Event Title

SSA01 - Difficult Digitization on a Dime: Crowd-sourcing Ideas to Harness Emerging Imaging Technology

Presenter Information

Chris Strasbaugh, Ohio State University

Location

CB1-318

Streaming Media

Start Date

4-11-2017 1:45 PM

Description

It started with a problem and a Raspberry Pi. Faced with having to photograph student architectural models for entry into our digital library, the question arose, how do we capture the interiors? Inspection cameras are very low resolution but with a fabrication lab at my disposal and the plethora of highly document solutions to similar problems on the internet, all I needed was a reel of ABS plastic, a 3D printer, and a Raspberry Pi to creatively document these difficult spaces. Using plans from Thingiverse, a camera kit with the Raspberry Pi, and a lot of trial-and-error we have created and continue to fine tune an inexpensive and much more robust camera for architectural models. This project wasn't about solving a specific problem. It was more about changing our perspective about what is possible when you employ the help of hundreds of people through various crowd-sourcing sites and forums. Instead of searching for a replacement to our wideformat scanner, we are adapting the plans of a rolling, overhead video rig designed for DIY cooking shows and some open-source photo stitching software to provide us the flexibility to digitize large format drawings and architectural models for a fraction of the cost. We are also approaching 3d scanning and automation differently since there are detailed instructions on how to hack cameras to do what we need. This approach to searching, hacking, adapting, and sharing ideas online helps us to tackle big problems in content creation and usability for the digital humanities. By harnessing the creativity and experience of a large community, everything is possible.