Image-based 3D capture of cultural heritage artifacts an experimental study about 3D data quality

The paper presents an analysis of the 3D data quality generated from small-medium objects by well-known automatic photogrammetry packages based on Structure from Motion (SfM) and Image Matching (IM). The work aims at comparing different shooting configurations and image redundancy, using as high-quality reference the 3D data acquired by triangulation-based laser scanners characterized by a low measurement uncertainty. Two set of tests are presented: i) a laboratory 3D measurement made with the two active and passive approaches, where the image-based 3D acquisition makes use of different camera orientations leading to different image redundancy; ii) a 3D digitization in the field with an industrial laser scanner and two sets of images taken with different overlap levels. The results in the field confirm the relationship between measurement uncertainty and image overlap that emerged in the Lab tests

Digitally interpreting traditional folk crafts

The cultural heritage preservation requires that objects persist throughout time to continue to communicate an intended meaning. The necessity of computer-based preservation and interpretation of traditional folk crafts is validated by the decreasing number of masters, fading technologies, and crafts losing economic ground. We present a long-term applied research project on the development of a mathematical basis, software tools, and technology for application of desktop or personal fabrication using compact, cheap, and environmentally friendly fabrication devices, including '3D printers', in traditional crafts. We illustrate the properties of this new modeling and fabrication system using several case studies involving the digital capture of traditional objects and craft patterns, which we also reuse in modern designs. The test application areas for the development are traditional crafts from different cultural backgrounds, namely Japanese lacquer ware and Norwegian carvings. Our project includes modeling existing artifacts, Web presentations of the models, automation of the models fabrication, and the experimental manufacturing of new designs and forms

3D scanning of Porto Alegre Museum Artifacts : the crockery of the Rocco Bakery

3D Scanning of Porto Alegre Museum Artifacts: The Crockery of the Rocco Bakery Antiques usually require careful handling, so these objects cannot be made available to the general public and are handled only by restoration specialists. This article focuses on the preservation of antiquities in terms of cultural heritage and the availability of these objects for access by visitors, it describes and evaluates the development of a method to support the digitisation of objects considered solids of revolution. The artifacts were provided by the Museu Joaquim José Felizardo in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, and were used to set the table in the former Confeitaria Rocco (bakery). The 3D process consisted of the following steps: laser scanning, data processing of the coordinates obtained from the surface of the object into point clouds, creation of the virtual model, creation of a physical model using additive manufacturing, and evaluation of the physical model in comparison with the original artifact. The obtained results show that highly accurate models can be created using the proposed method. Therefore, virtual data can be obtained for the conservation, restoration and creation of replicas for studies and accessibility

Electronic Imaging & the Visual Arts. EVA 2019 Florence

The Publication is following the yearly Editions of EVA FLORENCE. The State of Art is presented regarding the Application of Technologies (in particular of digital type) to Cultural Heritage. The more recent results of the Researches in the considered Area are presented. Information Technologies of interest for Culture Heritage are presented: multimedia systems, data-bases, data protection, access to digital content, Virtual Galleries. Particular reference is reserved to digital images (Electronic Imaging & the Visual Arts), regarding Cultural Institutions (Museums, Libraries, Palace - Monuments, Archaeological Sites). The International Conference includes the following Sessions: Strategic Issues; New Science and Culture Developments & Applications; New Technical Developments & Applications; Cultural Activities – Real and Virtual Galleries and Related Initiatives, Access to the Culture Information. One Workshop regards Innovation and Enterprise. The more recent results of the Researches at national and international level are reported in the Area of Technologies and Culture Heritage, also with experimental demonstrations of developed Activities

New Opportunities in Digital Archaeology: The Use of Low-Cost Photogrammetry for 3D Documentation of Archaeological Objects from Banks Island, NWT

