Smartphone-based diagnostics with coherent and infrared imaging for cultural heritage

Nondestructive optical techniques are crucial in heritage science for monitoring the condition of artworks in full field. Various imaging methods based on infrared and interferometry techniques have been proposed, but they often require specialized training and expensive equipment. This paper explores the emerging field of smartphone science and its potential to revolutionize artwork diagnostics, especially for cultural institutions with limited budgets. The smartphone science approach is divided into using the device ‘as is’ or enhancing it with add-on sensors. After a concise overview of smartphone sensing in different fields, the paper demonstrates smartphone-based optical diagnostics on traditional wooden painting models, employing coherent techniques like laser speckle imaging and moiré fringe technique, and infrared techniques like reflectography and thermography. The comparison of obtained results with established instrumentation in the field clearly shows that smartphone-based diagnostics have the potential to greatly contribute to cultural heritage preservation and conservation, transforming the field’s accessibility and cost-effectiveness

PCA-based method for managing and analyzing single-spot analysis referenced to spectral imaging for artworks diagnostics

Artworks diagnostics is based on the joint use of several nondestructive techniques to acquire complementary information on the materials. A common practice in the field is to perform the analyses with single-spot analytical techniques, e.g. spectroscopy-based, after a preliminary screening of the artwork with full-field imaging-based techniques. We present a method and its practical implementation for fusing and analyzing data collected using analytical systems that acquire single spot measurements mapped to spectral imaging stacks. The fused dataset of single-spot and imaging observations is analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA). The effectiveness of the method for artworks diagnostics is shown on spectroscopy and imaging datasets of an ancient canvas painting. The results of the PCA analysis on the final fused dataset are compared against the PCA analysis performed on the original datasets from single-spot and imaging measurements taken separately. We propose two practical implementations of the procedure, one based on using graphical user interface (GUI) and open-source GIS software (QGIS), the other one based on an open-source Python module, named SPOLVERRO, specifically developed for this project and released on a public repository. The method allows conservation scientists to analize effectively the heterogeneous datasets acquired in a diagnostic campaign. single-spot spectroscopy data are referenced on imaging data.the sampling area of each spectroscopy spot is used for extracting and averaging the respective imaging data values.the final matrix is analyzed using PCA for extracting further information

Surface Metrology Based on Scanning Conoscopic Holography for In Situ and In-Process Monitoring of Microtexture in Paintings

In the field of engineering, surface metrology is a valuable tool codified by international standards that enables the quantitative study of small-scale surface features. However, it is not recognized as a resource in the field of cultural heritage. Motivated by this fact, in this work, we demonstrate the use and the usefulness of surface metrology based on scanning conoscopic holography for monitoring treatments on the Venetian masterpiece by Tintoretto St. Martial in Glory with the Saints Peter and Paul. We carried out in situ and in-process monitoring of the painting microtexture during an experimental, innovative laser–chemical treatment, and we performed a statistical analysis based on ISO areal field parameters. A wide and in-band roughness analysis through the complementary use of amplitude, spatial, and hybrid parameters confirmed the noninvasive nature of the whole treatment on the painting surface topography, giving us the chance to review and critically discuss the use of these parameters in a real case in heritage science

Multiscale roughness analysis by microprofilometry based on conoscopic holography: a new tool for treatment monitoring in highly reflective metal artworks

The analysis of surface roughness in highly reflective metal artworks is challenging and requires contactless devices capable to measure regions with high micrometer accuracy in both depth and lateral directions. We demonstrate optical profilometry based on scanning conoscopic holography for micrometer measurement of silver samples treated with different hand-made cleaning processes. The technique is shown effective in acquiring shiny and smooth metal samples providing high-resolution and highaccurate dataset (0.1µm depth and 5µm lateral resolution) that is a reliable representation of the microsurface structure. From a statistical point of view, the cleaning treatments have the same nature of the low-abrasion, but the underlying mechanical processes are different. This fact suggested a more in-depth study of both the amplitude and the hybrid areal roughness parameters. It is proposed a workflow for a dual integrated multiscale roughness analysis for surface characterization: a scale inspection to detect possible texture non-homogeneity, and a signals separation to outline the most significant texture components. The scale-limited components allowed to discriminate the different surface processes. The results on silver samples demonstrate the potential of multiscale roughness analysis by conoscopic holography as a new tool for treatment monitoring in metal artworks

