The CARTIF Technology Centre and the National Institute of Research and Development of Optoelectronics (INOE 2000), a leading Europe institute in the field of optoelectronics based in Bucharest (Romania), have signed a framework agreement to strengthen their cooperation in the conservation of cultural heritage through the use of robotic technologies.
This alliance formalises a collaboration already taking shape within the European project iPhotoCult, in which both organisations are working to improve tools for the analysis and documentation of historic buildings. As part of the project, CARTIF is developing a UGV, a ground robot designed to assess the conservation state of heritage structures, with particular attention to carpitería de armar (traditional timber truss frameworks) as a key structural element. INOE 2000, meanwhile, is leading the design and adaption of a UAV, an aerial robot that complements this documentation and helps provide a more comprehensive view of the condition of cultural assets.
With an initial duration of two years, the agreement will enhance knowledge exchange, promote the development of new methodologies in photonics, robotics, computer vision and artificial intelligence, and improve data-management and sharing practices aimed at sustainable conservation and advanced diagnostics of European cultural heritage. Through this partnership, both organisations reaffirm their commitment to applied innovation in this field.
Launched in 2024, the European project iPhotoCult was created with the objective of studying and preserving cultural heritage through the design, development and validation of photonic solutions that move beyond the laboratory and into rea-world scenarios. By combining advanced sensors, high-precision optical systems and digital platforms capable of analysing large volumes of data, the project seeks to offer researchers and conservators a more compete professional perspective on monuments, historic buildings and heritage objects.
The project is being tested across various sites in Europe –such as the former Gothic Collegiate Church of Roa (Burgos, Spain), designated as an Asset of Cultural Interest, and the Probota Monastery in Romania, a UNESCO World Heritage Site –where its solutions are being validated under real working conditions. With this approach, iPhotoCult aims to establish itselfs as a technological benchmark for remote monitoring and preventive conservation, providing safer, more efficient and more sustainable tools for the study and protection of Europe’s cultural heritage.