Springer Machine Learning and Mixed Reality for the Enhancement of Cultural Heritage: The Monastery of Saints Severino and Sossio Case Study

This book addresses the role of modern surveying and representation technologies in preserving and disseminating cultural heritage. A workflow is illustrated, describing the Former Monastery of Ss Severino and Sossio case study, currently the headquarters of the State Archives of Naples, Italy. After offering a historical overview, the work examines the spaces and structure of the building. A methodology for three-dimensional restitution is presented, using low-cost image-based and professional range-based surveying, concluding with recent AI technologies such as NeRF. The research continues with the virtual and augmented restitution of parts of the building that have been modified, lost over the centuries, or are no longer accessible. The Atrio dei Marmi, the Atrio del Platano, and the Sala del Capitolo and Sala del Refettorio are some of the places where the research has focused, creating a BIM model, using AR for precise interventions, and developing an immersive applied game to understand the third level of the monastery, rich in works of art and today also serving as a museum. In the final chapters, a particular focus is placed on the future of representation: new techniques, ongoing developments in AI supporting surveying, and the new possibilities offered by virtual spaces.