The paper presents a multi-platform application based on point cloud data to support the conservation and dissemination of a medieval stone village. The workflow integrates 3D survey techniques—laser scanning, mobile mapping, and photogrammetry—to generate temporal datasets documenting different stages of restoration. Instead of relying on mesh-based reconstruction, the study proposes the direct use of point clouds as rendering primitives within interactive environments developed in Unity. The application is designed for multiple platforms (mobile AR, PC/web, and VR), each tailored to specific user needs and hardware constraints, enabling both professional access to detailed documentation and public engagement through immersive storytelling. The system incorporates interactive features such as time-travel navigation, point cloud visualization control, and narrative content layers, positioning the project as a hybrid tool for conservation support, education, and virtual heritage exploration.
The Former Monastery of Saints Severino and Sossio: An Example of an Immersive Reality for the Dissemination of Cultural Heritage
The paper presents an immersive digital reconstruction of the former monastery of Saints Severino and Sossio, currently housing the State Archive of Naples, aimed at enhancing cultural heritage dissemination. The methodology integrates historical research, archival documentation, and multi-source digital survey techniques, including photogrammetry, laser scanning, LiDAR, and AI-based approaches such as NeRF and Gaussian Splatting. The resulting 3D model is implemented within a real-time interactive environment using Unreal Engine 5, where advanced rendering technologies (Nanite and Lumen) enable highly detailed and photorealistic visualization. The system is structured as an applied game, allowing users to navigate the architectural complex and explore its historical transformations through a timeline-based interaction. The research highlights the potential of AI-driven workflows and immersive environments to accelerate data acquisition, improve visualization quality, and support both analysis and dissemination of cultural heritage.
From Digital Survey to Extended Reality. Possible Uses for the Cathedral of Udine
The paper investigates the integration of digital survey data and Extended Reality (XR) technologies for the reconstruction and dissemination of cultural heritage, focusing on a sacred architectural context. Through the combination of terrestrial laser scanning, photogrammetry, and archival sources, accurate 3D models of different historical phases of the Cathedral of Udine are generated. These models are structured within an information system that supports continuous updates and the integration of heterogeneous data. The research explores multiple XR applications, including augmented reality panels and mixed reality workstations, designed to accommodate diverse user groups and levels of engagement. The approach emphasizes both scholarly use—supporting hypothesis testing and collaborative analysis—and public dissemination, enhancing accessibility while respecting the specific constraints of a liturgical space.
Immersive Technologies for the Remote Fruition of an Inaccessible Archaeological Complex: The Site of Cento Camerelle in the Phlegraean Fields Archaeological Park
The paper presents the development of an integrated digital platform for the remote access, documentation, and dissemination of an inaccessible archaeological site. The methodology combines multi-source digital survey techniques—including UAV photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scanning—with 3D modeling and semantic data integration to generate accurate digital replicas of the site. These models are implemented within immersive environments (VR and WebXR), enabling virtual tours, interactive exploration, and data querying through user-friendly interfaces. The platform supports both scientific analysis and public engagement, integrating spatial data, annotations, and multimedia content into a scalable knowledge system. The research highlights the potential of immersive technologies to overcome physical accessibility constraints, while also supporting heritage conservation, monitoring, and valorisation through interoperable digital ecosystems.
AR for the Knowledge and Fruition of Street Art Works
The paper presents a methodology for the documentation, preservation, and enhancement of street art through augmented reality technologies. The approach combines photogrammetric survey and image-based tracking techniques to generate high-resolution digital representations of artworks, which are then integrated into an AR application developed with Unity and Vuforia Engine. The system allows users to access contextual information, interpretative content, and multimedia data directly overlaid onto the physical artworks, enhancing their understanding and accessibility. The research is tested on selected street art works in Naples, demonstrating how AR can support both the conservation of ephemeral urban art and the creation of interactive cultural itineraries, while also highlighting the potential for scalable, georeferenced applications and WebAR developments.
Second World War Landing on Elba Island: A Serious Game Reconstruction
The paper presents the development of a serious game aimed at reconstructing and communicating the historical events of the Allied landing on Elba Island during World War II (Operation Brassard, June 1944). The methodology integrates historical archival research, digital survey (TLS and drone photogrammetry), and 3D modeling to create an accurate reconstruction of military structures and landscape. These data are implemented into a real-time interactive environment using a game engine (Unreal Engine), enabling immersive exploration and interaction. The system is structured through a Game Design Document (GDD), defining storytelling, gameplay, and educational objectives. The resulting experience combines historical accuracy with interactive learning, allowing users to engage with reconstructed scenarios, understand spatial and strategic dynamics, and explore cultural heritage through gamified and immersive narratives.
AI and XR for the Knowledge, Monitoring and Promotion of Cultural Heritage Places: The Heritour Project
The paper presents the Heritour project, an integrated framework combining artificial intelligence, sensor-based monitoring, and extended reality technologies for the management and promotion of cultural heritage. The approach focuses on the development of a predictive monitoring system based on machine learning algorithms, capable of processing data collected through IoT sensors and integrated surveys to assess structural conditions and potential risks. At the same time, the project leverages XR technologies (VR/AR) to enhance dissemination, enabling immersive and interactive exploration of heritage sites. The workflow integrates data acquisition, processing, and management within a multi-layered digital infrastructure, supporting both decision-making processes and public engagement through semantic 3D models and digital platforms.
Towards Virtual Cultural Heritage Routes. Development of Digital Models for Extended Accessibility of the H2020 Prometheus Project
The paper presents a methodological framework for the digital documentation, modeling, and dissemination of Cultural Heritage Routes within the H2020 PROMETHEUS project. It integrates multi-scale digital survey techniques (TLS, UAV photogrammetry, mobile scanning) with HBIM modeling and database construction to create structured digital replicas of heritage sites. These models are connected within virtual platforms to enable extended accessibility, supporting both analysis and public engagement. XR technologies (AR and VR) are employed to enhance storytelling, interactive exploration, and design scenarios, allowing users to visualize historical transformations and future redevelopment proposals. The approach emphasizes the creation of interoperable, multi-layered information systems linking geometry, metadata, and cultural narratives across territorial, urban, and architectural scales.
A Simultaneous Multiuser Collaborative Immersive Design Environment: Extended Reality and Digital Photogrammetry for the Valorisation of Heritage Sites
The paper presents an experimental immersive design environment that integrates digital photogrammetry, 3D modeling, and extended reality technologies for collaborative architectural design in heritage contexts. A photogrammetric survey is used to generate a lightweight textured mesh of a traditional building, which is then imported into a virtual reality design platform (SketchUp with VR plugin). The system enables simultaneous multiuser interaction, allowing designers to collaboratively edit and develop projects within a shared immersive environment. The approach demonstrates how digital twins and XR interfaces can enhance design workflows, improve contextual awareness, and support heritage valorisation, while also highlighting limitations related to scale and usability in architectural applications.
The Connection Between Scenography and Virtual Reconstructions of the Statuary Groups in the Nymphaeum of Tiberius
The paper investigates the relationship between spatial scenography and virtual reconstruction in the interpretation of fragmented archaeological contexts. Focusing on the Nymphaeum of Tiberius, the study combines historical research, integrated digital survey (laser scanning and photogrammetry), and 3D modeling to reconstruct both the architectural environment and its original statuary groups. Through processes of virtual anastylosis and multidimensional representation, fragmented sculptures are digitally reassembled and repositioned within their original setting. The resulting models are used in extended reality environments and web-based platforms to enhance interpretation, enabling users to explore the reconstructed spatial narrative and understand the original scenic composition of the site.