3D-COFORM

The 3D-COFORM consortium has one over-riding aim: to establish 3D documentation as an affordable, practical and effective mechanism for long term documentation of tangible cultural heritage. In order to make this happen the consortium is highly conscious that both the state of the art in 3D digitisation and the practical aspects of deployment in the sector must be addressed. Hence 3D-COFORM proposed an ambitious program of technical research, coupled with practical exercises and research in the business of 3D to inform and accelerate the deployment of these technologies to good effect.

3D-COFORM’s impact falls under two broad categories

1. the impact from partners continuing to exploit their results in further research and sector engagement, and
2. the impact achieved through spin-off activities such as the Virtual Competence Centre in 3D CIC Ltd (VCC-3D).

3D-COFORM recognised that public presentations, both in museums and over the internet, are important distribution channels for the digital assets produced by the project’s tools and through them for raising awareness of the tools and their underpinning technologies. Consequently, they are of strategic value, and providing high-end 3D-exhibits will stimulate demand for content and promotes understanding of 3D-COFORM technologies. The approach taken has therefore placed emphasis on mounting a public exhibition and then re-using the materials generated there in a program of public events, designed to further public and professional understanding of the potential of 3D technologies in the heritage field.

The Virtual Competence Centre in 3D CIC Ltd (VCC-3D) is a non-profit Community Interest Company established in the UK and is designed to provide the cultural heritage sector with advice, services, training and consultancy in the practical deployment of 3D digitisation at all stages of capturing and processing 3D artefacts, from documentation, through analysis and visualisation in the cultural heritage sector. This UK-based operation is able to operate internationally but it is also envisaged that similar organisational units, based with partners in other countries, may be more effective for legal and cultural reasons in achieving the objectives of the VCC-3D and would operate through collaborative arrangements with the VCC-3D.