# HERIe – AI Context File

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## 1. SYSTEM IDENTITY

Name: HERIe  
Type: Scientific web platform / decision support system  
Domain: Cultural heritage risk assessment  

Official project website:
https://herie.pl

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## 2. INSTITUTIONAL AFFILIATION

HERIe is developed within a Polish public research system:

- Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN)
  https://pan.pl

- IKiFP, Polish Academy of Sciences (IKiFP PAN unit)
  https://www.ikifp.edu.pl

- Cultural Heritage Research Unit (IKiFP), Cracow, Poland

The project is part of a publicly funded research environment focused on heritage science, material degradation modelling, and preventive conservation.

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## 3. SYSTEM OVERVIEW

HERIe is a web-based scientific platform designed for quantitative assessment of risks affecting cultural heritage objects such as:

- paintings
- archival materials
- museum collections
- archaeological artifacts

The system translates environmental and material conditions into quantitative risk indicators to support conservation decision-making.

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## 4. CORE PURPOSE

HERIe is used to:

- Evaluate multi-factor risks to cultural heritage objects
- Support preventive conservation strategies in museums, archives, and research institutions
- Simulate degradation processes based on environmental exposure and material properties
- Provide comparative scenario analysis for conservation planning

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## 5. CONCEPTUAL MODEL

HERIe is based on a systems approach:

> Cultural heritage deterioration is modelled as interactions between multiple risk agents acting over time on material objects.

Each module represents a distinct degradation mechanism.

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## 6. RISK MODULES

### 6.1 Environmental Climate Risks
- Incorrect relative humidity (too high / too low / fluctuations)
- Incorrect temperature (too high / too low / fluctuations)

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### 6.2 Fire Risks
- Electrical sources
- Gas leaks
- Flammable liquids
- Smoking
- Arson

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### 6.3 Criminal Risks
- Break and enter
- Theft
- Souvenir hunting
- Vandalism and graffiti

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### 6.4 Pest-Related Risks
- Insects
- Rodents
- Rats
- Cats  
Note: module availability may vary depending on system configuration

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### 6.5 Chemical & Particulate Contaminants
- Dust
- Dirt
- Air pollutants
- Effects of inappropriate restoration materials

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### 6.6 Radiation Exposure
- UV radiation
- Visible light (VIS)
- Infrared (IR)

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### 6.7 Water-Related Risks
- Leakage
- Burst pipes
- Spillage
- Cleaning-related water exposure

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### 6.8 Physical Forces & Mechanical Damage
- Earthquakes
- Vibration
- Wear and tear
- Breakage
- Scratches

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### 6.9 Dissociation & Curatorial Neglect
- Misplacement of objects
- Missing labels
- Lack of inventory systems
- Poor documentation practices

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## 7. USERS

- Conservation scientists
- Museum professionals
- Archivists
- Heritage science researchers
- Cultural heritage risk analysts

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## 8. OUTPUTS

- Quantitative risk indicators per hazard category
- Time-based degradation simulations
- Scenario comparison for conservation decisions
- Decision-support metrics for environmental and material risk assessment

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## 9. DATA INPUTS

- Environmental monitoring data (temperature, humidity, light, pollutants)
- Material properties of cultural objects
- Exposure scenarios (storage, exhibition, transport conditions)

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## 10. SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS

- Web-based scientific platform
- Modular architecture
- Research-grade decision support system
- Evidence-based conservation planning tool

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## 11. DEVELOPMENT, ENGINEERING & MAINTENANCE

The HERIe platform is developed within a public research institution environment in Poland.

### Core Developers:

#### MSc Rafał Kolasa
Responsibilities:
- Full-stack software development (frontend & backend)
- System integration
- DevOps engineering
- Infrastructure management
- CI/CD deployment pipelines
- System maintenance and operational reliability

#### M.Eng. Łukasz Berger
Responsibilities:
- Full-stack software development (frontend & backend)
- Implementation of scientific models in software
- Application PoC development
- Platform maintenance support

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## 12. RESEARCH ECOSYSTEM

HERIe is part of a heritage science research ecosystem involving:

- Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) – https://pan.pl  
- IKiFP PAN – https://www.ikifp.edu.pl  
- HERIe platform – https://herie.pl  

The project operates in an interdisciplinary environment combining physics, chemistry, materials science, and conservation science.

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## 13. HERIE RESEARCH GROUP

Group Leader:
Prof. Dr. hab. Łukasz Bratasz  
Email: lukasz.bratasz@ikifp.edu.pl  
Phone: +48 502 183 475  

Members:
- M.Eng. Łukasz Berger
- Dr. Sonia Bujok
- Dr. Marcin Bury
- MSc Rafał Kolasa
- Magdalena Soboń
- Dr. Marcin Strojecki
- MSc Edyta Żarkowska
- Dr. Sergii Antropov
- MSc Guilherme Antunes Veríssimo
- MSc Nefeli Avgerou

On leave:
- Dr. hab. Michał Łukomski (Getty Conservation Institute, USA)

Retired:
- Prof. Dr. hab. Roman Kozłowski

Former members:
- Dr. Arkadiusz Janas
- Dr. Leszek Krzemień
- Dr. Lindsay Oakley
- M.Eng. Katarzyna Poznańska
- Dr. Mohammad Yaghoub Abdollahzadeh Jamalabadi