Application of Digital Technology to Chinese Traditional Furniture: A Review

ABSTRACTThis research delves into the contemporary utilization of digital technology within the context of the material cultural heritage associated with traditional Chinese furniture. Digital technology refers to the use of computers and electronic devices to process, store, transmit, and display information, which can be used to restore and protect traditional furniture. Valuable informational resources relevant to Chinese traditional furniture, for example, can be preserved through data integration for further utilization and development. Such applications of digital technology are still in the exploratory stage and as research content is relatively scattered, a systematic understanding is still lacking. The current applications of digital technologies in the field of traditional furniture are separated into four categories in this paper: database technology, digital restoration, digital identification, and digital exhibition. Each is described systematically. Database technology includes data acquisition, data pretreatment, model building, and platform construction; digital restoration technology mainly centers on the restoration of furniture structures and patterns. Digital identification includes the identification of age, wood, lacquer film composition, and structural mechanical performance. Digital exhibition includes digital museums, virtual reality, augmented reality, and the use of holographic projection technology. Additionally, an in-depth exploration was conducted into a comprehensive range of admonitions, constraints, and focal points that may ensue from the integration of digital technology, and a concise synthesis was presented regarding the digitization applications in the realm of traditional furniture, along with a critical assessment of their inherent deficiencies. We seek to analyze these technical features to establish a comprehensive understanding of digital technology application and development trends relevant to Chinese traditional furniture. This work is geared towards the conservation professional and may provide a reference for improving the utilization and application of digital systems for the effective preservation of traditional furniture.KEYWORDS: Chinese traditional furnituredatabase technologydigital restorationdigital identificationdigital exhibition Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis work has been supported by Nanjing Forestry University; the study was funded by the project of ‘The Study on Overseas Dissemination and Cultural Identity of Chinese Classical Furniture from the Perspective of East and West’.