Laser-Based Technology is Making Archeology More Accessible
Souterrains are subterranean passageways in the Scottish Highlands from the Iron Age. Nobody, however, has seen one fully intact or understands what function they served. While surveying them has been a lengthy and difficult process, archeologists are now using laser scanners (the Leica BLK360, in particular) to make them more accessible. This new equipment can scan the walls of souterrains at 10,000 times a second, which is undeniably quicker than drawing or photographing each surface. Scientists convert that data with the help of Blender, Trimble RealWorks and NUBIGON to create 3D models that can be accessed at places like museums or heritage sites. It also allows researchers to further examine the caves from different angles, take additional measurements and give virtual tours of the passages. Read more about this digitized archeology at Wired.
Image courtesy of AOC Archeology
Via wired.com link opens in a new window
