Digital twins are designed to faithfully replicate their real-world counterparts, and enable simulations, testing, and other computational tasks to be performed without impacting the originals. They can also serve preservation efforts, as demonstrated by the latest project introduced by the Vatican.
Catholic authorities
collaborated with Microsoft to develop a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica, one of the most important Christian churches and a globally renowned tourist attraction. Using AI and various scanning technologies, Microsoft and its partners were able to create an accurate digital model of the Basilica, offering people around the world a new way to explore the church and its many hidden corners.
The Basilica di San Pietro
project involved capturing hundreds of thousands of images through drones, cameras, and laser scans, using advanced photogrammetry techniques to precisely document the church's physical features. Iconem, a French company specializing in digital preservation, collected over 400,000 high-resolution images, which were then processed on Microsoft's Azure platform.
Microsoft used AI to refine the 3D model, achieving millimeter-level accuracy that can be explored via modern web browsers. AI algorithms also helped detect potential structural issues within the virtual replica, generating a detailed map of cracks and missing mosaic tiles, allowing restorers to prioritize areas needing repair.
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