http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/18116 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/46329 Future-Proofing Architectural Computer-Aided Design: MIT's FACADE Project Smith, MacKenzie The FACADE project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA is exploring the long-term archiving and preservation of digital data from architectural projects in general, and 3D models and related information in particular. The project is working with design data from major building projects of the architects Frank Gehry and Moshe Safdie initially, and will generalize its findings to other architectural firms using 3D design software. The project is also exploring how to relate 3D designs with related 2D drawings, digital images and videos, email and other communications, and with emerging Building Information Models (BIMs). A prototype archive for this material will be produced with DSpace, the open source digital archive system originally developed by MIT and HP Labs and now widely used by research organizations world-wide. Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:58:59 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/46327 Curating Architectural 3D CAD Models Smith, MacKenzie Increasing demand to manage and preserve 3-dimensional models for a variety of physical phenomena (e.g., building and engineering designs, computer games, or scientific visualizations) is creating new challenges for digital archives. Preserving 3D models requires identifying technical formats for the models that can be maintained over time, and the available formats offer different advantages and disadvantages depending on the intended future uses of the models. Additionally, the metadata required to manage 3D models is not yet standardized, and getting intellectual proposal rights for digital models is uncharted territory. The FACADE Project at MIT is investigating these challenges in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry and has developed recommendations and systems to support digital archives in dealing with digital 3D models and related data. These results can also be generalized to other domains doing 3D modeling. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:58:59 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/39640 The Data Dilemma Stout, Amy Graham, Anne There’s a famous allegory about a map of the world that grows in detail until every point in reality has its counterpoint on paper; the twist being that such a map is at once ideally accurate and entirely useless, since it’s the same size as the thing it’s meant to represent 1. Introduction The proliferation of scientific data is inspiring a paradigm shift in the way we manage information. Scientists frequently use other scientists’ data for their experiments 2, taking a step out of the traditional process known as the scientific method 3. As data is rapidly produced and shared, the results of experiments are practically becoming disseminated as they are collected, speeding up a process that used to take longer 4. With such a wealth of data available, information retrieval has become a critical component of scientific research. Tools like metadata, sophisticated databases and search engines are desperately trying to keep pace with the changing world 5. Furthermore, there are social and legal issues to consider. What data can be shared and disseminated? Who owns data? What about “facts” that have been extracted from years of experimentation or using patented devices? Traditionally, so-called facts have not been copyrightable, resulting in laws that become blurred 6. Another issue affecting data management is how to handle data as an object. Librarians are used to the book/journal model 7. Open Access, a movement that started in the early 1990s in an effort to make published articles freely available to the public, is now extending its reach to data 8. As part of a task force at MIT, librarians interviewed researchers to get their perspectives on data, with the goal of gathering ideas on how to assist the researchers. In addition, librarians are submitting a data set to MIT’s institutional repository, DSpace, in an effort to investigate the technical challenges presented by data storage. This experience will provide insight into the technical and social issues librarians can address with expertise. As librarians become more skilled with data management, they will be able to better advise and assist scientists, opening up new collaborations between librarians and their academic communities. Presented by Amy Stout at ASEE Annual Conference, June 24-27, 2007, Honolulu, HI Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:53:41 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/39091 Automated Validation of Trusted Digital Repository Assessment Criteria Smith, MacKenzie The RLG/NARA trusted digital repository (TDR) certification checklist defines a set of assessment criteria for preservation environments. The criteria can be mapped into data management policies that define how a digital preservation environment is operated. We explore how the enforcement of these management policies can be automated through their characterization as rules that control preservation services. By integrating a rule-based data management system with the DSpace digital archive system, we expect to demonstrate automated audits of the TDR checklist for a defined set of local policies. The system is sufficiently general that one can also demonstrate the completeness and self-consistency of preservation environments. This is the concept that all required preservation metadata are controlled by management policies, and that for each management policy the required preservation metadata are preserved. Wed, 29 Aug 2007 22:58:59 GMT