The Jerusalem Institute for Research and Digital Documentation of Cultural Heritage

3D Imaging

 One of the essential needs for preserving cultural heritage today and saving it for the future is accurate and sensitive documentation. Contemporary documentation techniques have progressed speedily, overtaking traditional ones. 3D has become the standard reference norm, and 3D imaging techniques are possibly the most central to all CH preservation and documentation processes. They are increasingly rapid, cheap, accurate, measurable, and mobile. They can be performed on land, in the air, and even underwater, in the field, lab, or studio. They are equally effective in a vast range of sizes, from the microscopic up to vast areas of aerial survey.

Digital 3D imaging covers a wide range of techniques including:

• Photogrammetry: Mesh, Pointcloud

Photogrammetry is a technique used to create precise 3D models of objects or environments using a series of overlapping photographs. In the context of cultural heritage, photogrammetry plays a crucial role in documentation, preservation, and analysis of artifacts, monuments, and historical sites.

Here’s how photogrammetry is typically applied in cultural heritage:

1. Documentation: Cultural heritage sites and artifacts are often fragile and susceptible to damage from handling or environmental factors. Photogrammetry offers a non-invasive method of capturing detailed documentation without physically touching the objects. By taking numerous high-resolution photographs from different angles, photogrammetry software can reconstruct a highly accurate 3D model.
2. Preservation: Photogrammetry enables the creation of digital replicas of cultural artifacts and sites. These digital models can be archived, shared, and accessed remotely, preserving them for future generations even if the originals are damaged or destroyed. This digital preservation also allows for virtual exhibitions and educational experiences, ensuring wider access to cultural heritage.
3. Analysis and Research: 3D models generated through photogrammetry provide researchers with valuable tools for analysis and study. By examining detailed digital replicas, scholars can explore intricate details, textures, and dimensions that might not be easily visible with the naked eye. This facilitates research in fields such as archaeology, art history, conservation, and architecture.
4. Restoration and Conservation: Photogrammetry assists in restoration and conservation efforts by providing accurate baseline data. Conservationists can use 3D models to visualize the current condition of artifacts or structures, plan restoration projects, and monitor changes over time. Additionally, digital models can aid in the recreation of missing or damaged components, ensuring that restoration work is faithful to the original design.
5. Public Engagement: Photogrammetry enhances public engagement with cultural heritage by offering immersive and interactive experiences. Digital replicas can be incorporated into virtual tours, educational applications, and museum exhibits, allowing visitors to explore cultural artifacts and sites in unprecedented detail. This fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of history and heritage among the general public.

Overall, photogrammetry is a powerful tool in the field of cultural heritage, facilitating the documentation, preservation, analysis, and dissemination of invaluable cultural assets for both present and future generations.

Kidane Mehret Church, Jerusalem

The Kidane Mehret Church in Jerusalem, popularly known simply as the Ethiopian Church, is part of the Debre Genet monastery, whose name means “Monastery of Paradise.”

The monastery and its church belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. It is one of two Ethiopian monasteries in Jerusalem and Deir Sultan, Debre Genet, located in West Jerusalem and Deir Sultan in the Old City.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidane_Mehret_Church,_Jerusalem

• Scanning: Laser, Structured light, LiDAR

Laser scanning and structured light scanning are advanced techniques used in cultural heritage to capture highly detailed 3D representations of artifacts, monuments, and architectural structures. Here’s how each method is applied:

1. Laser Scanning:
   •  Laser scanning, also known as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), utilizes laser beams to measure the distance to objects. The scanner emits laser pulses and measures the time it takes for the pulses to reflect off surfaces and return to the scanner. By calculating the time of flight, the scanner creates a precise 3D point cloud representing the object’s surface geometry.
   • Applications:
     • Cultural Artifacts: Laser scanning is used to capture intricate details of artifacts with high precision, including sculptures, statues, and archaeological finds.
     • Architecture: Historic buildings and monuments can be scanned to document their current condition, analyze structural integrity, and assist in restoration projects.
     • Landscapes: Laser scanning is employed to map and document landscapes, including natural features and cultural landscapes, such as archaeological sites and heritage parks.

2. Structured Light Scanning:
   • Structured light scanning projects a pattern of light onto the object’s surface and uses cameras to capture how the pattern deforms. By analyzing the deformation of the pattern, the scanner calculates the object’s 3D shape and texture.
   • Applications:
     • Fine Details: Structured light scanning is particularly useful for capturing fine details and textures on surfaces, making it suitable for artifacts with intricate patterns or delicate features.
     • Cultural Artifacts: This technique is applied in the digitization of artifacts such as textiles, paintings, and manuscripts, where preserving surface details is crucial.
     • Forensic Analysis: Structured light scanning can aid in forensic analysis of cultural objects by capturing detailed surface impressions or documenting evidence of damage or deterioration.

Both laser scanning and structured light scanning offer advantages in cultural heritage documentation, including non-contact data acquisition, high accuracy, and the ability to capture complex geometries. These techniques contribute to the preservation, analysis, and dissemination of cultural heritage by providing detailed and accurate 3D representations for research, conservation, and public engagement purposes.

Structured Light scan

• Gaussian Splatting

Gaussian Splatting is a volume rendering technique that deals with the direct rendering of volume data without converting the data into surface or line primitives. The technique was originally introduced as splatting by Lee Westover in the early 1990s. Wikipedia

• Neural radiance field

A neural radiance field (NeRF) is a method based on deep learning for reconstructing a three-dimensional representation of a scene from sparse two-dimensional images. The NeRF model enables learning of novel view synthesis, scene geometry, and the reflectance properties of the scene. Additional scene properties such as camera poses may also be jointly learned. NeRF enables rendering of photorealistic views from novel viewpoints. First introduced in 2020,[1] it has since gained significant attention for its potential applications in computer graphics and content creation.

Wikipedia:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neural_radiance_field

NeRF converted to PLY

https://lumalabs.ai/capture/5F97DCB9-F89E-463A-A5B7-8D4AC55B961E

LUMA AI Magic Reveal NeRF