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It is well known that archeology is a destructive science in the sense that investigated sites are damaged over the course of the excavation phase, even if this destruction is executed following thorough scientific rules that make it possible to reveal the secrets of the ancient world. Once the excavation is over, an archeological site cannot be restored to its initial state. Therefore, any information overlooked during the investigation is lost forever. The Technical University of Cluj Napoca in Romania owns a color Handyscan 3D VIUscan scanner from Creaform. The scanner is used by the Design Engineering and Robotics Department for educational activities and research activities. The teaching staff and the students also use the scanner for academic subjects where reverse engineering techniques are involved. The VIUscan is also used to 3D scan large objects that cannot be digitized with other equipment owned by the University at its 3D Measuring and Scanning Laboratory. Prof. Daniela Popescu, doctor in engineering, explains: In our research activity, the main project in which the VIUscan is used at the moment is Virtual Ancient Dacia, that involves the scanning and reconstruction of ancient Dacian artifacts. These 2000-year old artifacts were discovered by archeologists near Sarmizegetusa Regia, the capital of the Dacian land. We are also using it to digitize the imperial gates of XIV and XVII-century wooden churches found in Transylvania.
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the artifact is analyzed in order to identify any component that could be an issue during the scanning process. The operator applies positioning targets on the object and sets up the auxiliary reference system, if needed. The operator puts on protective gloves and starts scanning. In some situations such as large pottery, a greater number of scans are done to ensure that the digitization resolution level is adequate. After the scanning process is completed, the resulting mesh can easily be exported in the CAD software most widely-used (e.g. CATIA) so to begin the reconstruction operation. Once the missing parts have been reconstructed, the 3D model is transformed into a virtual artifact to be displayed in a virtual museum.
application which, together with a haptic device, will allow visitors to experiment other physical properties of a virtual environments exhibits, like the objects weight for instance. Considering that the Creaform Handyscan 3D scanner is not used for production purposes, we can say that its greatest benefit is the great reduction of the amount of time required to digitize historical artifacts and its mobility, that allows us to use it for unconventional applications. From a scientific point of view, it enables us to develop applications and working methodologies which document the way a virtual artifact is created and contains all the important information that could be useful for the researchers and the general public. We consider the Creaform VIUscan to be an important addition to our laboratory and we are very happy that it enables us to perform multidisciplinary research projects with good accuracy.
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