Inspiration
Growing up in Tamil Nadu, home to one of the world's oldest living languages, I've witnessed countless archaeological discoveries that remain underrepresented globally. The frustration of seeing valuable artifacts being documented through basic photos and measurements, while experts who could provide insights are continents away, inspired Artifact Lens. The recent excavations at Keeladi, revealing a 2,600-year-old urban settlement, highlighted the need for better tools in archaeological documentation and collaboration.
What it does
Artifact Lens transforms archaeological research through real-time 3D artifact scanning and global collaboration. Key features include:
- Depth-sensing 3D scanning with pressure-sensitive stylus input for capturing intricate details
- IRIS AI Assistant providing instant analysis and historical context
- Spatial annotation system for documenting findings
- AI-powered digital restoration of damaged artifacts
- Version control system enabling collaborative research across geographical boundaries
How we built it
- Unity for creating both Egypt and Research Gallery scenes
- Custom UI system featuring an intuitive pie menu
- Visual effects to simulate scanning and reconstruction processes
- Button triggers to showcase the intended flow of features
- Placeholder UI panels demonstrating AI interactions
- Custom shaders for highlighting sculptable areas
- Scene transitions showing the journey from field to research
Challenges we ran into
- Creating an intuitive spatial UI that doesn't overwhelm the user's view
- Implementing realistic sculpting mechanics with stylus pressure sensitivity
- Balancing information density in AR space
- Designing a collaboration system that works asynchronously
- Making complex archaeological tools accessible to both experts and general users
Accomplishments that we're proud of
- Seamless integration of scanning and annotation workflows
- Intuitive spatial UI design with minimal learning curve
- AI-powered restoration system for damaged artifacts
- Real-time collaborative research capabilities
- Creating a tool that serves both professional archaeologists and museum visitors
What we learned
- Importance of user-centric design in specialized tools
- Balancing technical capabilities with usability
- Value of spatial computing in scientific documentation
- Challenges of designing AR interfaces for prolonged use
- Integration of AI as an assistive tool rather than replacement
What's next for Artifact Lens
- Expanding the AI's knowledge base for more accurate analysis
- Adding support for more artifact types and materials
- Developing a global database of 3D scanned artifacts
- Implementing advanced restoration algorithms
- Creating a mobile version for preliminary field documentation
- Building a larger collaborative network of archaeological institutions
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