EPOCH is a network of about hundred European institutions, joining forces 
to improve the quality and effectiveness of Information and Communication 
Technology for Cultural Heritage. Participants include university 
departments, research centres, museums, national heritage agencies, and 
commercial enterprises, together endeavouring to overcome the fragmentation 
of current research in this field. More information is available at the 
EPOCH home page: http://www.epoch-net.org.

In this initial stage of the network’s activities EPOCH tries to build up 
an inventory of available / existing technologies according to the 
following categories:

1.      multi-lingual and semantic data processing
2.      databases and technology management
3.      mobile-wearable-ambient systems
4.      recording and data representation aspects
5.      visualisation and rendering
6.      multi-modal interfaces
7.      virtual human and other avatar technologies

Based on the seven functional areas and five “heritage” dimensions, a 
matrix was defined. Key words were assigned to each of the cells of the 
matrix, which form the departure point for building up a list of available 
tools and clustering them in logical groups. This activity aims at 
establishing and maintaining a common infrastructure, which will form a 
substrate upon which to build particular end-user applications and 
showcases. This activity will define the architecture, components and 
design guidelines for this common infrastructure. The goal is the creation 
of integrated pipelines for producing applications involving digital 
versions of tangible cultural heritage.

The preliminary matrix of tools can be found at 
http://perswww.kuleuven.ac.be/~u0036544/tools/epochmatrix.html

Now, the EPOCH partners kindly invite all professionals in the field of 
cultural heritage to contribute to the overview of relevant tools. As 
stakeholder needs are of the utmost importance, we would like to invite not 
only technologists, but every professional in the CH field to give their 
opinion about the available tools. Have you ever used some of these 
technologies, please share your thoughts and comments about them with us. 
Which tools did you use? What did work out well for your application, what 
is still missing? Only with your help we will be able to critically assess 
the digital technologies and select the most promising ones to include in 
our common infrastructure. You would also help us to determine where 
additional R&D efforts are needed and thus to optimise our investment of 
resources.

All additions to our provisional list are greatly appreciated. If you are 
aware of existing tools not mentioned in the list, please let us know. More 
in-depth information about tools, comments on their quality, references of 
use within cultural heritage, personal experiences… are all very welcome. 
Do not hesitate to tell us what you as a stakeholder expect from the 
technology in your field of work. What kind of tools should technologists 
develop? What are your thoughts about the current use of digital 
technologies in cultural heritage?

You can send all information to Tijl Vereenooghe (K.U.Leuven): 
[log in to unmask]

Thanks for considering this. We realise your time is valuable!

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