Close Range Photogrammetry for Archaeology

Close Range Photogrammetry for Archaeology

Years ago I took a number of images of a Smilodon skull or otherwise known as a SaberTooth Cat. I have previously recreated an interactive set of images where you can rotate the images giving it a sense of 3d. Just recently I reconstructed the skull using close range photogrammetry and imported it into a 3d engine to create a fly through of the skull. Below is the end result. Click on the youtube link to view it in 1080p: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV5BieVFHoM

Graffiti Photogrammetry

Graffiti Photogrammetry

I have been experimenting with photogrammetry to capture the large "Wonder Walls" around Wollongong. Usually photogrammetry struggles with very planar featureless walls but in this instance the artwork provides great features for 3D reconstruction. Below are some examples around town. More to come......

"WonderWall Wollongong" Photogrammetry

"WonderWall Wollongong" Photogrammetry

"The Single Founder Problem"

So you probably found this by "googling" the above title or by accidentally stumbling across this post. This is my attempt of applying a system to help me overcome the "The Single Founder Problem" in my own StartUp company GeoInteractive. 

So far I have poured my self a glass of wine and typed this much so if your after answers or experiences stay tuned. What I will be doing is documenting how I will overcome the "The Single Founder Problem" from my own experiences in my Startup company.

Just to add I do have another "StartUp" and that is called Peddlers Coffee which I will be applying the same practise's I learn from GeoInteractive. 

If you are in the same situation please feel free in contacting me. I find talking to different people creates a sense of a co-founder who just has several different personalities.

I have stumbled across a very interesting blog that talks about the struggles of a single founder and the link is:

http://www.singlefounder.com/

Tomakin Turquoise Mine NSW Australia, Close Range Photogrammetry

Tomakin is a small coastal town south of Batemans Bay in NSW Australia. My fiance and I holiday there and find it a great place to relax.
Me being a rock doctor I always keep an eye out for interesting geology and to my surprise Tomakin has some great formations! I won't go into detail at the moment but I will show you some images of some caves that I think are the Tomakin Turquoise mines. I can't find any information relating to these mines but Geoscience Australia links the same spot to the mines. To make it more interesting I took some overlapping images from different view points so I could process them in photogrammetric software. I did this so I could create a 3D model or Digital Terrain Model of the mines. You can see below I have taken some shots from different views in the processing software.

It would be great if any one could add more info.

Figure 1. Front facing view of the possible mines as a 3D Digital Terrain Model.

Figure 2. Oblique facing view of the possible mines as a 3D Digital Terrain Model. 

Figure 3. Looking from the right of the possible mines as a 3D Digital Terrain Model. 

Figure 4. Panoramic Image of the North Side of the headland. Note the folding on the right

Tomakin Mine by geophotologist on Sketchfab

Software Software Software. But where are the reviews?????

So I am looking into photogrammetry software to use for my new Startup company GeoInteractive Pty Ltd. There seems to be a review for everything else on the web except for specialised software i.e for photogrammetry. *Backburner business idea right there.

I came across a good article created by Markus Gerke - www.itc.nl/library/papers_2012/general/gerke_uav_ppt.pdf

He trialed three programs:

1. LPS - Leica photogrammetry Suite now known as Imagine Photogrammetry
2. Pix4d 
3. 123D Catch

Markus suggest future work could include:

• Agisoft
• Photomodeler
• Acute 3D

To see his results and findings visit the link above.

Some others that I suggest are:

• Adamtechs 3DM Analyst
• Trimbles - Inpho Software
• SimActive
• Menci
• Topcon Imagemaster Photo
• 
  

I have posted a LinkedIn discussion to gain some feedback from the professional world of what they use. To stay up-to-date with what people are commenting on go to this link - http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&discussionID=5830481397113962500&gid=2305896&goback=.nmp_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1#commentID_null

 
If you have used any photogrammetric software before please leave a comment below. I will keep you updated on what my findings are. Maybe one day I will get back to the backburner idea of creating a specific review site for this purpose.