NHHC's Howell Torpedo Takes Trip into Computer-Generated Third Dimension
Conservators and scientists from Naval History and Heritage Command's Underwater Archeology Branch (UAB) and Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD) collaborated to begin a three dimensional laser scanning of the Howell Torpedo, April 30.
"[The torpedo] was lost in 1899 during a training exercise on board USS Iowa and recovered in May 2013 by the Navy's marine mammal program," said Kate Morrand, UAB's senior conservator and laboratory manager. "It is now undergoing treatment at the archaeology and treatment lab."
3D laser scanning is a non-contact, non-destructive technology that digitally captures the shape of physical objects using light. The scanner captures a physical object's exact size and shape into the computer world as a digital 3-dimensional representation.
"We used the Creaform 3D scanner to gather dimensional data on the surface of the torpedo in addition to the Faro Focus scanner for supplemental and color data," said Nicholas Cifelli, a member of the NSWCCD team. "[The scanner] shoots a laser beam out and cameras detect the distance of the scan and once that's done the software will create a mesh of the points to create a digital model."
The 3D imaging project is a joint undertaking and serves as an exercise to train NSWCCD engineers in the use of this highly advanced scanning equipment while providing NHHC with a finely detailed, fully interactive 3D scan of the artifact. 3D images are helpful in analyzing the dimensions of an artifact and also observing any physical changes that may occur during conservation treatment.
"It's good for visualization," said Cifelli. "We can also compare this torpedo to how it's supposed to be designed to see deformations and see how it's changed over the last 115 years."
Once the scan is complete UAB plans to use it as an online interactive education and outreach tool.
