Strategy for
optimal documentation
of museum objects
Daniel Pletinckx
Visual Dimension bvba
Belgium
Joost Tangelder, Jorne Jongsma
Moobels bv
Netherlands
V-MUST is funded by the European Commission under the Community's Seventh
Framework Programme, contract no. GA 270404.

Visual Dimension bvba
• Active in digital heritage and architecture
• Created in 2003 (Ename, Belgium)
• Active on European scale as innovation company
• Active in commercial & European projects

Visual Dimension bvba
• Digital Heritage projects
• 3D virtual reconstruction & digital restoration
• Interaction with digital heritage (TimeGate)
• Interactive storytelling for digital heritage (TimeFrame, TimeScope)
• European projects
• EPOCH, Etruscanning
• V-MusT
• CARARE, 3D-ICONS
• Consultancy
• Training
• Project development

Ir. Daniel Pletinckx
• Civil engineer ICT & Communication Technology
• Active in digital heritage since 1997
• European projects
• EPOCH
• Etruscanning
• V-MusT
• CARARE, 3D-ICONS
• Awards
• Flemish Monument Award 1998
• VGI ICT Innovation Award 2004
• Tartessos Award 2009 for virtual
archaeology (Sevilla)

3D digitisation for museums
• Technology is ready
– Wide range of 3D digitisation techniques
– Every computer can visualise 3D properly
– Online 3D visualisation standardised (all platforms/all browsers)
• Needs are ill defined
– How can 3D be used in museums (also online)?
– How does 3D fit in its operations (research/preservation/outreach)?
– What are the goals/specifications/target audience?
• ROI (return on investment)
– Cost? Re-use? Investment?
– Quality? Quality Assurance?
– Stable teams? Integration in the museum structure/staff?

Museum objects in 3D
Result of the query “lebes” on the British Museum online collection

Museum objects in 3D
One object resulting from the query “lebes” in the British Museum online collection

Museum objects in 3D
One object resulting from the query “etruscan” on the MET online collection

Museum objects in 3D
One special object found on the Rijksstudio online collection

State of the art
• Documentation of museum objects
– Only a fraction of the museum objects is documented/has one photo
– Only a small fraction of the documented objects has several photos
– Only a small fraction of the documented objects has colour photos
• Documentation is mostly linked to online libraries
– Multiple European (Europeana) and national projects
– Focus on metadata, little focus on the use of the digital assets
– Who is the user? What is this user looking for?
• 3D
– 3D in Europeana (CARARE, 3D-ICONS, …)
– 3D is a large number of techniques (CAT, RTI, laser, …)
– Definition of quality? Use? Specifications? Target audiences?

Digitisation workflow
Digitisation test for Rijksmuseum by Moobels bv (http://moobels.com/)

Digitisation workflow
• Portable digitisation solution
– Camera rig with 6 standard cameras with zoom lenses
– Turntable (manual or automated)
– Flat LED panels (preferable over flash)
– USB 3.0 hub (connection the cameras to the computer)
– Laptop with SmartShooter software
• Post-processing
• Photoshop (colour balancing, masking, …)
• AgiSoft (photogrammetry software for 3D creation)
• 3DS Max & Z-Brush (3D cleaning & editing)
• 3D model viewer (SketchFab,Unity3D, …)

Normal digitisation workflow
• Step 1: aligning the images
– Image alignment (automatic with manual interventions if needed)
• Step 2: create point cloud
– Dense point cloud creation
• Step 3: create mesh
– Convert point cloud into a mesh surface (triangular polygons)
• Step 4: create texture
– Computer composes best selection of image pieces into 1 texture
• Step 5: create 3D model file
– Export to standardised format (.obj, .ply, …)
– Optimise towards goal (3D print, game, online visualisation, …)

3 stage approach to digitising
• Stage 1: make image-based visualisation
– Make the required photos with multiple cameras and turntable
– Make ObjectVR visualisation (high and low resolution)
– Create good metadata for long-term storage
• Stage 2: create draft 3D model
– Turn the recorded images into a 3D model when needed
– Assess if the 3D model fits with the needs
– Add draft 3D model and its metadata to the database
• Stage 3: create high-end 3D model
– For a specific goal, make 3D with right technology/equipment
– Add high-end 3D model and its metadata to the database

Digitisation workflow
Digitisation test for Rijksmuseum by Moobels bv (http://moobels.com/)
DEMO

Stage 1: image based visualisation
• Fits with most needs
– Online visualisation of object (low res – limited zoom – HTML5)
– Research visualisation (high res – intranet & research networks)
– No 3D but perfect representation of details and materials
– Can be annotated
– Separate images can be used for publications
• Highly efficient pipeline
– Well defined photographic process
– Well defined use of time to make digital assets
– Long term preservation is well defined/easy
– Easy to integrate in museum and staff structure
DEMO

