Trackit Showcases: an experience of professional Cultural Heritage Conservator - dfodaro

[dfodaro]

MEET the REVOPOINT TRACKIT

An Expert’s Perspective: Trackit for the Cultural Heritage
As a professional conservator-restorer working in Italy—a nation globally renowned for possessing the richest and most extensive cultural and artistic heritage—my daily work involves safeguarding invaluable artifacts, from ancient sculptures to Renaissance masterpieces. This unique professional context shapes my perspective on the adoption of new technologies, particularly sophisticated tools like the Trackit 3D scanner.

In a country where every surface often tells a story, and even the smallest intervention requires meticulous consideration, the challenges of documenting and analyzing cultural heritage are immense. Traditional methods, while fundamental, are increasingly complemented by advanced technologies. However, the integration of such tools must be approached with an understanding of the delicate nature of our subjects.

This is precisely where a scanner like Trackit becomes not just a useful device, but a transformative one for professionals like myself. Its standout features, particularly the ability to perform high-resolution scans without the need for surface preparation or the application of physical markers, are paramount. In Italy, where the aesthetic and material integrity of an artwork is sacrosanct, applying sprays or adhesives is almost always forbidden and would be a non-starter for authorization. Trackit’s sophisticated design directly addresses this critical limitation, allowing us to capture precise digital data while respecting the original state of the object.

For me, Trackit represents the intersection of cutting-edge technology and the stringent requirements of cultural heritage conservation. It empowers us to conduct non-invasive documentation, create detailed digital archives, and even facilitate complex restoration planning, all without compromising the very heritage we are sworn to protect. It’s a testament to how sophisticated technologies can serve even the most demanding and historically sensitive fields.

Last week, the Trackit system arrived to me, not in a typical delivery box, but in two large, robust, and professional-looking trolleys. The immediate impression was one of high quality; it was clear from the packaging alone that this wasn’t just another piece of equipment.

The fact that Trackit was delivered in professional-grade trolleys for transport speaks volumes about the level of the instrument. These aren’t flimsy cases; their robustness is immediately apparent, suggesting they’re built to withstand the rigors of transit. This level of durability is absolutely essential for the safe transportation of sophisticated instrumentation. Delicate components, sensitive electronics, and precision-engineered parts require more than just a cardboard box for protection. The presence of these substantial trolleys indicates a thoughtful approach to safeguarding a valuable and intricate device from potential impacts, vibrations, and other stresses encountered during shipping.

As a restorer-conservator, my work often involves on-site missions where I need to transport specialistic instruments and equipment. For me, the decision to design such secure transport for the Trackit system is incredibly useful and highly appreciated. Knowing that the manufacturer has considered the need for the safest possible transport is a significant advantage. It means I can be confident that this sophisticated tool will arrive at its destination, whether it’s a remote archaeological site or a busy museum, in the same pristine condition it left the lab. This attention to detail in ensuring safe transit isn’t just about protecting the equipment; it’s about enabling me to do my job effectively, without worrying about potential damage to crucial instruments before I even begin.

Ultimately, the delivery experience, right down to those professional, sturdy trolleys, strongly suggests that the Trackit system is a high-level, professional-grade instrument designed for professional applications, where its integrity during transport is paramount.

Unbelievable Precision After a Long Journey
Thanks to these super-robust trolleys, which feature an internal foam compartment system designed to preserve the integrity of the instrumentation, I was able to verify the scanner’s performance after installing the RevoScan software. RevoScan, Revopoint’s free scanning and editing software, has evolved into amazing sophisticated and powerful tool. What truly astonished me was that, despite the thousands of kilometers traveled from China to Rome, Italy, the instrument did not require recalibration! This speaks volumes about the exceptional build quality of the Trackit system and the effectiveness of its specialized packaging. It’s truly remarkable to have such precision maintained over such a long journey.

Calibrating with Ease (Even in My Living Room!)

While the calibration system for the Trackit does require a fairly ample, but not enormous, space, I couldn’t wait to get started. Since the Trackit arrived at my home, I decided to perform the initial setup right in my living room. The calibration process itself is a guided and fully automated system – it’s absolutely brilliant! This user-friendly approach made what could have been a complex task incredibly straightforward, allowing me to get the system up and running quickly and efficiently, even in a non-traditional workspace.

Tackit and a difficult 3D scan: Scanning a 19th-Century English Painting
I’ve always faced extreme difficulty scanning surfaces with uniform morphology, such as the painted surfaces of a 19th-century English painting. It’s simply not possible to attach markers to such delicate artworks, which severely limits traditional scanning methods.

With Trackit, however, it was possible, and I’m thrilled to share my first experience. I intend to scan a larger painting soon, but for this initial test, I focused on a smaller piece. The entire process was remarkably simple and smooth, yielding truly “WOW” results.

What’s more, while my primary goal was to scan the painted surface, I also scanned the magnificent, intricately carved, molded, and gilded frame in stunning detail! I must also highlight that the coexistence of such diverse materials—varying greatly in color, sheen, and texture—never posed a challenge for Trackit. The system handled them all with impressive ease. The images below showcase the amazing results.

You can see in detail how Trackit has “captured” every fine variation of the morphology, making even the restorations of the painted surface visible: truly amazing!

And I’ll stop here for tonight, but I’ll tell you about my experience with Trackit very soon. In the meantime, I recommend you go and see the Kickstarter campaign page, which is going very well, and where you can find a lot of technical information, experiences and much more.

[Revopoint-Gloria]

Awesome work Davide~! Thanks for sharing!!

