Digital Library Technical Services has joined the computational imaging crowd. We’ve done a short test of Reflectance Transformation Imaging, or RTI. This technology compiles multiple digital images into a virtual object that can reveal new information about the surface of materials. Different lighting angles during capture reveal fine detail about the surface of an object. The Center for Cultural Heritage (CHI) developed and distributes both the 3D builder and 3D viewer. Amazingly, these two packages are intuitive, easy to install, and free.
We did this test, a proof of concept, with an LED flashlight, two marbles and some construction paper. With some practice and slightly more sophisticated materials, this could be a consistent and repeatable work.