Advanced System for Frequency Resolved Acoustic Imaging for on-site investigations of Cultural Heritage: an example of public-private partnership (PPP) of centers of excellence

In the last two decades a new device, based on the acoustic energy absorption evaluation, was developed by the Laboratory of Acoustics Research applications for Cultural Heritage (LARCH) of the National Research Council. During the years, the original prototype was implemented with further technological innovations while a robust measuring procedure was elaborated. Laboratory tests and on-site investigations demonstrated the usefulness and suitability of the Frequency Resolved Acoustic Imaging diagnostics to reveal structural damage in art objects such as mural paintings, wall structures, glazed ceramic panels, and panel paintings. Today, a stimulating public-private partnership between three relevant centers of excellence realized an advanced prototype presenting innovative technical solutions, higher performance and a compact configuration. ENEA, CNR and METAPROJECTS joined the partnership within the framework of the regional project ReMEDIA aiming at enhancing the TRL of the specific device in the context of Cultural Heritage applications. In the present paper, the advanced system is described in its basic concept and the undergone realization phases, regarding the hardware and the firmware. The ENEA Diagnostics and Metrology Laboratory upgraded the device core unit with an I2S combiner to manage the output and the input channels, for the sound generation and the sound recording respectively. Furthermore, the concept of the new advanced system includes the integration of evaluation boards for the main functions. Upon specific initial requirements, METAPROJECTS defined the device architecture, its firmware, and realized the advanced prototype having a compact configuration in an integrated Play/Record Console that controls the measurements from a Human Machine Interface (HMI) as in an industrial process. The Play/Record Console interacts with the sound source and the microphone, as well as with the automatic motion controller. The ReMEDIA Project N. I15F21000280002 was funded by LAZIO REGION, within the public call “Progetti di Gruppi di Ricerca 2020” POR FESR 2014-2020.