The aim of this special issue is to solicit interdisciplinary studies about the complex phenomenon that takes place during the aesthetic and synesthetic involvement of a human observer in the perception of Cultural Heritage and art mediated by virtual and augmented reality or other forms of multimedia technologies. The objective is to create a snapshot of the current state of the art about transdisciplinary methodological approaches.

Guest editors: Perla Gianni Falvo, Massimo Bergamasco, Giovanni Valeri Manera

EXTENDED Submission deadline: February 28, 2018

Introduction to the Special Issue on “Perceiving Cultural Heritage Through Digital Technologies”

Contemporary cognitive science supports Cultural Heritage design activities through new and revised scientific perspectives relating to different modes of learning. The concept of affordance, the discovery of mirror neurons, studies on emotional intelligence, multiple intelligences, and psycho-physiological analyses cast light on how we establish relationships, absorb information, and then process and embody it. These disciplines offer important cues for defining design strategies in developing virtual and augmented reality applications within the framework of places or objects of cultural interest, such as museums, historical buildings, monuments or archaeological sites. Rather than being merely desirable, it is now essential to take such cognitive science advances into due consideration in design activities related to the perception of Cultural Heritage.

The response of the human cognitive system to the perception of aesthetic and cultural contents may trigger its understanding at once, through to the so-called “Interior Epiphany”, a concept related to the Renaissance notion of the centrality of the human being. Multimedia technologies may help an observer in activating such an interior epiphany, but the cause-effect relationship is still a matter for further research. It is crucial to verify the effectiveness of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) strategies and understand how the phenomenon of the contact between visitor and art can be subjected to an impact assessment analysis based on a protocol combining quantitative and qualitative data.

Topics of interests

The topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Design strategies for virtual and augmented applications in museums
• Neuroscience studies on aesthetic perception through digital technologies
• Embodiment studies
• Cognitive studies
• Psychophysiological studies
• Narrative approaches for enhancing user involvement in cultural visits
• E-learning and art history
• Virtual archeology
• Analysis of user experience in virtual museums
• Sustainability of ICT for Art and Cultural Heritage

More info: https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/sdh/announcement/view/110