Maria Laura Nappi | Università della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli (original) (raw)

Papers by Maria Laura Nappi

The cultural heritage sector includes a significant variety and complexity of data and informatio... more The cultural heritage sector includes a significant variety and complexity of data and information. Making this accessible today represents one of the main aims of cultural institutes. The connections between digital archives and knowledge enable the extension of this wealth of information beyond the physical existence of cultural assets by fostering the creation of digital libraries based on the comparison and interaction of data and on sharing the most up-to-date scientific literature. To this purpose, the results of the analysis on the Italian system of cataloguing and dissemination of knowledge related to cultural heritage are first illustrated. These are indispensable for enhancing the experience of cultural heritage, starting from guidebooks and travel literature, which represent the first codified forms of description of cultural heritage addressed to an audience of visitors/users, and ending with the most recent ways of sharing knowledge related to cultural heritage. Among these, digital platforms for participatory storytelling and the drafting of innovative texts and narratives stand out. Particular attention is paid to the innovative models for the use and enjoyment of cultural heritage employed in some of the main institutes and museums, where examples are analysed to effectively illustrate the emergence of new forms and modes of knowledge and narrative of cultural heritage, between big data and digital devices. Through these analyses, this article provides an overall picture of the current models and methods for the digital organisation of cultural heritage knowledge in order to raise awareness of the main critical issues encountered and to activate targeted planning and design processes capable of responding adequately to the needs of an increasingly active and participative user base in the processes of learning and enjoyment of cultural heritage. The interactions between scientific and technological research characterise the field of cultural heritage knowledge and are both instrumental in facilitating established approaches and contribute to changing the very parameters of research by posing new epistemological questions.

Diid — Disegno Industriale Industrial Design, 2024

In the digital transition scenario, a new culture emerges in which the humanities and scientific ... more In the digital transition scenario, a new culture emerges in which the humanities and scientific disciplines merge and are sometimes contiguous and overlap in terms of expertise, thus opening new lines of research that are strongly interdisciplinary. In the complex process of archaeological research, innovative digital tools define new ways of communicating archaeological contexts through the synergy of technologies, languages and creativity. The paper highlights the dialogue between design and archaeology with reference to the relationship between past and present in the physical-digital space of fruition. In this regard, a reflection on the representation and interpretation of the fragmented nature of archaeological knowledge and the restitution of invisible contexts, artifacts and processes is proposed. This is to foster new configurations by linking physically inaccessible real spaces to usable virtual environments that are enduring over time.

Heritage Science, 2024

Human-computer interaction, Artificial Intelligence, and the multilingualism of digital culture o... more Human-computer interaction, Artificial Intelligence, and the multilingualism of digital culture open up unexpected scenarios in the contemporary design of cultural spaces with the creation of artifacts in which the analogic and digital dimensions come together to enhance the experience. Sensors and devices track user movement in the real world and translate the inputs into commands through hand gestures, speech recognition, head movements, tangible interfaces, or a combination of these elements. Through theorical models, concepts and tools, the paper reports the evolution of "User Experience" applied to personalized enjoyment and use of cultural places. The functionalperformance survey of tools and technologies for perception, narrative and augmented interaction revealed models that highlight the diversity and richness of tangible and intangible cultural heritage through new forms of interaction and knowledge transfer. In this direction, new technological tools make it possible to detect, track and evaluate the personalized user experience by processing or producing large amounts of data. Therefore, on one hand the paper explores the limitations dictated by data management and user privacy in using such systems and, on the other, it prefigures new scenarios for amplifying and personalizing the user experience.

Matteo Zallio (eds) Human Factors in Accessibility and Assistive Technology. AHFE (2023) International Conference. AHFE Open Access, vol 87. , 2023

The interaction between humans, space and advanced technologies evolves into a relationship of "c... more The interaction between humans, space and advanced technologies evolves into a relationship of "confluence" , a "symbiosis" between the users' diversified needs and the potential of technologies to return tailored experiences. Being able to analyze the users' behavior and their cognitive and perceptual-sensory processes enables the structuring of adaptive experiences that place the user at the center of the process of learning and understanding cultural content. The paper provides a critical-analytical recognition of the current models of fruition and interaction used in museum environments with reference to "digital neuro-experiences". In this regard, "information interchange" contributes to enhance the visitor experience, enabling the activation of a "silent dialogue" between visitors and artifacts and outlining adaptive trajectories with new opportunities for the valorization of cultural heritage.

The Future of Heritage Science and Technologies: ICT and Digital Heritage. Florence Heri-Tech 2022. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1645. Springer, Cham., 2022

Digital technologies applied to archaeology have enabled the development of increasingly innovati... more Digital technologies applied to archaeology have enabled the development of increasingly innovative methods in the phases of documentation, cataloguing, study and diagnosis of contexts and artefacts, leading to new possibilities of sharing “invisible” archaeological knowledge.

Although digital technologies have gained a prominent position in the methods of archaeological research, management, protection and valorization of the archaeological heritage, their potential in communicating, enjoying and using archaeological knowledge is not fully exploited. Dissemination to the public usually takes place after the interpretation and publication of data, and the digital access to archaeological contexts is often left to virtual reconstruction, while information on the processes and activities that characterize the research phases is lost.

The paper proposes an integrated approach to the dissemination of archaeological research to the audience through narrative strategies. Making archaeological excavation activities accessible implies a new mode of communication aimed to share the research process at the basis of stratigraphic investigations, archaeological methodologies, and analytical techniques. This might contribute to a greater involvement of the public in the process of knowledge construction and sharing.

