Assessment of the Robustness of a Color Monitoring Chart Calibration Method for Crowdsourcing-Based Preventive Conservation

Miguel Antonio Barbero-Álvarez,Juan Antonio Rodrigo,Emilio Cano,Blanca Ramírez-Barat,José Manuel Menéndez

doi:10.3390/app112110067

Abstract

Monitoring environmental factors such as pollutants, relative humidity, light, etc. is needed to ensure a proper preventive conservation of cultural heritage. Since existing systems are expensive and difficult to maintain, we propose as a sustainable alternative the use crowdsourced photographs taken by visitors using their cell phones. These images of a tailor made panel, including sensitive materials and a calibration color chart, are calibrated and colorimetric information extracted from them. The aim of this paper is assessing the robustness of the color chart and the calibration method used, and evaluating how the ageing of the materials of the chart can affect the accuracy of the calibration process. A choice is made between four candidate materials and a set of industrial inks. Several tests have been performed and mathematical metrics extracted, so the most suitable material is adequately selected. It has been checked how the image calibration process, employed for homogenizing information from the crowdsourced pictures, performs with real-life materials and colors to assess the possible degradation that may happen. This work is a part of a bigger project with the aim of building a crowdsourcing-based monitoring system for preventive conservation of cultural heritage.

Highlights

IntroductionObjects of historic and cultural values are exhibited and preserved in museum collections
All over the world, objects of historic and cultural values are exhibited and preserved in museum collections
It should be noted that the white coordinate, corresponding to the ink-free spot of the color chart, undergoes a stronger variation in comparison to the other colors under study in all cases

Summary

Introduction

Objects of historic and cultural values are exhibited and preserved in museum collections. To protect objects in collections from degradation they are held and exhibited in controlled environments, where ideally all ambient conditions are adjusted to minimize future damage to the heritage materials. This strategy, focused in preventing future deterioration acting on the potential causes of deterioration, is known as preventive conservation. Building materials from furniture, showcases or panels, such as paints, woods or adhesives or cleaners, and even some objects from collections can emit gaseous pollutants This problem is even more serious if the exhibited artifacts are stored in non-ventilated display [4,5]

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