Second Multiplier Event, York

The purpose of the Multiplier Event was to extend the discussion beyond the project partnership, share the work currently underway and gather external feedback at an important stage in the development of AUTOMATA. Participants included representatives of national heritage organisations, universities and commercial archaeology companies, as well as artefact specialists, digital documentation experts and creative practitioners.

The invited participants brought together a wide range of perspectives and expertise. They included Keith May, archaeologist at Historic England and visiting professor; multidisciplinary artist Eloise Moody; James Stuart Taylor, Lecturer in Archaeology and Digital Methods at the University of York; pottery and ceramic building materials specialist David Griffiths; James Gerrard, Professor of Roman Archaeology at Newcastle University; commercial archaeologist Andrew Peachey; Graeme Cavers and Kai Wallace from AOC Archaeology Group; and archaeological illustrator and educator Mark Hoyle.

A full day of presentations and discussions

The morning programme introduced the main ambitions and areas of work of AUTOMATA. Project partners presented the overall aims and objectives of the project and explained how robotics will contribute to the creation of an automated workflow for the documentation and analysis of archaeological artefacts. The presentations also covered the different imaging and sensing methods being developed, including 3D documentation and scientific analysis, as well as the project’s approach to artificial intelligence.

Particular attention was given to the way in which the different forms of information produced by the system will be brought together, stored and made accessible. Partners presented the links being developed with the Archaeology Data Service and the Heritage Science Data Service, as well as with wider European infrastructures and initiatives such as ARIADNE and ECHOES.

The afternoon was dedicated to discussion between the AUTOMATA partners and the invited stakeholders. Participants were encouraged to comment on the project from their different professional perspectives and to raise questions regarding the practical use of the system, the needs of future users and the possible applications of automated documentation and analysis in heritage institutions, research and commercial archaeology.

AUTOMATA coordination meeting

The feedback collected during these exchanges was reviewed by the consortium during its internal coordination meeting on the following day. This allowed the partners to consider how the observations and suggestions made by external participants could inform the next stages of the project.

The coordination meeting also addressed progress in enriched 3D digitisation and the integration of different scientific datasets; the development of the robotic system for handling and scanning archaeological objects; the creation of a user-friendly workflow for data acquisition, storage and visualisation; preparations for future testing, including equipment, venue, safety and training requirements; and forthcoming communication activities and project milestones.

The York Multiplier Event therefore marked an important step in opening AUTOMATA to a broader community of users and practitioners. It enabled the consortium not only to communicate its progress, but also to test its assumptions against real professional needs and to integrate external feedback into the continuing development of the project.

The Second Multiplier Event in Pictures