Technology Then, Technology Now
Technology Then, Technology Now
The Technology Then, Technology Now project was funded by the Heritage Lottery ‘Young Roots’ programme and developed during 2013 and 2014 by young people aged 16 to 24 years from Highfields School in Matlock, Belper School and Nottingham Trent University.
They were supported by our Environmental Studies Service, the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site (DVMWHS), Trent & Peak Archaeology and Nottingham Trent University
This project trained young people to use archaeological laser scanning, virtual environment creation and gaming tools, photogrammetry and 3D printing to create virtual tours and digital interpretation of sites and artefacts within the world heritage site, some of which were less accessible to the general public.
Here we showcase the digital products created as part of the project and explain what we did during the project. For more information read on, or have a look at the following two videos.
The first video shows us out and about across the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site viewing locations and learning about our heritage.
The second video is our video diary which shows all of the different stages of our project:
Our products
Video and photograph showing a 3D print of the building based on a photogrammetry model:
A fly through tour of Leawood Pumphouse based on laser scan data:
a fly through tour of Darley Abbey Mills attic school room and third floor of the mill based on laser scan data:
A fly through tour of Long Row workers housing in Belper:
Video and photograph showing a 3D print of one of the supporting pillars in the basement at Strutt’s North Mill:
Video showing an extract of a virtual tour which uses a gaming engine to tour the basement of Strutt’s North Mill:
Video and photograph showing a 3D print of one of the mill windows at Cromford:
Video tour based on photogrammetry of the ‘Bear Pit’ water control in Cromford Village:
Presentation about a digital ‘re-build’ of the destroyed second mill at Cromford using virtual design tools and based on historical drawings and on site measurements:
Cromford 2nd Mill and Tommys projects.pdf
The project process
First we went on tours of the whole of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site (DVMWHS), learnt about the history and heritage of the world’s first factories, the harnessing of water power and the engineering, architecture and technologies developed in this area in the past. We used this initial information to help us decide which specific sites and features we would like to focus on selecting some which are not open to the public or are difficult to access. We then did some basic training with David Strange-Walker from Trent and Peak Archaeology and James Lewis from Nottingham Trent University on how to use the laser scanner and some of the software to create different digital outputs. We then went out onto our chosen sites and collected data and information, learnt to operate the archaeological laser scanner to collect the data and images we needed and did some more detailed background research about the history, heritage and stories behind these sites and features.
After collecting the raw data we worked in our own time and during sessions at weekends and holidays at Nottingham Trent University to learn how to stitch the scan data together, create virtual tours or fly-through of locations, create virtual models using digital images and print these in 3D and use virtual environment and gaming tools to try and ‘re-build’ locations virtually. We have presented our work to our peers at school, at a public celebration event and now on this website for you to enjoy. If you’d like to give us any feedback please email environmentalstudies@derbyshire.gov.uk
About us
The Technology Then, Technology Now team were:
- Georgina Greaves, environmental studies service manager, Derbyshire County Council
- Sukie Khaira, Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site co-ordinator (development)
- David Strange-Walker, project manager (Geomatics), Trent and Peak Archaeology
- James Lewis, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University.
The young people:
- Daniel Burrell
- Megan Casely
- Tim Coates
- Ben Colonna
- Alex Hancock
- Jack Holmes
- Matthew Maltby
- Daniel Mellor
- Niamh O’Connor
- Rory Pankhurst
- Bradley Pymm
- Rehan Shah
- Tommy Shaw
- Dave Shearing
- James Smith
- Zachary Styles
- Joe Taylor
