Australian Researchers Create 3D Interior Map of Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa
Posted on September 28, 2013
Australian researchers have created a 3D interior map of Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa. The researchers used Zebedee, a handheld 3D mapping system developed by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency. Zebedee can scan an environment as the operator walks through it. Zebedee's design features a laser scanner mounted on a spring, which provides a lightweight solution for ensuring a wide scanning field of view. The spring converts the natural motions of the operator into a sweeping motion of the scanner.
Dr. Jonathan Roberts, Research Program Leader at CSIRO's Computational Informatics Division, said in a statement, "This technology is ideal for cultural heritage mapping, which is usually very time consuming and labour intensive. It can often take a whole research team a number of days or weeks to map a site with the accuracy and detail of what we can produce in a few hours. Within 20 minutes we were able to use Zebedee to complete an entire scan of the building's interior. This allowed us to create a uniquely comprehensive and accurate 3D map of the tower's structure and composition, including small details in the stairs and stonework."
Dr. Roberts is pictured holding the Zebedee device in the above photo. Here is a video of the 3D map the researchers created. Take a look: