Cartography and Geospatial Technologies Department

Three-Dimensional Laser Scanning

Three-dimensional (3-D) scanning is one of the newest geospatial technologies to be adopted by the CRM industry. Tripod-mounted instruments can scan buildings, engineering features, surface topography, rock art, archaeological features, and artifacts. The raw data from scans take the form of X, Y, and Z point clouds containing literally millions of measurements. Data points can be collected, for example, at a 3-mm grid up to a distance of 200 m. The accuracy of close-range artifact scans can be measured in micrometers. These point clouds are turned into complete 3-D models that can be used for analysis or for visualization products. Three-dimensional computer models can also be printed on 3-D printers to produce exact replicas of artifacts, features, and even scaled models of structures and engineering features. This capability is becoming increasingly important to the scientific community, as laws such as Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) require that artifacts and human remains be repatriated or reburied.

Currently, SRI is involved in a long-term laser-scanning project for Pima County at a historical-period cemetery in downtown Tucson. Because Native American concerns prohibit the use of traditional data collection approaches, laser scanning was used, a solution that provided better accuracy, faster mapping, and improved preservation. During excavation, SRI scans and creates models of human remains and associated artifacts that will be reburied and lost to the scientific community. This will provide an important virtual source of data for future research, education, and public interpretation.

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