XMapsLab: A program for the creation and study of maps for Cultural Heritage

Abstract

The creation of maps through the application of techniques such as X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, multispectral analysis, ultraviolet (UV), and infrared (IR) radiation has become critical in the domain of Cultural Heritage for the analysis of materials. Limitations in data acquisition, particularly with more cost-effective and accessible devices, often restrict measurements to a sparse number of locations. This necessitates the employment of interpolation methods to extrapolate values for the unmeasured positions within the image. This paper introduces XMapsLab a software solution designed to facilitate the generation and examination of maps. XMapsLab utilizes GPU-optimized versions of interpolation methods, achieving speed enhancements ranging from one to two orders of magnitude. Such improvements markedly expand the capabilities of professionals to engage with and analyze data in real-time. Additionally, the software incorporates various interpolation methods, enhancing the robustness of the results and bolstering the confidence of experts in their conclusions. The real-time functionality of XMapsLab enables the development of new procedures for exploring hypotheses regarding the presence and distribution of pigments. This includes the integration of boolean and numerical operations for map combination, allowing users to investigate hypotheses and conditions in a direct, potent, and intuitive manner. The software developed is freely available and open-source, underscoring our commitment to supporting the broader Cultural Heritage community. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)