This thesis investigates the use of low-cost three-dimensional (3D) modelling programs (Agisoft Photoscan and 123D Catch) to create and disseminate digital replicas of archaeological features and artifacts in the context of the Ikaahuk Archaeology Project, a community-based archaeology project on Banks Island, Northwest Territories. It aims to 1) assess the benefits and challenges of low-cost photogrammetry for in-situ documentation of hunter-gatherer archaeological features; 2) determine the usefulness of low-cost photogrammetry for replicating small-scale artifacts in comparison to 3D scanning methods; and 3) explore how Internet media can be used to disseminate 3D models. This thesis demonstrates that low-cost methods of 3D modelling are sufficiently able to replicate many types of archaeological objects, and are accessible due to their low cost, ease of use, and compatibility with online dissemination. As a result low-cost 3D modelling has a promising future in archaeological documentation, conservation, and engagement with non-specialist audiences

Virtual Valcamonica: collaborative exploration of prehistoric petroglyphs and their surrounding environment in multi-user virtual reality

In this paper, we present a novel, multi-user, virtual reality environment for the interactive, collaborative 3D analysis of large 3D scans and the technical advancements that were necessary to build it: a multi-view rendering system for large 3D point clouds, a suitable display infrastructure and a suite of collaborative 3D interaction techniques. The cultural heritage site of Valcamonica in Italy with its large collection of prehistoric rock-art served as an exemplary use case for evaluation. The results show that our output-sensitive level-of-detail rendering system is capable of visualizing a 3D dataset with an aggregate size of more than 14 billion points at interactive frame rates. The system design in this exemplar application results from close exchange with a small group of potential users: archaeologists with expertise in rock-art and allows them to explore the prehistoric art and its spatial context with highly realistic appearance. A set of dedicated interaction techniques was developed to facilitate collaborative visual analysis. A multi-display workspace supports the immediate comparison of geographically distributed artifacts. An expert review of the final demonstrator confirmed the potential for added value in rock-art research and the usability of our collaborative interaction techniques

A Novel Framework for Highlight Reflectance Transformation Imaging

We propose a novel pipeline and related software tools for processing the multi-light image collections (MLICs) acquired in different application contexts to obtain shape and appearance information of captured surfaces, as well as to derive compact relightable representations of them. Our pipeline extends the popular Highlight Reflectance Transformation Imaging (H-RTI) framework, which is widely used in the Cultural Heritage domain. We support, in particular, perspective camera modeling, per-pixel interpolated light direction estimation, as well as light normalization correcting vignetting and uneven non-directional illumination. Furthermore, we propose two novel easy-to-use software tools to simplify all processing steps. The tools, in addition to support easy processing and encoding of pixel data, implement a variety of visualizations, as well as multiple reflectance-model-fitting options. Experimental tests on synthetic and real-world MLICs demonstrate the usefulness of the novel algorithmic framework and the potential benefits of the proposed tools for end-user applications.Terms: "European Union (EU)" & "Horizon 2020" / Action: H2020-EU.3.6.3. - Reflective societies - cultural heritage and European identity / Acronym: Scan4Reco / Grant number: 665091DSURF project (PRIN 2015) funded by the Italian Ministry of University and ResearchSardinian Regional Authorities under projects VIGEC and Vis&VideoLa

An updated comparison on contemporary approaches for digitization of heritage objects

Continuous developments on sensors, data acquisition techniques, algorithms and computational systems have enabled automation, higher processing velocities and increased metric accuracy regarding the modeling of tangible heritage. For applications on heritage artefacts or architectural details, scanning and photogrammetric systems based on structure-from-motion (SfM) approach have prevailed, due to lower costs, fast acquisition and processing, re-producibility of workflows and ability to capture high-resolution texture. This study presents an updated comparison of contemporary digitization approaches to examine in extent required processing stages, compare costs and evaluate produced 3D results according to their metric properties, quality of texture and visual fidelity

An Updated Comparison on Contemporary Approaches for Digitization of Heritage Objects

Continuous developments on sensors, data acquisition techniques, algorithms and computational systems have enabled automation, higher processing velocities and increased metric accuracy regarding the modeling of tangible heritage. For applications on heritage artefacts or architectural details, scanning and photogrammetric systems based on structure-from-motion (SfM) approach have prevailed, due to lower costs, fast acquisition and processing, re-producibility of workflows and ability to capture high-resolution texture. This study presents an updated comparison of contemporary digitization approaches to examine in extent required processing stages, compare costs and evaluate produced 3D results according to their metric properties, quality of texture and visual fidelity