EPOCH is a network of about hundred European institutions, joining forces 
to improve the quality and effectiveness of Information and Communication
Technology for Cultural Heritage. Participants include university 
departments, research centres, museums, national heritage agencies, and 
commercial
enterprises, together endeavouring to overcome the fragmentation of current 
research in this field. More information is available at the EPOCH home page:
http://www.epoch-net.org.

In this initial stage of the network’s activities EPOCH tries to build up 
an inventory of available / existing technologies according to the following
categories:

1.      multi-lingual and semantic data processing
2.      databases and technology management
3.      mobile-wearable-ambient systems
4.      recording and data representation aspects
5.      visualisation and rendering
6.      multi-modal interfaces
7.      virtual human and other avatar technologies

Based on the seven functional areas and five “heritage” dimensions, a 
matrix was defined. Key words were assigned to each of the cells of the 
matrix, which
form the departure point for building up a list of available tools and 
clustering them in logical groups. This activity aims at establishing and 
maintaining
a common infrastructure, which will form a substrate upon which to build 
particular end-user applications and showcases. This activity will define the
architecture, components and design guidelines for this common 
infrastructure. The goal is the creation of integrated pipelines for 
producing applications
involving digital versions of tangible cultural heritage.

The preliminary matrix of tools can be found at 
http://perswww.kuleuven.ac.be/~u0036544/tools/epochmatrix.html

Now, the EPOCH partners kindly invite all professionals in the field of 
cultural heritage to contribute to the overview of relevant tools. As 
stakeholder
needs are of the utmost importance, we would like to invite not only 
technologists, but every professional in the CH field to give their opinion 
about the
available tools. Have you ever used some of these technologies, please 
share your thoughts and comments about them with us. Which tools did you 
use? What did
work out well for your application, what is still missing? Only with your 
help we will be able to critically assess the digital technologies and 
select the
most promising ones to include in our common infrastructure. You would also 
help us to determine where additional R&D efforts are needed and thus to 
optimise
our investment of resources.

All additions to our provisional list are greatly appreciated. If you are 
aware of existing tools not mentioned in the list, please let us know. More
in-depth information about tools, comments on their quality, references of 
use within cultural heritage, personal experiences… are all very welcome. 
Do not
hesitate to tell us what you as a stakeholder expect from the technology in 
your field of work. What kind of tools should technologists develop? What are
your thoughts about the current use of digital technologies in cultural 
heritage?

You can send all information to Tijl Vereenooghe (K.U.Leuven): 
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Thanks for considering this. We realise your time is valuable!

Please excuse multiple postings. Feel free to distribute this announcement.