Springer series in design and innovation, Sep 19, 2022

The current context is characterised by the speed of change in the technological sphere and in pa... more The current context is characterised by the speed of change in the technological sphere and in particular by the interconnection—to the point of overlaying—between physical and digital space. This stimulates consideration on the opportunities to explore the new frontiers of knowledge through advanced technologies and unprecedented cognitive-sensory perceptions, both from the user’s viewpoint and from that of the researcher. The chapter provides a critical-analytical reflection on accessibility and multisensory issues as fundamental tools for transferring multilevel knowledge between physical and digital. Based on this study, it proposes the configuration of immersive knowledge-sharing environments where cultural heritage and scientific research intersect, placing the user at the centre of experience. The augmented, multilevel fruition, the tracking within the multisensory environment of psycho-physiological and behavioural users’ data, together with the assessment of experience itself, have guided the design experimentations undertaken for the new layout of the Museum of Contemporary Mediterranean Ceramics in Cava de’ Tirreni. This was conceived as a multisensory and accessible phygital laboratory of inclusion and dialogue, a dynamic and adaptive space for sharing and experiencing knowledge.

XII Convegno Internazionale DIAGNOSIS for the CONSERVATION and VALORIZATION of CULTURAL HERITAGE 9-10 Dicembre 2021, MANN - NAPOLI, ATTI DEL CONVEGNO, 2021

ICT technologies play a strategic role in the communication and transmission of knowledge in the ... more ICT technologies play a strategic role in the communication and transmission of knowledge in the physical and digital dimensions of cultural spaces. Cultural heritage is a place of experiences, accessible to an increasingly demanding and segmented audience, aware of having an active and participatory role in the system of fruition, sharing and construction of knowledge. In this context, some interesting applications in museums and in archaeological sites have revealed the innovative potential of the relationship between archaeological research and narrative approaches through new digital media. Archaeology is using more innovative methods in the phases of excavation, cataloguing, study and diagnosis of contexts and artefacts, determining new possibilities of sharing and fruition of knowledge. The technologies applied to archaeology allow to document the entire process of excavation, to reconstruct the archaeological contexts, to store and query computerized data. Archaeological data are becoming more complex, as well as the descriptions more and more detailed. The sciences applied to archaeology play a fundamental role in the understanding of the biography of cultural objects: artifacts are analyzed in their materiality, formal aspects and relationships with the ancient context. In such scenario, this contribution reports a critical-analytical survey of the state of the art on the topic of archaeological research fruition. The review aims to define the applicative and innovative approaches for the enhanced and real-time storytelling of archaeological excavation through digital technologies. Making accessible the research phases of the archaeological excavation, results in enriching also the visitor experience. For this purpose, ICT technologies offer the possibility to transfer to the public the complexity of the interpretative process of archaeology, making accessible the “invisible knowledge”, the set of actions, gestures and activities that characterize the research field.

Archeologia e Calcolatori 32.1, 2021

The aim of this paper is to explore the interaction between design and archaeology in building Mu... more The aim of this paper is to explore the interaction between design and archaeology in building Museum engagement experiences. In particular, a case study from the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (MANN) will be presented. This study was carried out as part of OBVIA - Out Of Boundaries Viral Art Dissemination, a joint public engagement project sponsored by the Museum and partners such as the Università degli Studi di Napoli ‘Federico II’ and the Università degli Studi della Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’. The target of the project was to stimulate innovative communication and promotion actions. Specific research activities carried out by the Dipartimento di Architettura e Disegno Industriale dell’Università degli Studi della Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, were dedicated to the development of Experience Design strategies for museum engagement and audience development. This study resulted in the creation of kits to be used during hands-on laboratories for children. The kit ‘Museum Details’ focused on the observation and reproduction of details of archaeological artifacts exhibited in the Museum. These kits included a map, instruments for detailed observation, moulding clay and casts to create 3D reproductions of original archaeological details. The necessity of a high detailed reproduction of small features of archaeological findings was an opportunity to experiment with the acquisition of accurate 3D models. In particular, the work carried out by Mnemosyne3D focused on five findings from the Magna Graecia collection. The main challenge was to detect sub-millimetric details on a reflecting surface. Photogrammetry was chosen as method for 3D scanning, a structure from motion acquisition technique. The post processing, through 3D sculpting and CAD 3D software, aimed to enhance the features of the models in order to make them suitable for casting and plastic reproductions.

Springer Series in Design and Innovation, 2021

The paper reports the critical-analytical investigation on topics concerning knowledge accessibil... more The paper reports the critical-analytical investigation on topics concerning knowledge accessibility in the cultural spaces of the Information Society, with a focus on enjoyment and use within museum itineraries.
Current society is characterized by a continuous flow of information that stimulate the user to moments of reflection and assimilation of knowledge. Therefore, nowadays there is an increasing need to find alternative ways for sharing knowledge in an accessible and inclusive manner to a diversified target.
On-field experimentation and collaboration with museums and archaeological sites has enabled the identification of some fundamental features for designing an accessible and inclusive space. Adaptive interaction, augmented narration, inclusive fruition, and multisensory perception are aspects that have guided the definition of a dynamic and adaptive model of museum itinerary for transferring knowledge to a wide audience with the aim of becoming a reference point for future designs.

Unpublished master's thesis by Maria Laura Nappi