INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES FOR SURVEY AND COMMUNICATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE F. Agnello a , M. Cannella a , A. Gentile b , M. Lo Brutto a , A. Santangelo b , B. Villa a, * a Dipartimento di Rappresentazione, University of Palermo, Via Cavour 118, Palermo, Italy fabrizio.agnello@unipa.it, lobrutto@unipa.it, bevilla@unipa.it b Dipartimento di Ingegneria Informatica, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Palermo, Italy Commission V, WG V/2 KEY WORDS: Cultural Heritage, Photogrammetry, Laser scanning, Modelling, Visualization, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence.. ABSTRACT: This paper deals with the survey and communications of Cultural Heritage through the development of innovative methodologies. The case of study is the polychrome wooden ceiling in the “Magna” Hall of “Palazzo Steri”. The “Steri”, built in the XIV th century by the noble family Chiaromonte, is at the present the headquarter of the Rector’s Office of Palermo University. A 3D model of the wooden ceiling has initially been carried out with laser-scanning and digital photogrammetric techniques; successively a multimodal interactive guide has been realized. The guide is integrated to the 3D model, so that visitors can navigate the virtual representation of the ancient wood ceiling and achieve, interacting vocally, relevant meta information about history and sense of painted scenes. * Corresponding author. 1. INTRODUCTION In the last years the development of electronics and informatics has opened new scenarios of research in the field of survey, representation and communication of Cultural Heritage. 3D virtual model of an artefact today can be easily obtained using the high level of automation achieved in survey works; however, for an overall documentation, an integration among different surveying methods is desirable. The integration between laser scanning and digital photogrammetric techniques, the combined use of different laser scanners, in relation to the complexity and the detail level to achieve, seem the right way to get good results. In regard to the aspect of Cultural Heritage fruition, recent studies in the field of artificial intelligence and human- computer interaction have developed systems that can interact with the user in a variety of modes and in the most natural way; with the use of these systems it is possible to generate, navigate and explore reconstructed environments of cultural interest, enabling the extended fruition of works of art which are not physically accessible to the user. 2. HISTORICAL NOTES The Steri Palace in Palermo, residence of the Chiaramonte family, was built starting from 1320 on the eastern edge of Piazza Marina, near the city’s ancient harbour (Figure 1). The Chiaramonte family was chased away from the palace in 1392, and in the two following centuries the Steri was a royal and vice-royal residence. From 1605 to 1782, the Palace was the headquarters of the Inquisition Tribunal, a place of detention and torture. There is little evidence left of that long period due to the fire that destroyed the documents of the tribunal’s archive. Graffitos, paintings and verses carved by prisoners on the cell walls have remained. These documents were discovered in 1906 during some restoration works, followed by the careful and patient transcription and interpretation work by Giuseppe Pitrè. During more recent restoration works, further paintings have been found in some buildings near the Steri Palace. Since 1984 the Steri has been the headquarter of the Rector’s Office of Palermo University, that has commissioned the restoration works which have given the building its current feature. Figure 1. Ortophoto of Piazza Marina; in evidence: the Steri Palace. The Steri is a parallelepiped block with few holes to the outside and a large inner court with a two-level arcaded loggia. The 411