Page 142 - AC/E Digital Culture Annual Report

1422. DISSEMINATION, ENHANCEMENT AND EDUCATIONIf there is anything in which the heritage sector of the twenty- rst century di ers from that of previous periods it is in the increasingly evident presence of digital technologies as tools for disseminating and enhancing the value of heri- tage sites.This important and unceasing task has had an ally which, despite entailing both advantages and disadvantages, has been positive overall, as digital technologies enable us to learn about our heritage more closely than ever before.Indeed, the relationship is so close that we are currently experiencing a new stage in digital heritage. The chief novelty lies in the fact that, following a period in which cultural assets were progressively codi ed using the new behind-the- screen language, it is now possible for digital3D models to come to life outside the digital medium, giving rise to new experiences aimed chie y at providing knowledge of the cultural object.The initial contact between heritage elements and digital technologies came when acquisition techniques such as photogrammetry or 3D laser scanning were employed to codify it and use it in the digital medium.The second phase involved the dissemination of this digital heritage through informationand communication technologies (ICT); here we are largely talking about the internet as the cornerstone of access to heritage and virtual technologies. During this phase we witnessed a veritable revolution in portable devices, which has led to us being able to enjoy digital content in situ without the traditional separation that existed in the age of desktop. As a result, the digital medium is omnipresent in heritage sites.The latest step has been driven by the appear- ance of 3D printers, which have made it possible to recreate digital heritage beyond the screen. This means that these 3D models come tolife again, sharing real physical space with the original and giving rise to experiences related to2. DISSEMINATION, ENHANCEMENT AND EDUCATIONThe use of digital technologies in the conservation, analysis and dissemination of cultural heritage