‘Backup Ukraine’ is using Polycam 3D scanning app to quickly and easily scan and upload digital renderings of important landmarks.
The Kuindzhi Art Museum in Mariupol once featured 2,000 exhibits and an extensive collection of prominent Ukrainian artwork. On March 23, city council confirmed to NBC News that the Russian military had destroyed it.
Now the Danish UNESCO National Commission and Blue Shield Denmark are launching a new project that aims to at least digitally preserve Ukraine’s important architecture, statues, and monuments, many of which are at risk during Russia’s invasion of the country. “Backup Ukraine” is repurposing Polycam, a powerful prosumer app that allows you to use an iPhone or iPad to 3D scan any physical object, and distributing it to create a means for anyone in Ukraine to quickly and easily scan and upload digital renderings of important landmarks.
In a statement, Danish UNESCO National Commission chair Elsebeth Gerner Nielsen said, “War claims more than lives. It can cost a country irreversible damage to its national spirit. . . . This is why the protection of cultural heritage is crucial for any conflict. And during an ongoing war, traditional methods of cultural preservation are under pressure. So, innovative technologies are a very welcome assistance.”
Read more via Fast Company
- Come Back Alive is one of the largest charitable foundations that supports Ukrainian soldiers, founded by the IT specialist Vitaliy Deynega. The organization collected more than 210 million UAH (more than $7M) in 2014. According to Na chasi, the Patreon page Come Back Alive is in the top ten projects by the number of financial donations.
- Army SOS, which develops drones;
- Everybody Can, an organization that supports internally displaced people;
- Help on the Ministry of Defense website.