00:00 The Isole Trimity in Italy's Adriatic Sea welcome 100,000 tourists every year.
00:08 But many visitors miss some of the archipelago's best attractions,
00:12 the archaeological sites submerged under the clear waters surrounding the islands.
00:18 A team of researchers led by Fabio Bruno from the University of Calabria
00:22 is on a mission to unveil these hidden treasures.
00:25 Not everyone can access underwater cultural heritage as it requires diving to see it.
00:31 To make this immense heritage known to the general public,
00:34 it is crucial to use multimedia technologies that enable visitors to explore these sites
00:39 and understand their significance.
00:42 We join the team of the European project CREAMARE
00:46 as they embark on their mission at one of Italy's most significant shipwrecks.
00:51 The team includes archaeologists, historians and specialists in computer technology
00:56 determined to make the underwater archaeological site beneath our boat
01:00 accessible to everyone through a highly detailed 3D model.
01:04 Our dive uncovers the remains of Lombardo,
01:16 a 19th century steamship used by the legendary Giuseppe Garibaldi.
01:21 The vessel which played a crucial role in the Risorgimento movement,
01:30 Sancom, was lost over 160 years ago.
01:34 It wasn't until the early 2000s that Italian archaeologists stumbled upon these historic remains.
01:41 The project team is creating a digital snapshot of this entire site.
01:46 Digitizing and creating a three-dimensional model of this wreck
01:52 will enable those who cannot dive, who aren't able to go underwater,
01:56 to experience a virtual dive similar to that of real divers.
02:00 The researchers employ the method of photogrammetry,
02:05 capturing a series of still shots using a relatively affordable camera
02:09 enclosed in an underwater case.
02:12 These photographs serve as the material for generating a detailed 3D model,
02:16 offering an immersive and interactive experience.
02:20 The goal is to find the most accessible tools and techniques
02:24 so that underwater archaeologists could be trained to create such models themselves
02:28 without the assistance from computer engineers.
02:32 Europe's underwater heritage is rich and diverse.
02:38 From ancient wrecks laden with precious cargo to submerged cities.
02:43 But it's often hard to access and remains largely unseen.
02:47 Researchers believe that virtual reality devices will soon become more commonplace.
02:53 This technology can help build a stronger connection between the public
02:57 and the underwater heritage, highlighting the need to preserve it for generations to come.
03:02 Our goal is to enable the development of multimedia applications
03:07 that allow the general public to both learn about underwater cultural heritage
03:11 and to more deeply understand the environmental challenges affecting our seas.
03:16 Museums are increasingly using new technologies to enhance their exhibitions.
03:26 In Taranto, a coastal city in southern Italy,
03:29 we visit the National Superintendency for Underwater Cultural Heritage,
03:33 led by the esteemed archaeologist Barbara Davide.
03:37 Its new collection of Corinthian pottery dating back to the 7th century BC
03:42 was discovered 780 metres deep in the Adriatic during the construction of a gas pipeline.
03:48 These priceless artefacts are safeguarded behind protective glass,
03:52 but a large interactive screen nearby allows visitors to examine
03:55 detailed photogrammetric models from every angle.
04:01 The visitor can zoom into the 3D shape of the object
04:04 to see in detail the execution technique and the biological organisms
04:09 that colonised the artefacts during their time on the seabed.
04:13 In addition, the exhibition features a so-called serious game,
04:20 a simulation of an archaeological excavation in virtual reality.
04:25 I begin to explore the seabed.
04:31 And here I've found an amphora, and now I can scan it by pressing a button.
04:37 When you have the practical experience of underwater exploration,
04:47 even a virtual one, you derive more pleasure from your visit,
04:51 and you better remember what you saw and what you learned.
04:56 Such immersive experiences can even help promote more eco-friendly tourism.
05:01 In Malta, like many other coastal regions,
05:04 tourists flock to bustling high-rise hotels, cruise ships and vibrant urban nightlife,
05:10 often missing out on the wonders of untouched natural beauty.
05:14 Many visit historic monuments like the 5,000 years old Hadjar-e-Megalithic temples.
05:23 That's an opportunity for Corallo, the European project spearheaded
05:27 by Malta's ocean ambassador, Professor Alan Daden.
05:31 Android robots, virtual reality headsets and other interactive tools
05:36 are strategically placed at visitor centres
05:39 to spark tourists' interest in local marine biodiversity and eco-tourism.
05:44 Wow, it's beautiful.
05:46 I see a scuba diver and a lot of fishes.
05:51 Wow.
05:53 You might have gone on a Mediterranean holiday just for the history,
05:57 just for the culture, but then you manage to squeeze in the snorkelling trip,
06:01 you know, a kayaking trip.
06:03 The project works with local groups that organise eco-friendly sea activities
06:10 at protected natural sites, looking for the best ways to connect them with tourists.
06:18 You're here today to help Professor Alan Daden with his research
06:22 and how we work with the sea.
06:24 Also, you're here because we wanted to break another kayak gathering record
06:28 and I'm pretty sure we did it.
06:30 Get Out and Kayak is one of the project partners.
06:33 We believe in eco-tourism, eco-sport.
06:36 We want as many people on the sea as possible
06:38 with as little to no carbon footprint whatsoever.
06:41 So for us, it's important that we teach people how to respect the sea,
06:45 how to care for the sea.
06:47 Eco-tourism opens up unique views inaccessible to others.
06:51 Tourists come to Malta because we do have beautiful scenery.
06:57 There are loads of caves that we can go and explore.
07:01 This way tourists can be part of the solution, not the problem.
07:06 I believe a lot in connecting with nature by helping it,
07:12 just doing simple things like picking up trash from the sea.
07:15 You can help the ocean as much as it helps us.
07:18 I love the sea, I love the sun and I love the group.
07:22 I think it's beautiful.
07:24 This sort of renaissance of awareness about the environment
07:35 couldn't come soon enough.
07:37 More than half of the Mediterranean coastline is under concrete already.
07:40 We need to change course to try to save, obviously,
07:44 as much as possible of the remaining pristine areas.
07:48 [Music]
07:52 [Music]
07:55 (upbeat music)
07:57 you
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