Autodesk helps preserve cultural heritage

NEW DELHI, INDIA: At the INK Conference, Autodesk showcased novel applications of its latest technology for reality capture. Autodesk ReCap is a family of software and services to create intelligent 3D data from captured photos and laser scans. ReCap makes it easy to clean, organize and visualize massive datasets captured from reality.

Autodesk senior VP, Amar Hanspal gave a talk on designing a world for 9 billion people by 9 billion people. He said, "The future is a design challenge and Autodesk is known for technology that helps build the future. Today, our reality capture tools can also help protect the past."

Autodesk showcased several local examples of what is achievable with ReCap - from a 3D capture of a small Krishna statue to a 3D capture of the enormous hammam at one of the oldest Mughal gardens in India (the 16th century complex Aam Khas Bagh aka Bagh-i-Rakhna at Sirhind in Punjab).

Hanspal added: "Autodesk is in discussions with UNESCO to make a broader technology gift to support heritage conservation. We are particularly interested in helping India, which has one of the world's richest collections of World Heritage sites, such as the Ajanta Caves, the monuments at Sanchi, Taj Mahal, Red Fort and Himalayan Railways. Also, there are hundreds more that could benefit from increased conservation, from basic documentation to the creation of 3D digital models that enable analysis and interpretation."