The Codex 4D project: a novel method for the virtual exploration of ancient books

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21014/actaimeko.v14i1.1844

Keywords:

3D modelling, virtual exploration, ancient books, infrared thermography

Abstract

In this paper, an innovative method for the digital representation of ancient books is proposed. Specifically, this approach consists of the reconstruction of the three-dimensional geometry of the codex through images obtained from different viewpoints, using Structure from Motion techniques.  In addition, both reflectograms in the midwave infrared spectral range and thermograms, recorded by pulse thermography, have been adopted since they enable a depth-resolved characterization of the book. The final result is a 4D digital model of the codex, which allows both the visualization of the geometry of the book and the stratigraphic exploration of the features buried beneath the surface. Data obtained from humanistic studies and diagnostic survey have been also mapped onto this model in the form of semantic annotations. Finally, several outputs were developed, including a 3DWeb platform and a holographic showcase designed for museums, with the goal of creating an interdisciplinary experience with the ancient codex.

Author Biographies

Noemi Orazi, University of Rome, Tor vergata, Department of Industrial Engineering

After a Ph.D at the department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, she work at the same department as post-doc. Since 2010, as temporary research fellow in the same department and after a degree in History of Art, her research activity has been devoted to Infrared Thermography investigation of Cultural Heritage such as bronzes and books materials.

Fulvio Mercuri, University of Rome, Tor vergata, Department of Industrial Engineering

Fulvio Mercuri is full Professor of Applied Physics at the University of Rome Tor Vergata where he currently teaches General Physics and Applied Physics for Cultural Heritage. From 2008 to 2013 he was chairman of the Master's degree program in Restoration of Library Materials. He currently coordinates the research activities of the Laboratory of Thermal and Non-Destructive Analysis of Cultural Heritage. His research activities concern the diagnostics of cultural heritage and the deterioration processes of its constituent materials.

Giovanni Caruso, CNR ISPC

Giovanni Caruso holds a Ph.D in Structural Mechanics at the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Since 2002 he is Senior Researcher at the Italian National Research Council. In 2017 he moved to the Institute of Heritage Science and began to be interested in Pulsed Thermography applied to Cultural Heritage items. In particular, he developed mathematical models for the interpretation of the experimental results.

Stefano Paoloni, University of Rome, Tor vergata, Department of Industrial Engineering

Stefano Paoloni graduated in Electronic Engineering from the University of Rome "La Sapienza" in 1993 and received his Ph.D. in Applied Electromagnetics and Electrophysical Sciences in 1997. He has been a Research Fellow at the Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata" since 2006. The research activity has mainly focused on the development and application of optical techniques for the characterization of material properties. This activity has been developed using mainly photothermal techniques, while the remainder has involved nonlinear optical studies.

Daniele Ferdani, CNR ISPC

Daniele Ferdani is a researcher at the Institute of Heritage Science of the National Research Council (ISPC-CNR) in Italy. He graduated in Preservation of Cultural Heritages at the University of Parma in 2006 and attained a 2nd-level postgraduate master's in Geo-technology for Archaeology at the University of Siena in 2007. In 2012 he accomplished a Ph.D. in Medieval Archaeology at the University of Siena, specializing in surveys, analysis, and representation of medieval architectures and settlements. His research activities deal with digital archaeology and are particularly oriented to the definition and experimentation of methodologies and integrated digital technologies for the acquisition, interpretation, and tridimensional reconstruction of cultural heritage and dissemination through virtual reality systems.

Ugo Zammit, University of Rome, Tor vergata, Department of Industrial Engineering

Ugo Zammit , born in Frosinone on  7/10/1956 , has graduated in Physics at the  l'Università di Roma “La Sapienza” in  1981. He is full professor of Applied Physica at the ’Università di Roma “Tor Vergata”. The research activity has mainly been devoted to the development and applications of photothermal techniques for the study of optical properties in thin films and of the behaviour of the thermal parameters of materials near phase transitions. Recently he has been involved in research on diagnostic techniques for the conservation state of books and archive material. The teaching activity since 1984 was mainly conducted in the field of basic physics in the engineering faculty.

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Published

2025-03-17

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Research Papers

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Noemi Orazi, Eva Pietroni, Fulvio Mercuri, Giovanni Caruso, Stefano Paoloni, Daniele Ferdani, Ugo Zammit

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