A Scottish heritage group has used an advanced new laser scanning technique combining high-speed data capture and advanced 3D CAD visualization technology to digitally document ten endangered heritage sites, including Mount Rushmore.
The highly detailed CAD design data obtained from the Scottish Ten project has made Scotland the world leader in historical visualization and documentation. Eventually, 500 sites will be covered over 10 years, with, no doubt, a few system software and hardware upgrades along the way.
The Mount Rushmore Monument shoot was conducted with the help of the National Park Service, who were only too happy to supply the ropes and climbing gear. The results mean erosion can be monitored, conservation efforts planned, the park promoted to a wider audience, and pesky tourists discouraged from paying personal visits to Abraham Lincoln.
The images achieved by the cutting-edge laser technology and 3D CAD visualization software allowed a level of detail never before achieved, though it was not without its hairy moments. Performing close-up scans of the face of a mountain in a tangle of ropes, being buffeted by high winds, is a bit different to your average PCB layout gig. But the results were worth it: point cloud data capture in excess of 50,000 points per second , data resolution of up to 4 mm, and scanning distances of 0.5 to 300m supplied enough data to keep National Geographic busy for years.
We at Enventure Technologies offer CAD animation and 3D visualization services for the most complex of 3D objects, though we’ve yet to meet any Presidents while doing it.
