Volunteers armed with smartphones are using technology to preserve Ukraine’s cultural heritage one snap at a time.
As the war in Ukraine rages on, the country’s citizens have rallied to protect important historic landmarks from Russian bombs.
Early in the conflict, people were seen doing what they could to preserve these pieces of Ukrainian heritage, including wrapping statues in foam. These images served as the inspiration for one team to come up with another way of saving the country’s culture.
“The fastest way to erase a people’s national identity is by destroying their cultural heritage,” Ukrainian architect Tao Thomsen said.
Polycam, founded in 2021, quickly became a major name in 3D scanning. Using the LiDAR sensors in some modern smartphones and other devices, the company’s software, with cloud mesh editing, can process images into 3D models.
Available for both for Apple and Android, the newest version of the app fuses LiDAR and photo data for an even higher quality 3D model.
As the war in Ukraine broke out, Polycam realized the potential of their technology to help preserve Ukraine’s cultural heritage. Thus, Polycam began the Backup Ukraine project, in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Vice Media Group, Danish non-profit Blue Shield Danmark, Ukraine’s Heritage Emergency Rescue Initiative, and the National Museum of the History of Ukraine.
The goal is to help people safely preserve their past where “no bombs can reach.” Through these digital twins, the information of cherished structures will remain available and accessible. In the event of damage, exact restorations will be possible. In the case of destruction, recreations can be successfully made.
Already, Ukrainians have uploaded scans of statues, works of art, their homes, and even destroyed military vehicles. It’s definitely worth taking a few minutes to scan through the models.
Now, if war destroys any of these objects, there will at least be a digital record of them for the world to enjoy, even if the physical structure is gone.
3D modeling has proven itself to be a versatile technology. Industries everywhere already embrace this innovation for mapping and building digital twins.
The benefits gained from 3D digital asset modeling (DAM) can now include the preservation of Ukraine’s cultural heritage.
Thanks to the efforts of Polycom and its partners, we can all enjoy these artifacts for generations to come.
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