Stage 2: draft 3D model
• If the need for a 3D model arises
– Process the available imagery with appropriate SfM software
– If appropriate measures were taken for difficult materials, it will work
(gold, shiny objects, …), see examples
– Complexity could jeopardise result (occlusion, top/bottom, …)
– Fitness for use depends on use goals
• Assess and optimise result
– Incomplete models can be fine for dimensions, cross sections, …
– Filling in missing parts can be fine or problematic
– Reducing the detail can be fine for online visualisation, game, …
– Good textures can mask lack of geometrical detail

Stage 2: draft 3D model
400 k points 140 k points 8k6 points

Stage 2: draft 3D model
400k points 8k6 points

Stage 3: high-end 3D model
• Specify digitisation method/equipment
– Make specifications for the high-end 3D model
(resolution, material characteristics, complexity, …)
– Assess digitisation methods that meet the specifications
(rely on experts/specialised partners)
– Specify the equipment/location/procedure
(deal with material properties/limitations/complexity, …)
– Specify access to the data
(viewers/tools/IPR/multiple resolutions/3D print/…)
• Perform digitisation
– Assess if specifications are met
– Assess if use goals are met
– Define long term preservation

Stage 3: high-end 3D model
Golden disk fibula, Vatican Museums (right: original, left: 3D model by Katatexilux)

Stage 3: high-end 3D model
Golden disk fibula, Vatican Museums (details of 3D model by Katatexilux for Etruscanning)

Stage 3: high-end 3D model
Golden disk fibula, Vatican Museums (details of 3D model by Katatexilux for Etruscanning)

Digitisation workflow Vatican
Museo Gregoriano Etrusco, Vatican Museums

Digitisation workflow Vatican
Digitisation campaign for Etruscanning project in Vatican Museums
Manfrotto
300N
panohead

Digitisation workflow Vatican
Digitisation campaign for Etruscanning project in Vatican Museums

Digitisation workflow Vatican
https://regolinigalassi.wordpress.com/DEMO

Use of 3D models for museums
• Interaction
– Online
– Digital user interfaces
– Tangible user interfaces (3D print)
– Re-contextualisation
• Research
– Digital libraries of 3D objects
– Digital restoration
– Support of physical restoration

Tangible interfaces
Augustus Prima Porta
@ Keys2Rome exhibition in
Allard Pierson Museum, Amsterdam

Virtex
Interactive 3D print of Augustus Prima Porta statue

Virtex
Electronics inside the interactive 3D print

Virtex
Interactive 3D print of Augustus Prima Porta statue at APM

Virtex
Interactive 3D print of Augustus Prima Porta statue at APM

Virtex
Interactive 3D print of Augustus Prima Porta statue in Sarajevo

Virtex Light
Ara Pacis 3D model

Virtex Light
Ara Pacis interactive 3D print

Virtex Light
Ara Pacis interactive 3D print

Virtex Light
Ara Pacis interactive 3D print

Virtex Light
Interactive Ara Pacis at Allard Pierson Museum, Amsterdam

Virtex Light
Interactive Ara Pacis at Allard Pierson Museum, Amsterdam

Digital restoration
Greco-Roman Museum - Submerged Antiquities in Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Digital restoration
Caesarion in Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Digital restoration
Caesarion – digital restoration – the parents

Digital restoration
Caesarion – digital restoration

Digital restoration
Caesarion – digital restoration – hypothesis for laurel wreath

Digital restoration
Caesarion – digital restoration

Digital restoration
Caesarion – natural interaction to show digital restoration

Digital restoration
Knowhow book on digital restoration, available May 2015 at http://visualdimension.be/v-must/

To 3D or not to 3D
German Imperial Crown, Hofburg, Vienna

German Imperial Crown
Details of the German Imperial Crown, Hofburg, Vienna

German Imperial Crown
Photos of the German Imperial Crown, Hofburg, Vienna

German Imperial Crown
3D model of the German Imperial Crown (Henning Kleist)

German Imperial Crown
3D model of the German Imperial Crown

German Imperial Crown
3D model of the German Imperial Crown

German Imperial Crown
Interactive application with 3D model of the German Imperial Crown

German Imperial Crown
Interactive application with 3D model of the German Imperial Crown

German Imperial Crown
Interactive application and copy of the German Imperial Crown

German Imperial Crown
“Heritage of Charlemagne” exhibition at Ename (2014)

German Imperial Crown
“Heritage of Charlemagne” exhibition at Ename (2014)

German Imperial Crown
3D shape model for Virtex

V-MusT.net Competence Centre
• V-MusT = Virtual Museum Transnational Network
European Network of Excellence on
Digital and Virtual Museums (2011 - 2015)
(http://www.v-must.net/ )
• Keys2Rome exhibitions http://keys2rome.eu/
(Amsterdam, Rome, Sarajevo, Alexandria)
• Continue to provide this knowledge through projects
• In the domain of digital heritage
– Cooperate with all excellent providers of digital heritage technology
– Implement available technologies in projects based in quality standards
– Train cultural heritage people in use of / interface to such technology
– Develop new projects (including European projects)
• Register at http://visualdimension.be/v-must/

Any questions?
heritage@visualdimension.be
exploitation@v-must.net
skype: daniel.pletinckx