Low-cost Image Based System for Non-technical Experts in Cultural Heritage Documentation and Analysis

As it is widely known documentation is an important issue within the tasks of conservation, preservation and restoration of Cultural Heritage objects. In this context high-tech measuring methods which, at the same time, are located in the low-cost price segment, are of special interest. In this paper a special solution is presented, which preserves the potential of state-of-the-art photogrammetry and is simple enough to be used by non-technical experts on their own. The design of the system enables, e.g., scientists of the humanities to benefit from modern 3D measuring methods in their daily work without needing permanent support by technical professionals. The system consists of off-the-shelf digital cameras which actually have reached a high level of resolution, of image quality and of functionality, all at a reasonable price. Ease of use for measuring purposes is guaranteed by mounting one or two cameras on a specially developed space bar. The corresponding evaluation software allows for stereo-viewing on standard PC hardware, for various methods of stereophotogrammetric model referencing, for object digitizing as vector features, for data export as CAD data, for production of orthophotos and of true-scale object representations of curved surfaces. Two projects are reported for illustration of the system’s application. The first project deals with the documentation of 500 caves in the Ukrainian area of Crimea, the second one gives an example for the application in the field of preservation of historical monuments in Germany. In both projects the stereophotogrammetric system was used as an integrated part within the full spectrum of modern metrology methods, comprising laser scanning, tacheometry, GPS and more.