Presentation of the Web Based Arpenteur Tools: towards a Photogrammetry Based Heritage Information System

The paper presents the current state of the ARPENTEUR project (ARchitectural PhotogrammEtry Network Tool for EdUcation and Research), and principally the new photogrammetric module, the 3D measuring and modelling module including an automatic DSM densification tool and the formalization of photogrammetric data in XML. This JAVA based package has been proposed as a WEB tool since 1998. It is now also available as standard software running on Windows or Linux platforms. Several significant ideas are supporting this project: The photogrammetric module has been based on the orientation of couples of images (not necessarily stereo pairs, and not necessarily from metric cameras) and well known steps of interior and exterior orientation. Image processing functions from the Java Advanced Imaging Library as well as an area based correlation method for the measurements of homologous points are included. A semi-automated Primitive Measurement Method called I-MAGE (Image processing and Measure Assisted by GEometrical primitive) has been proposed for the geometric measurement of 3D model. This method is based on the coupling of image correlation and geometric primitive computation as planes, cylinders, cones and sphere shapes of the object. Five methods of generating DSM automatically are completing the previous modules. These methods based on feature point extraction techniques, well known in aerial photogrammetry, have been adapted to close range projects in Arpenteur. Encouraging results have been obtained. The last important point is the choice of XML to formalize object data, as well as photogrammetric data. Automatic links are generated between the 3D representation of the measured object and the XML formalization of the photogrammetric, dimensional and more general semantic data of a project. As the data in XML can be parsed and queried, the links between textual data and graphical representation can be considered as the first step towards an information system dedicated to architecture and archaeology.