From Lima to Canton and Beyond: Mobile and Digital Research Infrastructure for Closing the Gap Between Resource-rich and Resource-poor Organisations

Abstract

ABSTRACT Access to research infrastructure for heritage science is the best way of narrowing the collections knowledge gap between resource-rich and resource-poor cultural institutions. Here we demonstrate a novel workflow that streamlines the use of a mobile laboratory for data collection (MOLAB) followed by a digital platform for data processing, analysis and interpretation (DIGILAB). The data collection and processing are taken care of by heritage science specialists, while the data analysis and interpretation can be performed collaboratively with conservators and curators. MOLAB with specialist personnel and mobile scientific instruments can sometimes be aided by in-house fixed laboratory (FIXLAB) equipment and personnel from resource-rich institutions to assist the resource-poor institutions if their collection can be hosted by the resource-rich institutions for analysis. The aim is to widen participation in the adoption of heritage science and material analysis in the understanding and conservation of collections, while ensuring high-quality, efficient and reliable data acquisition, processing, analysis and interpretation. The approach taken in this project combines access to various research infrastructure platforms to achieve extra benefit through adding further expert-assisted data analysis and interpretation capabilities, enabled by a new digital platform for data processing and visualisation.