Digital value creation through collection and research

The Development Laboratory for Innovation in Object Digitisation (ELIO) combines technological innovation, scientific expertise and economic prospects. The aim is to systematically develop technological solutions to the point of application readiness and to establish them as economically viable in the long term. Prototype developments thus give rise to concrete products and services for the national and international GLAM sector – from museums and archives to libraries and galleries.

At the heart of ELIO lies an integrated innovation approach comprising three interlinked products. The starting point for the technological product developments is a modular, automated digitisation unit for small to medium-sized collection objects. It enables standardised, high-resolution imaging under reproducible conditions and using automated processes. At the same time, it is designed to integrate seamlessly into existing digitisation systems within the collection. The aim is to create a scalable hardware solution that is accessible to both large institutions and smaller organisations with limited resources, and which is being further developed in collaboration with industry partners for the international market.

At the same time, a software package is being developed for the automated processing of object and image data. It combines image processing, text recognition, semantic analysis and structured data preparation. Large volumes of data can be processed efficiently and integrated directly into existing infrastructures. A specific example of its application is the automated reading of machine-printed and handwritten collection labels. This allows the object metadata to be supplemented with this information. The software can be used both as a standalone product and in combination with the digitisation unit.

This portfolio is complemented by a digital tracking and monitoring tool for collection holdings. It enables changes of location, processing steps and conservation interventions to be systematically recorded and transparently tracked – an area of collection management that has, until now, often been organised manually. The modular tool integrates existing database systems, enhances the reproducibility of processes and is being developed as an integral part of a holistic digital collection infrastructure. In practice, all three product developments are interlinked: the digitisation unit generates standardised image data; the software package structures and analyses this information; whilst the tracking tool maintains systematic order within the physical collection.

With ELIO, the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin is establishing itself as an innovation hub for digital collection infrastructure. ELIO thus exemplifies how collection-based research can not only initiate innovation but also translate it sustainably into economically viable models.