Monthly Archives: October 2018

Research on Artificial Intelligence and DAM

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This month our collaborator, BrightInteractive, published in their blog a post of a recent project we developed during the summer:

https://blog.assetbank.co.uk/the-latest-research-on-artificial-intelligence-and-dam/

During this project, we experimented and compared existing AI systems with a system that was custom built. Our aims was to investigate if the existing products were trainable and whether they can recognise concepts which clients want to use to classify content.

For more information, we produced a report on this project if you would like to delve into the details.

Digitising industrial heritage at Stoke-on-Trent

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In the summer of 2018 we had the opportunity to collaborate with the Spode Museum Trust, Buckinghamshire University and UCL to undertake a feasibility study for mass-digitisation. The project involved industrial heritage in the city of Stoke-on-Trent. In particular, the historic Spode Works in which where world-renowned bone china was produced. This factory was one of the few ceramic manufactories in Britain to have operated continuously for over 230 years on its original site until the company ceased trading in 2008. Since its closure, a 2017 survey undertaken by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, recorded a total of 63,400 moulds that still remain within eleven buildings.

As the site is currently in the process of regeneration and its buildings repurposed, only a small percentage of this material has been recommended for retention. For the remainder, the council has suggested that destruction may be the only viable option.

 

The historic Spode Works site in Stoke-on-Trent

The team is currently investigating viable options to digitise the moulds in order to digitally preserve them and to investigate their re-use through digital technologies for other creative and educational purposes. Given the scale of the task, we undertook a feasibility study in July, with the objectives of elucidating the specific digitisation challenges of the artefacts and the site; and raising the interest of our various stakeholders. The team undertook a combination a 3D scanning and structure from motion techniques during the various days we were on site.

3D scanning of moulds using hand-held scanner

The results of the trial involved a better of understanding of how to prioritise the items to scan, a methodology for the digitisation as well as the identification of suitable equipment to achieve this. We are currently identifying funding to further support this digitisation challenge as well as the re-imagining of the material for other creative purposes.

In January 2019 we presented this trial at the V&A conference Celebrating Reproductions: Past, Present and Future. The details of the presentation are here: http://reality.cs.ucl.ac.uk/projects/ceramics/brownsword19mould.html

 

Supporting the restoration of the minbar of Lajin in Cairo

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Processing of 3D scanned meshes.

Processing of 3D scanned meshes.
 

3D printing.

3D printed replica of scan.

 

This summer we had the opportunity to collaborate with researchers at the Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation (EHRF) working on the documentation and restoration of minbars in Cairo.
The Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation has launched last April a new project on Rescuing the Mamluk Minbars of Cairo, focused on the documentation and conservation of these unique stepped pulpits still standing in the monuments of Cairo. The project is implemented in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and funded by the British Council Cultural Protection Fund.

EHRF is currently restoring the minbar of Mamluk Sultan Husam al-Din Lajin, which was commissioned in 1296. This minbar is considered amongst the finest examples of Egyptian woodcarving. It has a pair of doors (bāb al-muqaddim) at the front, leading to the steps. These doors have four rectangular panels on the front two on the top and two on bottom and the same on the back side. Six of the original eight panels are now part of the V&A’s collection, which were bought by the Museum in the mid 19th century. These panels are extremely valuable as they are inscribed with important information, such the name of Sultan Lajīn’s and the date of construction (AH 696 = 1296).

Based on 3D scans of the V&A panels, we produced 3D printed replicas at scale. These replicas are now allowing the reproduction of these panels and the copies will be placed into the minbar in Cairo, making it’s restoration finally complete.

NADIM Foundation (www.nadimfoundation.org) is also participa in this project by providing the wooden replicas of the Lajin panels through the NADIM Company. The worker carving away at the panel in the photo shown above is from NADIM at the NADIM premises.  Their participationis a donation to the project as they value the importance of the Lajin minbar and have the necessary technical and traditional knowledge to fulfil this task with impeccable results.

This work is part of a larger commitment by NADIM to produce an “Encyclopedia of Egyptian Woodwork: 5000 years of Industry” by 2020.

For more information about the project, see: http://www.ehrf-egypt.com/About