The Scrovegni Chapel Moves Into the Future: An Innovative Internet of Things Solution Brings New Light to Giotto’s Masterpiece

This paper presents a complete architecture of an innovative wireless sensor network able to real-time monitor and control complex lighting systems such as the newly installation at the Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy, representing the first world example in cultural heritage field. The realization effectively creates the Internet of Things paradigm, since all its components are directly connected to the Internet and each other thanks to global IPv6 addresses. The new IoT lighting system represents a “restoration of perception” project because the luminaries can be controlled in intensity and color temperature based on natural light and the desired rendering. In the initial phase, specifically designed sensors measure indoor lighting variations and this monitoring will be extended for a sufficient time to determine the proper control actions. Furthermore, besides adjusting the illuminance and color temperature for aesthetic and perceptual purposes, the system can also real-time monitor and control a variety of environmental parameters, fundamental for cultural heritage conservation, providing long-term studies of correlations between artificial light, natural light, and lighting performance, and also to evaluate over time the conservative aspects correlating them with any other critical environmental condition. The control of exposure to artificial light is also important in other contexts because light can interfere with biological processes controlled by endogenous circadian rhythms, with possible negative consequences for health results. Finally, this architectural solution can be extended to a complete Smart City system that integrates cultural heritage as one of the countless elements to be monitored and controlled in the city.