The Ceramic Technologies Digital Library (CTDL) relies on several tools for data collection. The strategy for this project is data collection, processing, and display of ceramic vessels. In order to accomplish this, the web-based digital library of ceramic technology contains both 3 D and 2 D data as well as textual information. Data collection is accomplished through the use of a:
-Digital camera to document the artifact as a whole and its special features
-3D non-contact laser scanner for the main body of material (whole vessels) enabling the precise measurement of each ceramic vessel. The scanner works seamlessly with a MICOS rotation stage POLLUX (RSP-200), which allows the capture of rotational scans of the scanned object. A flatbed-scanner is intented to be used mostly for non-existing vessels that were previously documented graphically and are available on paper.
Digitizers in the domain of 3 D imagery come today in various shapes and with various functional capabilities. Most 3 D scanners can be applied to the task of scanning ceramic vessels, provided they are portable, high-definition, and accurate in rendering. The software capability accompanying the scanner is also a factor to be considered, since the easiness of scanning relates directly to the software proprietary to the scanner. The CTDL has selected for its task a Konica Minolta VIVID V9i scanner (@ photo courtesy of Konica-Minolta Europe Gmbh), which fulfills all requirements of the project.The scanner can be calibrated in the office as well as in the field, thus adding a plus to its portability value. For more technical details see the KonicaMinolta website.
The scans are collected from each beneficial angle to the vessel, so that no amount of information is left behind. For most open-mouth vessels, it is sufficient a rotational scanning strategy of the outer side of the vessel covering one plane only. However, a dual-plane rotational scanning may be considered for lid-covered or bottom-incised vessels.
The scanner can be calibrated in the office as well as in the field, thus adding a plus to its portability value. For more technical details see the KonicaMinolta website.
