Tirtha -- An Automated Platform to Crowdsource Images and Create 3D Models of Heritage Sites

TL;DR

Tirtha is a web platform that crowdsources images of heritage sites to create 3D models, making digital preservation more accessible and affordable, especially in resource-limited settings.

Contribution

It introduces a modular, extensible platform that leverages state-of-the-art photogrammetry techniques for democratized heritage preservation.

Findings

Successful creation of 3D models from crowdsourced images

Demonstrated platform's effectiveness on temples in Odisha

Models are accessible for viewing, interaction, and download

Abstract

Digital preservation of Cultural Heritage (CH) sites is crucial to protect them against damage from natural disasters or human activities. Creating 3D models of CH sites has become a popular method of digital preservation thanks to advancements in computer vision and photogrammetry. However, the process is time-consuming, expensive, and typically requires specialized equipment and expertise, posing challenges in resource-limited developing countries. Additionally, the lack of an open repository for 3D models hinders research and public engagement with their heritage. To address these issues, we propose Tirtha, a web platform for crowdsourcing images of CH sites and creating their 3D models. Tirtha utilizes state-of-the-art Structure from Motion (SfM) and Multi-View Stereo (MVS) techniques. It is modular, extensible and cost-effective, allowing for the incorporation of new techniques as photogrammetry advances. Tirtha is accessible through a web interface at https://tirtha.niser.ac.in and can be deployed on-premise or in a cloud environment. In our case studies, we demonstrate the pipeline's effectiveness by creating 3D models of temples in Odisha, India, using crowdsourced images. These models are available for viewing, interaction, and download on the Tirtha website. Our work aims to provide a dataset of crowdsourced images and 3D reconstructions for research in computer vision, heritage conservation, and related domains. Overall, Tirtha is a step towards democratizing digital preservation, primarily in resource-limited developing countries.