The broad objective in this project is to transform cultural heritage assets into active historical knowledge that may be of real use to citizens by means of advanced computer technology. We focus on foster innovation in the analysis and understanding of architectural prehistoric remains from Neolithic. This historical period has been conceptualized as the most transcendental social, cultural and economic transition in the history of Humanity, when populations that had been hunter-and gatherers began to adopt a farming economy. The project will provide new recreations of the past using Serious Games and Artificial Intelligence to improve assets conservation while bringing new engaging ways of education in the past.
Gathering of all the architectural and archaeological data available in La Draga, including the mechanical properties of the materials used in building the dwelling units will help explain to wider audiences the effects of social actions in the past. The analysis of ancient technology and historical activities will allow us to understand what was performed in the past, how and why, to draw some lessons for the present.
We will create the basis for a real time interactive application in which users could explore interactively historical scenarios and play with characters (agents) acting through artificial intelligence dynamics. In such environments, it will be possible to test different choices in terms of technological, social and environmental factors and look at their consequences affecting society and landscape evolution through time and space.
The project aims to develop virtual e-learning systems based both on simulation of social dynamics in the past (artificial societies based on agents distributed simulation) and "serious games", that is, computer systems with the aesthetics of a video – game, but based on rigorous historical research and introducing academic knowledge relevant to education of children.