Communications of the ACM
Imaging Technology Throws New Light on Ancient Artefacts
Philip Basford watching a Rembrandt painting being imaged by the RTI system.
Photo courtesy of University of Southampton
University of Southampton (United Kingdom)
Researchers at the universities of Southampton and Oxford have modifed Hewlett-Packard Research Laboratories' Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) system to make it possible to study the intricate details of historical artifacts.
The system takes 76 pictures of artifacts with the light in different positions, and then creates a new type of RTI image that enables the viewer to move the virtual light to any position to focus on any detail. "What we have done is develop the technology so that it is fast enough to be usable every day in a museum situation where you have lots of objects that need scanning," says Southampton's Kirk Martinez.
As part of the project, the researchers scanned 100 clay tablets, most of which are about 5,000 years old. The RTI technology will enable researchers to study artifacts remotely in great detail, as the systems create high-quality digital versions of the artifacts. The software used in the RTI systems, as well as a guide to making personalized systems, will be available as open source.
From University of Southampton (United Kingdom)
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