Crowdsource and web-published videos for 3D documentation of cultural heritage objects

Presently, the techniques of automated image-based modelling and camera technology are an efficienttool for cultural heritage documentation and preservation. One option is to use high-resolution videoimaging to have 3D models of architectures, statues and monuments. Video imaging is a preferred choicewhen compared to still image shooting in modeling techniques because the latter needs expertise anda thorough planning. For cultural heritage documentation, crowdsourcing stock photos and images wasinvestigated and showed some promising results. On the other hand, there is a limited number of triesto use the publicly published video imaging for the same purpose of 3D documentation. This limita-tion is caused by the low resolution of the published video images, the need to process a large numberof video images and the effects of blur on a significant number of images. An efficient procedure isdemonstrated in this case study paper to use the documentary web-published video images for 3D doc-umentation of cultural heritage objects. Three different web-published videos with a high definition HDresolution are used to create 3D models of the Babylon Lion statue in Iraq (605 BC), the Aphrodite–Venusstatue of the British Museum and the carillon tower of Virginia in USA (1926). The developed videobased models show suitability for visualization, preservation, virtual museums and for mid-detaileddocumentation.