personal ornaments excavated from tombs. The concept of natural heritage, unlike typical ecosystems, includes human culture intermixed with the natural environment, so its value is not easy to calculate. Therefore, enormous amounts of financial and human resources are needed to conserve and manage natural heritage scattered in different regions. Science and technology have begun to resolve such problems.
For example, drones are used in surveying and photographing vast natural heritage areas for long-term conservation and management, and in assessing the damage caused by a natural disaster. This reduces time and costs considerably.
Last week, a drone equipped with a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system flew over the Dokdo islets on the easternmost edge of Korean territory for the first time.
LiDAR measures the distance to a target or its features by emitting near-infrared laser light. It was previously deployed in manned aircraft for map making and surveying. Now, LiDAR-equipped drones fly over cultural properties in areas that are difficult to access or hidden by natural surroundings such as vegetation. There are reports of such drones being used overseas to excavate the remains of ancient cities hidden under thick jungles, or to survey cultural heritage located in mountainous areas or adjacent to minefields.
Drones can also detect potential dangers and gauge risks, helping preventive measures to be adopted.
Gone are the days when cultural properties were merely placed in museum display cases for visitors. Digital technology will soon restore the paleo-environment from where historical artifacts originated. Visitors will be able to see the vivid scene and feel the atmosphere of these sites in their previous state. Technological convergence encompassing 3D video technology will make this a reality.
Photographing the environment around the site where cultural properties were found with broadband 3D scanners; conducting a digital analysis of historical sources related with the cultural properties as well as detailed natural elements such as the sounds of wind and water; and combining all the data into multimedia content ― these are the tasks to be done. Then we will be able to meet the cultural properties in an environment that resembles the era of their origin. There is no need to say that such information must be created based on scientific data accumulated over a long period of time.
The day has come when we no longer visit our ancestors' legacy in our imaginations only. Thanks to practical data acquired through cultural properties and augmented reality (AR), we will be able to enjoy the luxury of experiencing restored heritage environments. Any place in the world will be accessible, regardless of our physical condition. Some places may even appear to be far more magnificent than reality. All of this will heighten heritage enjoyment and appreciation.
A great diversity of digital cultural heritage content produced in this way will be useful for not only scientific research but also cultural and artistic creation and film shooting. This will add to our proud cultural heritage to be highly considered by the global community on the wave of hallyu.
The Cultural Heritage Administration will continue to use cutting-edge digital technology in creating a well of cultural heritage, and guard the well so that it will never go dry.
Chung Jae-suk is administrator of the Cultural Heritage Administration.
