The objective of this course is the introduction of the theoretical base and of the software tools of the ICT world that play a fundamental role in the setting of the automated techniques for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage. The main topics include digital processing of images, database design, information classification based on metadata, and the study of two software tools of the Adobe Suite: Photoshop and InDesign.

01 Introduction to cultural heritage informatics

  01.01 Knowledge management and data representation

  01.02 Computer architecture

02 Image representation

  02.01 Introduction to digital image

  02.02 Image acquisition, representation, and transformation

  02.03 Color models

  02.04 Image compression and standards

03 Database

  03.01 Introduction to the relational model

  03.02 SQL

  03.03 Relational database management

  03.04 Data manipulation: from database to electronic spreadsheet

04 Metadata

  04.01 Introduction to metadata and catalog systems

  04.02 Markup languages, metadata and ontologies

  04.03 Metadata applied to cultural heritage

05 Suite Adobe: Photoshop

  05.01 Introduction, bitmap graphics and tools

  05.02 Layers, processing and image enhancement

  05.03 Adjusting, sampling and color editing

  05.04 Saving, printing, and advanced options

 06 Suite Adobe: InDesign

  06.01 Introduction, setting the document

  06.02 Managing text and images

  06.03 Preparation of the document for printing and creation of dynamic documents

  06.04 Layout of an InDesign document with text and images

There are no mandatory prerequisites for this exam.

Knowledge and understanding: the student will be able to understand the base methodologies for data representation illustrated in the program.

Applying knowledge and understanding: the student will be able to design relational databases, to query them through SQL, to read and interpret the technical details of a digital image, to apply the metadata based classification methods, and use the Adobe software tools shown in the program.

Making judgements: the student will be able to evaluate the adequacy of digital image representations depending on the use context, to estimate the structure of a database and of a document integrated with metadata, and to determine the proper use of the Adobe software tools Photoshop and InDesign in various settings.

Communication skills: the student will be able to illustrate properly the technical details of the tools and methodologies shown in the program.

Learning skills: the student will learn how to interpret data, metadata, and complex data structures as shown in the program. Moreover, the student will learn the methodologies for modeling and processing that are typical of the software tools Photoshop and InDesign.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Theory lectures and laboratory exercises.

Course books

The material used during the lectures and available on the Moodle platform is supported by the following books:

Gonzales & Woods: Digital Image Processing, III Ed., 2008

A. Oppel and R. Sheldon: SQL: a beginner's guide, McGraw-Hill, 2008

S. Holzner: Inside XML, New Riders Press, 2000

Assessment

This exam consists of an oral examination and of an individual project. The oral exam concerns the first four sections of the program and its maximum mark is 20. Its objective is to verify the acquired knowledge as well as understanding, interpretation, and use skills about the topics of the course. The project is chosen by the student in agreement with the lecturer and is about the use of Photoshop and InDesign, while its maximum mark is 10. Its objective is to verify the capability of applying the studied tools to real use cases. The final mark is determined by the sum of the two marks.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.