Imagine being able to see exactly how a faded ancient painting looked when it was first created without touching the original canvas. This project builds a digital 'time machine' for colors, using cloud computing to let experts collaborate from anywhere in the world. It's like having a high-tech digital twin of an artwork where you can test different restoration options before applying them in real life.
Cultural heritage suffers from irreversible color fading and loss, while traditional restoration is risky and lacks predictive tools. There is also a lack of collaborative digital environments for remote experts to agree on restoration outcomes.
Integrated color analysis and restoration tools for diverse artefacts, interoperable with the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage, including mixed reality storytelling interfaces.
If you are a gallery dealing with fading polychrome sculptures — this project developed integrated colour analysis tools that simulate restoration results with perceptual accuracy. This allows curators to predict outcomes and communicate them to the public before physical work begins.
If you are a studio dealing with deteriorating historic films and photographs — this project developed cloud-based services that preserve raw primary data. This ensures the integrity of the digital restoration as analysis techniques evolve over time.
If you are a tech provider dealing with low public engagement in heritage sites — this project developed mixed reality tools and digital storytelling. This enables visitors to see restored colours in a virtual space, increasing the appeal of the artefacts.
Based on available project data, there is no information regarding the cost or pricing model for the developed tools.
The project utilizes cloud-based services and the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage, which suggests a scalable digital infrastructure for multiple users and artefacts.
Based on available project data, specific details on IP and licensing are not provided.
The tools are designed to be fully interoperable with the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage and support hybrid spaces merging virtual and physical environments.
The project period is from 2025-10-01 to 2028-09-30, indicating the development and testing phase occurs during this window.
The consortium is research-heavy, consisting of 11 partners across 9 countries. With 4 research organizations and 1 university, the academic foundation is strong. However, there is a clear path to market with 2 industry partners and 3 SMEs, resulting in an 18% industry ratio, which indicates the project is focused on translating scientific color analysis into usable digital tools.
Contact the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IT) for technical specifications.
Contact SciTransfer to connect with the COLOURS consortium for early access to digital restoration tools.