Feasibility and performance analysis in 3D printing of artworks using laser scanning microprofilometry

We investigated optical scanning microprofilometry and conoscopic holography sensors as nondestructive testing and evaluation tools in archeology for obtaining an accurate 3D printed reproduction of the data. The modular microprofilometer prototype allows a versatile acquisition of different materials and shapes producing a high-quality dataset that enables surface modelling at micrometric scales from which a "scientific" replica can be obtained through 3D printing technologies. As exemplar case study, an archeological amphora was acquired and 3D printed. In order to test the feasibility and the performance of the whole process chain from the acquisition to the reproduction, we propose a statistical multiscale analysis of the surface signal of object and replica based on metrological parameters. This approach allows to demonstrate that the accuracy of the 3D printing process preserves the range of spatial wavelengths that characterizes the surface features of interest within the technology capabilities. This work extends the usefulness of the replicas from museum exposition to scientific applications

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

Multispectral RTI Analysis of Heterogeneous Artworks

We propose a novel multi-spectral reflectance transformation imaging (MS-RTI) framework for the acquisition and direct analysis of the reflectance behavior of heterogeneous artworks. Starting from free-form acquisitions, we compute per-pixel calibrated multi-spectral appearance profiles, which associate a reflectance value to each sampled light direction and frequency. Visualization, relighting, and feature extraction is performed directly on appearance profile data, applying scattered data interpolation based on Radial Basis Functions to estimate per-pixel reflectance from novel lighting directions. We demonstrate how the proposed solution can convey more insights on the object materials and geometric details compared to classical multi-light methods that rely on low-frequency analytical model fitting eventually mixed with a separate handling of high-frequency components, hence requiring constraining priors on material behavior. The flexibility of our approach is illustrated on two heterogeneous case studies, a painting and a dark shiny metallic sculpture, that showcase feature extraction, visualization, and analysis of high-frequency properties of artworks using multi-light, multi-spectral (Visible, UV and IR) acquisitions.Terms: "European Union (EU)" & "Horizon 2020" / Action: H2020-EU.3.6.3. - Reflective societies - cultural heritage and European identity / Acronym: Scan4Reco / Grant number: 665091the DSURF (PRIN 2015) project funded by the Italian Ministry of University and ResearchSardinian Regional Authorities under projects VIGEC and Vis&VideoLa

A Practical Reflectance Transformation Imaging Pipeline for Surface Characterization in Cultural Heritage

We present a practical acquisition and processing pipeline to characterize the surface structure of cultural heritage objects. Using a free-form Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) approach, we acquire multiple digital photographs of the studied object shot from a stationary camera. In each photograph, a light is freely positioned around the object in order to cover a wide variety of illumination directions. Multiple reflective spheres and white Lambertian surfaces are added to the scene to automatically recover light positions and to compensate for non-uniform illumination. An estimation of geometry and reflectance parameters (e.g., albedo, normals, polynomial texture maps coefficients) is then performed to locally characterize surface properties. The resulting object description is stable and representative enough of surface features to reliably provide a characterization of measured surfaces. We validate our approach by comparing RTI-acquired data with data acquired with a high-resolution microprofilometer.Terms: "European Union (EU)" & "Horizon 2020" / Action: H2020-EU.3.6.3. - Reflective societies - cultural heritage and European identity / Acronym: Scan4Reco / Grant number: 66509

A Cost-Effective System for Aerial 3D Thermography of Buildings

Three-dimensional (3D) imaging and infrared (IR) thermography are powerful tools in many areas in engineering and sciences. Their joint use is of great interest in the buildings sector, allowing inspection and non-destructive testing of elements as well as an evaluation of the energy efficiency. When dealing with large and complex structures, as buildings (particularly historical) generally are, 3D thermography inspection is enhanced by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV-also known as drones). The aim of this paper is to propose a simple and cost-effective system for aerial 3D thermography of buildings. Special attention is thus payed to instrument and reconstruction software choice. After a very brief introduction to IR thermography for buildings and 3D thermography, the system is described. Some experimental results are given to validate the proposal