The 'Sarcophagus of the Spouses'’ comes to life thanks to 3D videomapping and holographic techniques

Using a three-sided holographic pyramid and a 3D videomapping projection system, supported by Panasonic solutions, The History Museum of Bologna has recreated the history of a funerary monument of more than 2.500 years of history, the Sarcophagus of the spouses.

An exhibition has been held at the History Museum of Bologna that. making use of 3D videomapping techniques, proposes a reconstruction of the past, a retrospective look at the Etruscan civilization, specifically per year 520 a.C.

For the exhibition 'The journey after life. The Etruscans and the afterlife between masterpieces and virtual reality' (The journey after life. The Etruscans and the afterworld between masterpieces and virtual reality) A three-sided holographic pyramid of the Sarcophagus of the Spouses has been created with the help 10 laser projectors Panasonic.

This production, developed by Cineca under the technical supervision of Franz Fischnaller and directed by Giosuè Boetto Cohen and produced by Acuson, combines holographic techniques, 3D video mapping and surround sound projections to create an immersive audiovisual narrative environment.

The first step was to digitize in maximum detail this funerary monument of more than 2.500 years old and provide Cineca with the digital data needed to generate a life-size virtual model in which the history of the Sarcophagus is told..

“The digital recording of the sarcophagus was a complex operation only possible because the urn could be removed from its protective display case and opened.. This circumstance made possible the discovery and documentation of new information that could be used in future restorations.. To capture the data, a group of researchers from the Italian National Research Center, the University of Bologna and the Bruno Kessler Foundation resorted to photogrammetry and laser digitization techniques. “Two people were mainly in charge of monitoring the data collection and processing tasks.”, explains Antonella Guidazzoli, director of the visual information laboratory (VisiT Lab) from Cineca.

After this, the installation required a production of life-size 3D images, reducing technological barriers between the exhibition and visitors. Furthermore, this creation had to allow its transport, that could be reproduced in other exhibition spaces.

3D videomapping and holography

It was decided to use an integrated solution that combines 3D videomapping projection and holography. The resulting 3D effect that envelops visitors is based on more than 400 Fragments found that once reconstructed breathe life into the Sarcophagus of the Spouses. Users feel overwhelmed by the experience of suddenly finding themselves, when entering the room, in the middle of an explosion of hundreds of small fragments.

“As autostereoscopic technology is not mature enough, The installation uses a three-sided holographic pyramid and a 3D videomapping projection system to cover a total area of 360 m2. The effect is created by an array of Panasonic projectors that, on the whole, generate an image with a resolution of 2,000×8.000 pixels and transmit life to a huge combined surface that reaches the 12 meters high. The entire projection is based on a single large-volume calculation that is subdivided for each unit and managed by two synchronized servers., each with six output channels, which adds up to a total of 12 canales”, explains Gabriele Magagna, by Acuson.

For this project we used 10 Panasonic PT-RZ670 projectors and zoom lenses 0.8-1:1 gran angular HD. By combining stacked projection and edge fusion, It has been possible to transmit life to the stereoscopic reconstruction of the funeral urn.

The light output of 6.500 ANSI lumens and low total cost of ownership achieved, associated with the absence of maintenance have been two important reasons for choosing this model and using them in a museum environment. The projector light source has a certified life of 20.000 hours.

“The choice of laser video projectors was not arbitrary, given the advantages it offers such as no need to replace lamps or filters. For an environment like a museum that receives a constant daily flow of hundreds of visitors, reducing maintenance to a minimum represents an important advantage, since it avoids interrupting the service. In addition, The light output of these projectors does not decrease and does not lose color over time. The end result is brilliant, razor-sharp images with high-resolution playback.”, clarifies Magagna.