IRFP: Enriching 3D WebGIS Functionality to Study Ancient Human-Environment Interaction

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The International Research Fellowship Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct nine to twenty-four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad. This award will support a twenty-month research fellowship for Dr. Heather Richards-Rissetto to work with Dr. Fabio Remondino at the 3D Optical Metrology (3DOM) Research Unit at the Bruno Kessler Foundation (FBK) in Trento, Italy. Current Information Technology (IT) and software capabilities are ready to move beyond simple 3D recording and visualization, but new 3D analytical tools making use of recent technological advances have not yet been developed. This project explores potentially transformative technologies and actively links the fields of 3D Modeling and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) by creating and testing new analytical tools for 3D Web GIS environments. The case study uses these new 3D Web GIS tools to analyze cultural and ecological variables to investigate ancient human-environment interaction at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Copan, Honduras. The project objectives are threefold. The first objective is to create analytical tools for 3D Web GIS that enable users to link, query, and analyze GIS data via a navigable virtual reality (VR) environment. Such functionality allows for complex spatial analysis in a VR environment--something that is not possible using currently available tools. The second objective is to use the new tools to study ancient human-environment interaction. The third objective is to disseminate these tools to a diverse audience for research and education purposes. The technology underlying these new analytical tools can be used to develop additional 3D Web GIS tools that can significantly enhance research in many disciplines. Moreover, the theoretical and analytical results from the case study at Copan will enrich our understanding of the complexities of human-environment interaction. This knowledge can be applied to problems facing present-day and future populations. The new 3D Web GIS tools developed in this project to study ancient human-environment interaction will promote research and education and are highly-suited to today's youth--visual learners who are intrigued, excited, and proficient in using interactive and dynamic technologies. The online capability of these tools allow people from underrepresented groups such as those living in developing countries to experience and participate in the study of a UNESCO World Heritage site. In addition, the project will help to establish international collaborations between the Principal Investigator (PI), the MayaArch3D Project based at the University of New Mexico, and researchers from diverse fields including information technology, geography, archaeology, photogrammetry, and the humanities.