ArchCamp 2007, Berlin (ArchCamp Drei)

These are real time notes made by Kayt Armstrong during the session.

Please correct/add detail/ introduce notes as needed as I'm sure I'll make mistakes (especially with peoples names...) Please also add links to your 'web presence' (if you have one!) in case people want to get in touch.

Introductions
The following people made it to the session, Thanks for coming!

We met on the penultimate day of the conference, somewhat weary and in some cases suffering from the conference dinner the night before..

Leif Isaksen

Stuart Eve

Go Sugimoto

Kayt Armstrong

Dave Wheatley

Mark Dover

Chris Brayne

Matt Jones

Hembo Pagi

Stuart Dunn

Andy Dufton

Jessica Trelogan

Thierry G

Gabriel Seidl

Maximilian Schich

Guy Hunt

Taska (sorry if spelled wrong)

Alia (surname?)

Jens Neuberger

Stuart Jeffrey

After the introductions we got stuck into the (now becoming traditional!) discussion, demo's and chat.

Morphometric Analysis
Here we discussed new approaches to automated shape analysis (with assigning typologies automatically or with a learning algorithm); The traditional approach to morphometric analysis often includes the measurement of specific feature categories (like length, curl...) and their subsequent (multivariate) statistical analysis. Recently a group of applications have emerged, that might also be relevant in that circumstance. The new applications focus on non-verbal polymorphic categories (like shape and color) in order to measure the similarity of images. Mostly the main goal is not the production of a typology, but of a similarity-ranking referring to the search image (similar to the ranking of a search engine result referring to the initial verbal search term). Start-ups specializing in that area appear all over the place: Riya, which produces like.com is one company working in this area. Others include Polar Rose and Tiltomo. Another relevant application is XEROX image categorizer. An open source(?) alternative was presented at the CAA Demo Session by Guus Lange. The presented algorithm works with both color and shape. It belongs to the CATCH-RICH framework of the Dutch Rijksdienst voor Archeologie, Cultuurlandschap en Monumenten. Another approach for simpler forms such as lithics, pot sherds and perhaps earthwork profiles was demonstrated at both CAAUK 200? and CAA 2007 by Irwin Rovner see Computer-assisted Morphometry: An Accessible Quantitative Method for Characterizing the Configuration and Variation of Rim Sherd Profiles - Irwin Rovner/Vinod Nautiyal/Vandana Dixit Rovner suggests that even simple bivarite analyses can be useful. The software used is called Fovea Pro.

Watercourse/ underground chambers and mapping
Thierry showed us work he is doing in underground archaeology- for example survying caves and watercourses.

Survey based on measurements, end points, directions, slopes between points then dimensions at each point. He uses and Open Source package called Therion for this. It works from text files (not limited to numeric, can cope with names for kep points as well). The software generates planimetric maps. It can also generate Atlases and change scales easily. It works for sections as well but there are some bugs as there isn't yet a full release.

3D models are generated from an internal viewer (but this does not work for Macs yet). There is an external format as well, 3DMF.

There are also exports to SQL and into shapefiles for use in GIS.

The software comes from here

3D web distribution
We had a chat about web distribution formats for 3D objects, and plug-ins for use within browsers. This arose from the question of how best to distribute 3D images easily and it was pointed out that X3D appears to have replaced the now unsupported VRML as the markup language of choice although it was not clear whether it was a format that had well-developed clients yet. It may have some advantages in terms of integration and automated construction however in conjunction with various tools such as Blender.

We also talked about using things like Sketchup and the ubiquity of GoogleEarth.

This (d?)evolved into a discussion of the progress or lack of it in the theory and documentation of virtual archaeoology; there seemed to be a consensus that thought the technology has prgressed hugely we are still trying to find answers to theoretical questions posed in the last 10 years. Perhaps what we need to do (just Kayt talking here!) is put the brakes on and work out what we have and set some baselines?

SecondLife
We discussed Second Life and its applications in education and reconstruction which kind of moved on from the 3D discussion, and the possibility of LindenLabs going open source with the code.

If anyone wants a good introduction to Second Life, see this ABC broadcast. It's a very balanced view, including some of the darker aspects and 'behind the hype' type reporting.

