This document discusses 3D scanning and digitization of cultural artifacts. It describes various 3D scanning technologies like photogrammetry, structured light, and lidar scanning. It discusses how these scans can be used to create 3D printable models and facilitate accessibility, education, and reinterpretation. Releasing 3D scans with open licenses can inspire new knowledge and interpretations by allowing global access beyond museum walls.

1. Athena Giustiniani
Statens Museum for Kunst
CC0
Introduction to 3D technologies and
open digitised collections
Jonathan Beck
Founder and manager, Scan the World

2. Largest online platform for 3D printable objects of
cultural significance.
Contributed by either a community of enthusiasts or
an internal team working on an official capacity with
institutions.
Everything is uploaded with appropriate metadata and
backlinks to institution’s online databases.
Free to download with licensing varying on the
institution.
Non-profit, community built initiative archiving cultural
artefacts
Scan the World

3. 3D Imaging
Virgin and Child
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
CC-BY-NC 2.5
How do you scan?

4. Cheap
Accessible
Open-Source technology
Exports photographic texture
Calculating dimension not
intrinsic to process
Slow processing
Learning curve
Photogrammetry
Series of overlapping photographs to produce a 3D
representation of an object or environment
Experimented with as early as 1860 by artist
François Willème
Can use a single digital camera (or smartphone) to
produce a nice quality scan

5. Photogrammetry
Software:
- Agisoft Photoscan
- RealityCapture
- Autodesk ReCap
- Meshlab (free)

6. Structured Light
Comprised of two cameras and a projector, either
handheld or placed on a tripod
Familiar pattern projected onto surface, distortion to
the pattern is recorded by the camera’s sensors
100 micron point accuracy with more guaranteed quality
Less learning curve
Immediacy of data capture
Discrepancies in texture capture
Expensive
Size limitations

7. Structured Light
Hardware:
- Artec Eva (30cm+) - $$
- Artec Spider (-30cm) - $$
- Artec Leo - $$$
- HP DAVID 3D - $$
- Shining3D Einscan Pro - $
- Creaform Go - $$$

8. Lidar
Infrared laser scanning
Tripod fires points out from the rangefinder, differences in
laser return times and wavelengths produce a ‘point cloud’ of
three dimensional data
Can scan most materials, ranging from translucent materials to
chemical compounds and singular molecules

9. Additive Manufacturing
Kneeling Angel
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
CC-BY-NC 2.5
3D Printing

11. FDM - Fused Deposition Modelling
Rapid prototyping, modelling, maquettes
Cost-effective means of production
Filament is generally a plastic composite

12. SLA - Stereolithography
Resin based additive manufacturing
High precision, small, intricate shapes
Used in jewellery and modelmaking as is easy to cast post
production

13. SLS - Selective laser sintering
Powder based printer, fused layer by layer with lasers
Doesn’t produce support material (as seen in FDM and SLA
printing)
Prints polymers such as nylon and polystyrene, steel, titanium
and alloy mixtures.

14. OpenGLAM +
Open Digitised Collections
Antinous as Dionysus
Statens Museum for Kunst
CC0
Releasing digitised museum collections with an open
license (CC0)
Inspiring new knowledge, creativity, access and
interpretations
Breaking the collection beyond the museum’s walls to
bring a global audience back to them
Just 1% of many museum collections are on display, the
digital is the only place to present this
If a museum’s collection isn’t online, it doesn’t exist

15. What does a museum’s collection mean to those who are
partially sighted or blind?
Traditionally enforced museum rule of ‘do not touch’ makes
accessing culture close to impossible for people who have
visual impairments.
3D printing allows for the cheap production of high quality
facsimiles which in tern, provides someone with the
incredible experience of engaging with artefacts.
Use cases - Accessibility
Torso of a soldier
Musée de Mougins, France
CC-BY-NC 2.5

16. Use cases - Education
Uses for students, drawing classes can use 3D
reference rather than 2D images
Object based learning
Scanathons - learn about the art and the technology!

17. Use cases - Reinterpretation
Niv Shafran
2017
Open data means a continued conversation outside of the
museum’s walls
Remixing and reinterpretations of collections allows for a new
voice to be added to the museum’s ecosystem

18. “Our understanding of research, education, artistic
creativity, and the progress of knowledge is built
upon the axiom that no idea stands alone, and that
all innovation is built on the ideas and innovation of
others.”
Smithsonian Web and New Media Strategy
Version 1.0, 2009

19. Keep in touch
jon@myminifactory.com
@Scan_The_World
Jonathan Beck
Scan the World founder and manager
Pieta
Statens Museum for Kunst
CC0