[dfodaro]

Scanning Big - With Trackit It’s Possible

This case study highlights the successful 3D scanning of a important Italian sculpture, a modern Stele, standing at height of nearly 2.5 meters.

The project presented challenges due to the sculpture’s substantial size, intricate craftsmanship, and remarkably dark surface texture. Despite these complexities, the entire scanning process and subsequent editing were conducted with exceptional precision and efficiency, yielding a truly outstanding result.

The core of this achievement lies in the utilization of Revopoint’s cutting-edge Trackit blue laser 3D scanner. This highly advanced device, with its innovative 30-line cross-laser mode, proved instrumental in overcoming the inherent difficulties of the project. The multi-line laser array significantly boosted scanning speed, a crucial factor when dealing with an object of this scale, ensuring that even vast surface areas were captured swiftly and thoroughly.

A particularly noteworthy aspect that contributed to the project’s success was the integration of Trackit’s tracker system. This system proved to be exceptionally efficient, especially when dealing with such a large-scale object. The Tracker ensures stable and accurate positioning throughout the scanning process, minimizing drift and maximizing data integrity. For objects of considerable size, maintaining consistent tracking is paramount, and the Trackit’s visual tracking capabilities excelled, providing robust alignment and enabling the capture of a seamless, comprehensive dataset across the sculpture’s expansive surface. This feature significantly simplifies the scanning workflow for large items, making it more intuitive and less prone to errors, also in the Cultural Heritage professionals.

The scan itself was remarkably smooth and clean, a testament to the Trackit’s sophisticated technology and the skillful execution. The resulting 3D model is of an high standard, accurately capturing the sculpture’s intricate details and size dimensions. Every particular and detail, even on the challenging dark surface, was rendered with fidelity.

Furthermore, the entire workflow, from initial data acquisition to final model refinement, was seamlessly integrated within Revopoint’s proprietary software, Revoscan. This highly evolved software
played a critical role in facilitating the smooth and efficient post-processing of the voluminous scan data, demonstrating its advanced capabilities in handling complex 3D models. Revoscan’s intuitive tools allowed for precise alignment, merging, and cleaning of the data, ensuring the final output was pristine and ready to be used.

This successful project unequivocally underscores the Revopoint Trackit’s unparalleled ability to deliver professional-grade 3D scans of large, challenging objects, even those with difficult textures and intricate designs.

The combination of the scanner’s advanced hardware, its rapid 30-line cross-laser scanning mode, the highly efficient visual tracker system, and Revoscan’s powerful software provides a comprehensive and highly effective solution for the most demanding 3D digitization tasks. It truly makes “scanning big” easy possible, but also precise and efficient.

I recommend you go and see the Kickstarter campaign page , which is going very well, and where you can find a lot of technical information, experiences and much more.

[dfodaro]

Custom Packaging for Cultural Heritage: A 3D Scanning and Modeling Case Study

Safeguarding delicate antique artifacts during transport or long-term storage demands precision and bespoke solutions. This case study details the successful 3D scanning and modeling of an intricate antique wooden artifact, leading to the creation of custom-fitted, shock-absorbing corner supports for its protective packaging. The project highlighted the critical role of advanced 3D scanning technology in cultural heritage preservation, particularly its ability to capture complex geometries without any physical contact with the fragile surface.

The artifact, a finely carved and painted wooden piece, presented significant challenges for accurate digital capture. Its elaborate craftsmanship, varied surface textures, and, crucially, the presence of pronounced undercuts, required a scanner capable of exceptional detail and versatility. The solution came in the form of Revopoint’s new and highly evolved Trackit blue laser 3D scanner.

The initial scan, primarily utilizing the Trackit’s innovative 30-line cross-laser mode, proved remarkably smooth and clean. This rapid scanning capability was instrumental in quickly capturing the main body of the artifact with high fidelity. However, the deep undercuts, common in intricately carved pieces, required a more specialized approach. Here, the Trackit’s single-line laser mode became the decisive factor. By switching to this mode, I was able to meticulously capture the challenging recessed areas, ensuring a complete and accurate 3D model of the entire artifact. This seamless transition between scanning modes within a single device showcases the Trackit’s adaptability and comprehensive capabilities.

The entire scanning process, from data acquisition to the subsequent editing and final model preparation, was conducted within Revopoint’s highly advanced software, Revoscan. Revoscan proved to be an incredibly powerful and user-friendly platform, allowing for precise alignment of multiple scans, efficient mesh optimization, and meticulous data cleaning. The ability to seamlessly integrate the data from both the 30-line and single-line scans within one software environment was crucial for generating a cohesive and accurate digital twin of the artifact.

With the high-level 3D model complete, it became the foundation for designing the custom shock-absorbing corner supports. These supports were specifically engineered to cradle the delicate artifact securely, preventing movement and absorbing impacts during transit or providing stable cushioning for permanent display or archival storage. The precision of the 3D model ensured that the packaging components would fit perfectly, providing optimal protection without any undue pressure on the antique’s fragile surfaces.

This project underscores a fundamental advantage of 3D scanning in cultural heritage: the ability to acquire precise digital data without the need for direct surface treatment. For irreplaceable and often exceedingly delicate original artifacts, non-invasive scanning is not just a benefit—it’s a must. The Revopoint Trackit, with its advanced laser technology and versatile scanning modes, combined with the powerful Revoscan software, offers an ideal solution for preserving, documenting, and protecting our invaluable cultural heritage.

I recommend you go and see the Kickstarter campaign page , which is going very well, and where you can find a lot of technical information, experiences and much more.