Digital technology reshapes heritage conservation

At the Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum Museum in Xi'an, visitors can find out which Terracotta Warrior they resemble with a simple tap of a touchscreen. The app is based on facial data extracted from the museum's statues.

This was also one of the interactive programs at the Cultural Heritage Digitalization Forum, part of the World Internet Conference 2025, which recently took place in Xi'an - a city with more than 3,100 years of history in Shaanxi Province, Northwest China, the hometown of the Terracotta Warriors. According to THX, the forum attracted about 800 delegates from more than 50 countries and regions, along with 9 international organizations, including UNESCO, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, and the International Council on Museums.

At the forum, nearly 100 heritage digitization projects from China, Germany, the US, the UK and Italy were introduced. One of the outstanding performances was a 6-legged robot dog developed by Lenovo Group. Weighing 30kg, the robot is equipped with a 3D camera, which can record real-time data on cracks and peeling paint inside the Ung Hien Pagoda in Son Tay province - the world's oldest multi-storey wooden structure, without causing any impact to the structure.

Feng Weidong, General Manager of Lenovo Northwest China, said that this contactless inspection will provide important data for restoration and conservation. This is a typical example of how new technology is becoming a powerful assistant in conservation work. Through sensor networks, the Internet of Things and data analysis platforms, important indicators such as environmental conditions and structural stability of heritage sites are continuously monitored, helping to promptly warn of potential risks.

The 6-legged robot is "working" at Ung Hien Pagoda. Photo: LENOVO

Ancient relics, manuscripts and artifacts are increasingly being affected by time, natural disasters and even human conflicts. In the face of these threats, digitalization has become a key tool to preserve priceless values ​​and expand public access. China, a country with more than 767,000 fixed cultural relics and 60 UNESCO World Heritage sites, has made great strides in digital preservation. In Shaanxi, a province rich in relics, more than 8 million artifacts have been digitized, of which more than 300,000 are permanently stored. This figure shows the great effort of the locality to preserve cultural treasures under the pressure of time. “ Digital technology is reshaping the way we preserve and pass on cultural heritage,” said Liu Yuzhu, president of the China Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation. “Advanced technologies help us preserve artifacts, predict potential risks, and provide immersive virtual reality experiences for visitors.”

However, heritage conservation is both local and global. The challenges are not only technological but also how to bridge the digital divide between countries while respecting diverse traditions and histories. Ms. Sanuja Kasthuriarachchi, Director General of the Department of National Museums of Sri Lanka, calls for more collaborative platforms to share technology and knowledge, and common digital standards to ensure that cultural data is accessible and preserved for future generations. Heritage is global and we must work to protect it.

VIET KHUE

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/cong-nghe-so-dinh-hinh-lai-cong-tac-bao-ton-di-san-post813978.html