Evaluation of Human Factor Effect for the Accuracy of 3D Models of Heritage Science

Abstract

3D laser and optical scanning technologies are invaluable tools in metrology applications, covering requirements of the most diverse fields of the scientific activity being Cultural Heritage Science (CH) one of them, where researchers and practitioners rapidly implemented their use allowing them to create highly accurate digital 3D models of real-life objects while preserving the objects condition thanks to their non-destructive working principle. Nonetheless, creation of 3D models starting from scanning procedures involves complex and time-demanding post-processing tasks that must be done by highly trained professionals who use different available tools to reach the final output and, as a consequence of this, the results might greatly differ in terms of reproduction accuracy, important requirement in CH field both in terms of measurement accuracy and observer’s perceived reproduction quality, depending on the application in which the resultant model will be used. Along this work, in which the scientific novelty resides in the study of the influence of the human factor over the accuracy of the creation of 3D models of objects of CH, we compare the results of three different post-processing procedures done by different operators with distinct experience in the area, we study the tools employed in each case, the main differences that feature the results and investigate how a common agreement is needed to try to reduce the gap between the finished models, in the search of reducing to a minimum the so-called human factor in creation of digital 3D objects for CH.