The use of low-cost technologies for the promotion of Cultural Heritage sites: The case study of Veleia

In the Cultural Heritage field, thanks to the recent development of digital technologies, a large variety of sites and artifacts could benefit from their free access and promotion through the web. But despite these achievements, the high costs that are generally connected with their use often limit their widespread. As a consequence, during the last two decades, scientific research is developing new tools and methodologies aimed at overcoming this problem. In particular, for example, researches in the field of image-based technologies and the development of open-source algorithms and software aimed at helping the processing, management and visualization of 3d data through the web represent remarkable attempts to extend the use of digital technologies in the Cultural Heritage field. This contribution shows the main steps of a project aimed at testing low-cost technologies within the multi-scalar digitization process of sites and artifacts. Thus these technologies still cannot provide analogous results in terms of definition and accuracy that it is possible to achieve using more expensive technologies (e.g. range-based technologies), they can supply low-resolution reality-based 3d models and effective representations that can be easily accessed through the web, with evident benefits in cultural contents sharing and promotion. Within a multi-scalar approach, the building of these kinds of models represents the first step of a process that, starting from low-resolution acquisitions, can improve the detail and definition of 3d digital models of artifacts by gradually adopting different methodologies and technologies. As a consequence, this approach can provide evident benefits on the achievement of different communication purposes, ranging from simple visualizations for popular aims to accurate and faithful digital replicas that can be fruited by different and changing users. Moreover, the adoption of this approach is particularly important within education processes ai- ed at training expert operators able to speed and therefore to further reduce costs connected with the digitization of Cultural Heritage.