Research Lines

DigiLab's potential is based on its laboratories and the expertise of researchers and technicians engaged in multidisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary lines focusing on interactions between digital technologies and cultural heritage. Among these lines, examples include:

• Cultural design for the enhancement of cultural heritage, urban and territorial areas;
• Knowledge and valorization of cultural heritages;
• Communication of cultural assets in digital environments;
• Design of digital infrastructures;
• Applied computer science for cultural heritage;
• Applications for cultural tourism, digital cinema and television entertainment;
• Digital libraries, databases, and information retrieval systems on heritage;
• Human-computer interaction;
• Interactive TV;
• Development of applications for the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage through vision and pattern recognition, sensory technologies, wireless systems and networks;
• New practices of the network;
• Research on markets, audiences, and media consumption practices in the cultural sector;
• Gamification;
• 3D virtualization;
• Virtual museum exhibition;
• E-learning systems;
• Quality assessment and evaluation systems in the cultural heritage sector;
• Analysis and design of territorial enhancement plans;
• Design of eco-friendly interior or exterior setups integrated with digital technologies, new museology and the relationships between museum education and ICT.

Naturally, all technological skills and necessary competencies from historical-artistic, archaeological, historical and ethno-anthropological, linguistic and philological, performing and mediaological, documentary and archival disciplines collaborate in these development directions, composing the multidisciplinary entity of the Center.

Research Networks and Partnerships

DigiLab develops initiatives and research networks with internal and external partners at Sapienza, national, European, and international levels, exploring funding channels.

Projects and initiatives proposed by Center researchers or researchers from other Sapienza structures, as well as external partners, are promoted. Engaging in research and development activities of the Center and/or Departments referring to DigiLab, research projects operate independently, coordinated by their scientific manager and monitored by the support office. Research activities may utilize DigiLab's laboratories and/or those of the Departments.

Research Networks DTC Lazio
Thanks to the Archeo&Arte3D, User eXperience, and Digital Curation laboratories, the Center fully integrates into the infrastructure network of the Lazio Region's Technological District for Cultural Heritage and Activities, in thematic sectors R2 (Data integration & management - digitization, archiving, search engines, platforms, digital ecosystems, and new technologies for learning and publishing) and R3 (Virtualization, multimedia, gamification, audiovisual technologies).

Research Trajectories
The National Technological Cluster for Cultural Heritage, based on activities also conducted within the regional S3 analyses, has identified 7 technological trajectories, including 4 relevant to the Center's activities:

- Trajectory 1: Technologies for developing a digital ecosystem of cultural heritage: Data Modeling, Digitization technologies, Basic Platform for Heritage data, Tools for Heritage applications, Intangible Heritage;
- Trajectory 2: Models and techniques for creating an omnichannel user experience for the enhancement of digital cultural content: artificial intelligence and museum environment for user experience, I-Beacon, Omnichannel communication via chatbots, Use of wearable sensors to increase visitor engagement during museum visits, Virtual museums and exhibitions, Gaming and Cultural Heritage, Audioguides, Audio description for visually impaired, blind and cognitively disabled individuals, Education on cultural landscape: Story Maps and virtual reality, Effects of omnichannel performativity on fruition, Open by default: Enabling technologies for the reuse of cultural information;
- Trajectory 3: X-reality technologies for cultural heritage fruition: technologies to enhance user's physical and cognitive abilities, technologies to enhance the relationship between the user and reality, technologies to increase physical objects;
- Trajectory 4: Technologies for understanding cultural heritage: information systems and databases for national cultural heritage knowledge, technologies for the detection and documentation of heritage, Cultural Landscape, Heritage and Community.