Innovative KU Leuven spin-off helps conserve precious works of art
A new KU Leuven spin-off company named CHARP has developed an innovative system to conserve some of the world’s most beautiful works of art.
The Belgian company has developed top-notch software that can closely monitor the conditions of a work of art – think of the air quality, the amount of light the artwork is exposed to, humidity, and so on.
All of these factors can make a work of art deteriorate, so it’s vital to closely monitor such things. CHARP’s innovative software can trigger a warning when the values go beyond the delicate micro-environment of a work of art.
You can witness the technology in action simply by travelling to one of the country’s more popular tourist attractions: the Ghent Altarpiece depicting the Mystic Lamb. The start-up also has international clients and is now ready to expand to greater artistic horizons.
The company is the result of a fruitful collaboration between engineer Geert Bauwens and computer scientist Maarten Rimaux.
Congratulations to these brilliant Belgian minds, whose work will surely have a positive impact on the art world.