taken from photographs. For the latter, image mapping 
procedures have to be offered, including the possibility of 
incorporating camera calibration values. It should be considered 
to include these functions into a 3D modelling software or, 
instead, a separate software product shall be used, which is 
specialised on visualisation of 3D models. 
Not only the software has to fulfil great demands, but the 
hardware, too. A powerful PC is needed to handle the huge 
amounts of data. The most important elements are a fast 
processor, a lot of RAM (at least 512 Mbytes, better one Gbyte 
or even more) and a powerful graphics card. 
Table 1. Demands on 3D modelling software 
General 
. Ability of loading and managing large 
amounts of data (» 1 Mio points) 
. Various import and export formats 
Registration 
• Adjustment of multiple scans in one step 
. Use of identical points 
• Use of overlapping areas 
. Use of additional measurements 
Point cloud 
. Automatic detection of outliers 
• Reduction of noise 
. Intelligent reduction of points 
Mesh creation 
. Definition of break lines 
. Intelligent 3D triangulation 
. Triangulation by projection 
. Intelligent polygon reduction 
Mesh editing 
. Automatic detection of outliers 
. Intelligent hole filling 
. Correction of normals 
. NURBS 
Quality 
control 
• Deviations between model and scan data 
• Records for every processing step 
In addition to 3Dipsos and Cyclone, some other modelling 
software products were tested at i3mainz, including RapidForm 
by INUS technology and Raindrop Geomagic Studio. Both 
products are specialising in the creation and editing of meshes. 
It seems that Geomagic Studio meets most of the requirements 
mentioned in table 1. As compared to 3Dipsos, Cyclone and 
RapidForm, it is the most suitable software for 3D modelling of 
irregular surfaces. 
Another new software product, 3Dveritas, will be made 
available to i3mainz for testing. The results of the evaluation 
were not ready for publishing at the deadline of this paper. 
5. CONCLUSIONS 
3D scanning is an important new tool for the documentation of 
cultural heritage objects. But it is not the “magic bullet” as it 
was deemed to be by many people, especially the producers, 
when the scanners appeared on the market. Without doubt, 3D 
scanners are very well suited for the measuring of irregular 
surfaces, probably it is the best method for such applications at 
all. 
But it is not enough to see just the sheer collecting of data - 
laser scanning is unbeatable in that category. Rather attention 
should be paid to the postprocessing. The amount of energy and 
time to create an accurate and faultless model is many times 
larger than scanning time (roughly by factor 5 to 10 or even 
more). Both, software and hardware have to be improved, to 
relieve the postprocessing and to make laser scanning an 
economical option as compared to existing methods. 
6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
We are grateful to Prof. Klaus Hanke from Innsbruck University 
who initiated and coordinated the cenotaph project and provided 
local support during the survey. WESTCAM Datentechnik 
GmbH from Mils, Austria, did a great job documenting the 
cenotaph reliefs with its GOM ATOS II. 
Funds for the acquisition of laser scanning equipment were 
provided by the German Federal Ministry of Education and 
Research within its zip initiative (Zukunftsinvestitionspro- 
gramm). 
Ein Projekt im 
Zukunf ts- 
investitions- 
programm 
der Bundesregierung 
In September 2002 i3mainz will start a new research project 
“More efficient documentation in architecture, cultural heritage 
and archaeology by use of 3D scanners”, which is financed as 
an aFuE project (Forderung anwendungsorientierter Forschung 
und Entwicklung an Fachhochschulen) by the German Federal 
Ministry of Education and Research. 
7. REFERENCES 
AEIOU, The Austrian cultural information system of the 
Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture, 2002. 
http://www.aeiou.at/aeiou.encyclop.rn/m374522.htm 
Boehler, W., Heinz, G., Marbs, A., 2001: The potential of non- 
contact close range laser scanners for cultural heritage 
recording, XVIII. CIPA Symposium, Potsdam, Germany, 
Pro-ceedings. (Also available at http://www.i3mainz.fh- 
mainz.de) 
Cyra, 2002: Cyra Homepage, http://www.cyra.com 
GOM, 2002: GOM Homepage, http://www.gom.com 
INUS Technology, 2002: INUS Homepage. 
http://www.rapidform.com 
Mensi, 2002: Mensi Homepage, http://www.mensi.com 
Raindrop Geomagic, 2002. Homepage Raindrop Geomagic. 
http://www.geomagic.com 
Vulkanpark Osteifel, 2002: Homepage of the Eastern Eifel 
volcano park, http://www.vulkanpark.com 
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