Mark D edits " in either a brave or stupid move depending on your point of view, ArchCamp participants had a chance to view my Second Life 'home'. Anyone else who's checking out Second LIfe and who'd like a visit, here's the slurl. Drop into the Casino next door..."

Experiences of using Second Life for CH releated online meetings can be found here

Stonehenge Riverside Project
The project webpages are here, including summaries of each seasons work in .pdf format.

Mark gave us quick overview of the project and his work as the data manager.

He showed us the results of some geophysics, carried out by English Heritage and the problems associated with colluvial cover on the site of Durrington Walls. He went through the (recently well publicised in the international press) of a village/ living zone within Durrington Walls, and the possible avenue, linking the site to the River Avon, and hence Stonehenge.

The project will be undertaking fieldwork this season between the 18/08/07 to 15/09/07. Any Antiquist members who would like to visit, contact Mark for a personal tour.

ADS intro
Stuart Jeffrey from the ADS talked about some current work there. The ARENA project is about data sharing between NMR's and the ADS are looking at ways to work with this and HEIRNET. (Stu, please could you update this section! I didn't catch a lot of the abbreviations). There is a big meeting in May that has been mentioned on the Anitquist List- please attend if you think you can contribute or would benefit.

We also disussed the pitfalls about archiving and what to archive/what not to- keeping covers on books (e.g. preserving interfaces as well as the data).

Chris please put the softwre name here (Ironspeed)
Jens demonstrated (please add url for the software) that basically (and quite cheaply) buils web-forms for an exisiting database. It has a very simple wizrd that works with your exisiting database (which has to be set up properly to begin with), and then builds forms and quering tools for the database that can be used over the web. It works in the .NET and the C# environments and talks to most SQL driven databases.

I think you'll find it's called Ironspeed ..... visit http://www.ironspeed.com/

Transaction Processing
Jessica from LP asked about logging revision within a GIS and solutions were suggested to do with running Oracle backends logging details. Jessica wants to track changes in ARK, at the individual edit level, and possibly rollback to previous versions of the data. Consensus was there isn't a GIS way of doing this, but if you used a 'normal' database as the back end and logged the spatial and topographic information there as well, it would do this automatically. Oracle was suggested a 'sledgehammer' / 'superglue' approach. I only followed this in principle, so could someone who knows update further please!

This is on several lists of 'things we need to do' so watch this space!

Open Source GIS
Leif reported that Ben Ducke is gathering a consortium of individuals and organisations together in order to work on a fully functional GIS package for Archaeologists. He has already put together an integrated version of UNIX/GRASS/QGIS/Paraview that can be run from a datastick which he used as the basis for the Thursday GRASS workshop. Feedback from that was very positive but it was acknowledged that there are still a handful of stumbling blocks which prevent wider uptake of OS GIS amongst archaeologists. The idea of the consortium is harness enough resources (i.e. money, time and skills) from across the sector to: The latter is particularly import as many people are put off by the apparent complexity of the system as it currently stands. Documentation will in large part be in the form of tutorials or a 'cookbook' using sample archaeological data. (UPDATE: Julian Richards at the ADS has agreed to look at what resources they might be able to provide for such a manual). A Committee will be set up soon along with relevant web resources for people to get involved. Until then anyone interested should get in touch with Ben.
 * Identify what essential functionality is still lacking
 * Develop that functionality
 * Document, document, document

advanced viewshed tools for ArcGIS
Dave W then breifly ran through his toolkit for viewshed analysis in ArcGIS. I leave it to him to update this with the relevant details. Just quickly it does things like probability viewsheds, path viewsheds and other funky stuff....

The aftermath / BierCamp
We then retired for food and beer at the Zwoelf Apostel (12 Apostles) restaurant, and a few stragglers went on for a 'Russian Tea Ceremony' (vodka inclusive) at the Tadjiki Tearooms. If you have photos please either add them here or proved links (to flickr etc).

Kayt has some photo's on her flickr page here.

After much complaining to the ex-Berlin resident Leif, Stu finally got his 2-pinter (admittedly an hour before his flight was due to leave)...



Links to various antiquisters blogs about the conference can be found hereCAA 2007 Blog Roll