3D reconstruction techniques have widely been used for digital documentation of archaeological fragments. However, efficient digital capture of fragments remains as a challenge. In this work, we aim to develop a portable, high-throughput, and accurate reconstruction system for efficient digitization of fragments excavated in archaeological sites. To realize high-throughput digitization of large numbers of objects, an effective strategy is to perform scanning and reconstruction in batches. However, effective batch-based scanning and reconstruction face two key challenges: 1) how to correlate partial scans of the same object from multiple batch scans, and 2) how to register and reconstruct complete models from partial scans that exhibit only small overlaps. To tackle these two challenges, we develop a new batch-based matching algorithm that pairs the front and back sides of the fragments, and a new Bilateral Boundary ICP algorithm that can register partial scans sharing very narrow overlapping regions. Extensive validation in labs and testing in excavation sites demonstrate that these designs enable efficient batch-based scanning for fragments. We show that such a batch-based scanning and reconstruction pipeline can have immediate applications on digitizing sherds in archaeological excavations. Our project page: https://jiepengwang.github.io/FIRES/.

Abstract The interdisciplinary field known as digital humanities (DH) is represented in various forms in the teaching and research practiced in iSchools. Building on the work of an iSchools organization committee charged with exploring digital humanities curricula, we present findings from a series of related studies exploring aspects of DH teaching, education, and research in iSchools, often in collaboration with other units and disciplines. Through a survey of iSchool programs and an online DH course registry, we investigate the various education models for DH training found in iSchools, followed by a detailed look at DH courses and curricula, explored through analysis of course syllabi and course descriptions. We take a brief look at collaborative disciplines with which iSchools cooperate on DH research projects or in offering DH education. Next, we explore DH careers through an analysis of relevant job advertisements. Finally, we offer some observations about the management and administrative challenges and opportunities related to offering a new iSchool DH program. Our results provide a snapshot of the current state of digital humanities in iSchools which may usefully inform the design and evolution of new DH programs, degrees, and related initiatives.

Ceramics are one of the major sources of information about the past for archaeologists, with a typical archaeological dig unearthing 1000’s of pottery fragments (sherds) each day. However, archaeologists often are not allowed to remove these sherds from their home countries. Therefore, logging data (e.g., mass, color, decoration) in the field is the only way to record valuable information about these sherds. Currently, this laborious process is done manually, using up much of the valuable time at a dig site. This project aims to automate the data collection process, freeing up archaeologists to spend their limited time in the field on other tasks, and to create a large-scale digital database of sherd information, allowing archaeologists to take advantage of new computational tools to make discoveries. The contribution of this paper is an automated system, consisting of several reconfigurable data collection stations and a robotic arm to transport objects between stations, that can rapidly generate a large database of archaeological artifacts. We validate our system in simulation, using high-resolution models of sherds. In other contexts, our system may help to expand the use of automation in materials handling, parts sorting, and more.