I write about technology and its uses in the varied world of heritage, from 3D scanning prehistoric petroglyphs to the use of ChatGPT in museums and archives.
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Transcribing oral history recordings with AI
A proposed project aims to digitise and transcribe a vast archive of audio recordings from the 1970s to the 1980s, overcoming challenges like “sticky-shed syndrome” and enhancing content searchability. The initiative explores the use of OpenAI’s Whisper for transcription, noting its improved accuracy with diverse accents and background noises. Testing on a Cornish interview demonstrated…
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Generative AI Certificates
Through January to mid-March I have been studying hard to complete a series of distance-learning courses in Generative AI. Delivered by Prof. Jules White of Vanderbilt University in the USA via Coursera, I took the Prompt Engineering Specialisation which consisted of three courses: Here is the description of the outcomes from the combined courses: Upon…
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Unearthing the Past with ChatGPT 4: A New Horizon in Historical Research
For the past month (Jan-Feb 2024) I have been experimenting with ChatGPT. I’ve subscribed to ChatGPT Plus to get access to the latest version at the time of writing – ChatGPT 4. Its extra features including vision (image analysis) capabilities and the ability to create custom “GPTs” (focus output on uploaded documents only rather replying…
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Social media: the decline of Twitter and the rise of Mastodon
I was an early adopter of Twitter in early 2007. I used to have a three-letter username (@tag) and there weren’t even a million users globally. When I started using it, most people thought it was a ridiculous and vain thing to do – write short updates in 140 characters and interact with strangers. Always…
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Rock art discovery at Nanjulian, St Just, Cornwall
In 2021, whilst walking through the valley at Nanjulian in the far west of Cornwall, thanks to a favourable and fortunate angle of the late summer sunlight, I spotted some interesting markings on a large earth-fast boulder. I was fairly sure straight away that these were prehistoric cup-marks, but reserved judgement until I could return…
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Making 3D digital archives available – the Archaeoptics Archive
It’s completely fair to state that Archaeoptics, a Glasgow-based company established in 2000, were true pioneers of 3D data capture and processing in the world of heritage. Ahead of their time, they travelled around the UK and abroad visiting archaeologists, museums and artists, 3D scanning tiny objects up to large buildings. It really was ‘scanning’…
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What’s new with XR for the Apple ecosystem after WWDC 2022?
Apple’s 2022 WWDC conference is currently underway. In the keynote on 6th June we heard the headline announcements about iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, and macOS 13 (Ventura), along with the news about the new baseline M2 processor inside a redesigned MacBook Air and 13″ MacBook Pro. The Apple XR headset didn’t directly make…
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15 years on Twitter
I first heard about Twitter back in 2006. I wasn’t sure if I’d use it, and at that time you needed to have an invitation in order to keep a check on the growth of users. In February 2007 I was able to sign up. I was able to choose “@tag” (my initials) as my…
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Artificial art – or machine dreaming?
I try to keep an eye on the world of emerging AI technologies. It’s hard to keep up if you’re not completely involved in the sector, but some impressive examples pop up more regularly than ever. Some of those are incredibly easy to use by anyone. One section of the AI world that is garnering…
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Painting the past in 3D
In early 2022 we were asked by Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Maritime Archaeology Society (CISMAS) if we could help them with an intriguing project. In the small museum on the island of Tresco, Isles of Scilly, is a large 3.5m high wooden carving from the stern (back) of HMS Colossus which was wrecked in…