Robot-assisted 3D digital reconstruction of heritage artifacts: area similarity approach

PurposeThis paper aims to propose a system to acquire images automatically for digital reconstruction of heritage artifacts using a six-degree of freedom industrial manipulator.Design/methodology/approachA virtual environment is created using Robot Studio® software to integrate the trajectory and differential motion of the robot manipulator and the motion of camera while acquiring images. A new area similarity matrix method is proposed to reduce the number of images required for digital reconstruction using Autodesk Recap® software. Real-time experiments have been performed using objects such as minion, ultimaker robot and cube. Evaluation of the digital reconstruction is conducted using the contour area matching method.FindingsThe number of images required for reconstruction based on area similarity matrix method is reduced to 63 per cent when compared with the random selection method. Quality parameters such as surface area, volume, number of defect holes, vertices and faces are enhanced for the proposed method.Research limitations/implicationsDigital reconstruction of large-sized heritage artifacts cannot be performed in this setup. But this can be overcome by fixing the manipulator on a mobile platform or overhead crane. This paper does not discuss the reconstruction of partially damaged heritage artifacts, which could be accomplished based on deep learning techniques.Practical implicationsUsing this approach, off-the-shelf heritage artifacts and large-scale objects can be reconstructed digitally with a minimum number of images and without compromising the quality of original models.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, area similarity-based approach in 3D digital reconstruction by coupling the kinematics of an industrial manipulator and camera is proposed for the first time. A fully automated digital reconstruction technology to preserve valuable heritage artifacts has been developed. It also highlights the space constraints of the industrial manipulator in digital reconstruction.</jats:sec

Distinct Roles for Rho Versus Rac/Cdc42 GTPases Downstream of Vav2 in Regulating Mammary Epithelial Acinar Architecture*

Non-malignant mammary epithelial cells (MECs) undergo acinar morphogenesis in three-dimensional Matrigel culture, a trait that is lost upon oncogenic transformation. Rho GTPases are thought to play important roles in regulating epithelial cell-cell junctions, but their contributions to acinar morphogenesis remain unclear. Here we report that the activity of Rho GTPases is down-regulated in non-malignant MECs in three-dimensional culture with particular suppression of Rac1 and Cdc42. Inducible expression of a constitutively active form of Vav2, a Rho GTPase guanine nucleotide exchange factor activated by receptor tyrosine kinases, in three-dimensional MEC culture activated Rac1 and Cdc42; Vav2 induction from early stages of culture impaired acinar morphogenesis, and induction in preformed acini disrupted the pre-established acinar architecture and led to cellular outgrowths. Knockdown studies demonstrated that Rac1 and Cdc42 mediate the constitutively active Vav2 phenotype, whereas in contrast, RhoA knockdown intensified the Vav2-induced disruption of acini, leading to more aggressive cell outgrowth and branching morphogenesis. These results indicate that RhoA plays an antagonistic role to Rac1/Cdc42 in the control of mammary epithelial acinar morphogenesis