Abstract:

This study details a citizen science initiative focused on the digitalization and preservation of cultural heritage, aligned with the mission of developing open science projects in the educational context, connecting Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Humanities and Arts. The research addresses the fundamental challenge of the dual physical-digital nature of heritage assets, demonstrating that citizen participation is a viable and efficient methodology for the large-scale generation of high-fidelity heritage datasets. The specific objective of this use case is the systematic digital scanning and 3D reconstruction of the 144 Romanesque capitals within the Monastery of Sant Cugat del Vallès, in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The project is implemented into a 6-ECTS subject of Open Urban Innovation of the Degree of Smart Cities, by means of a co-creation framework involving the general public and institutional stakeholders such as the Municipality and the Regional Government.

The methodological process is articulated in three key phases:
(1) A Capacity Building session designed to instruct participants in citizen science principles, digital photogrammetry (data acquisition and 3D modeling), and the legal frameworks for open-access publishing;
(2) An on-site Fieldwork phase where participants perform systematic photographic captures of the capitals within the monastery; and
(3) Processing and Post-production, where participants utilize photogrammetric tools to generate raw models and perform final refinements to produce publication-ready 3D digital assets.

The expected impact includes the creation of a comprehensive repository of photographs and 3D models published under Creative Commons Non-Commercial 4.0 (CC BY-NC 4.0) licenses. Beyond the generation of digital assets, the project seeks to validate a scalable method for heritage digitalization and to measure the technical proficiency and scientific literacy acquired by citizens. The findings will contribute to the academic discourse on stakeholder engagement and citizen-sourced data for heritage conservation, culminating in a public exhibition that enables interactive engagement between the community and the generated digital heritage.

Keywords:

Citizen Science, Digital Heritage, Cultural Heritage Preservation, Digitalization, 3D Reconstruction, Romanesque Capitals, Monastery of Sant Cugat del Vallès, Photogrammetry, Open Science, Artificial Intelligence, AI, Digital Humanities, Co-creation.