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Color Terrae: AI-Powered App for Archaeologists

Simone Ardito introduces Color Terrae, an AI-powered app designed to optimize the workflow of archaeologists by digitalizing the identification, analysis, classification, and description of stratigraphic units following the Munsell color code. The app aims to bring innovation to areas where digital technology is underexplored, such as archaeology, and had its first demo release and test phase in February 2021 in Lugano, Switzerland.

Color Terrae is an iOS app that utilizes AI technology to identify colors from photographs taken by the user and associate the photographed stratigraphic unit to a specific color code. The app also offers a Dig Mode, an outdoor-optimized version, which proves to be useful on dig days. The project, which started in the last quarter of 2020, aims to streamline the archaeological excavation process and documentation, as well as the study phase of the site, several months after the excavation and fieldworks.

Simone Ardito, the 25-year-old designer behind Color Terrae, has been awarded the Silver A' Design Award in Mobile Technologies, Applications, and Software Design for 2021, recognizing the app's outstanding expertise and innovation in revolutionizing the archaeological workflow.

From pencil sketches to digital realization, Color Terrae was brought to life through the use of various software, including Adobe Illustrator for logo and brand identity, Sketch for wireframes and hi-fi mockups, Xcode with Swift UI for app development, and Core ML and Python for the AI color detector. The app's AI technology analyzes photographs taken by the user and samples pixel by pixel to match the color unit to a Munsell color code, with 1000 hex color codes learned by the AI and grouped into 100 color units.

Color Terrae offers an intuitive user experience, allowing users to interact with the main area, Diary, launch the Camera, or switch to Dig Mode through settings. The Diary serves as a notebook and photographic archive, enabling users to write or record their thoughts during the day at the dig and save all the pictures taken. The files are organized into recents, lists, and all sections for a well-structured archive.

Simone Ardito, a future-oriented designer from Pinerolo, Italy, with over 3 years of experience in crafting digital products, aims to integrate sustainability within his design process to deliver concrete and helpful products with a sustainable measured impact.

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