Preserving Natural History with Technology

As the Coronavirus takes over more places, we are scrambling to find ways to move forward while still supporting businesses. Colorado museum of natural history has been shut down, but they are using technology to make sure consumers can virtually tour and see the exhibits.

The museum is using 3D laser scanners to take scans of their most famous exhibits. This technology allows the viewers to see everything they could not see in person. It will enable you to zoom in and out and see it from directions you could not do with the piece in the museum. 3D laser scanners provide ways to see a different perspective.

Future goals of the museum

One day the goal of the museum is to offer virtual reality to give tours for anyone who is interested. This would also allow the tours to be more expansive. Due to limited space, there is no way for a gallery to show all of the fossils they have. However, in a virtual world, the showroom could be endless, it could be as big as it had to be.

Not only could it expand the exhibits, but virtual reality could also reach people who live across the world. Anyone who is interested and who live anywhere in the world could take a virtual tour. This would not only promote the museum name, but it would allow consumers to wander through more than once at any time.

What is this technology

3D laser scanners are the act of taking thousands of pictures per second, collecting and storing the information in the cloud. It gathers information like the texture of an object, the color, any cracks or creases, as well as size. It can take scans of large or small objects and then transfer them to a partnering system. Through the partnering software, the images can be edited and developed into virtual reality.

This technology is not only for museums but has crossed over into many different fields. Students have gained the use of 3D laser scanners to help with research and projects, they can scan any object for future reference. It has crossed over into the medical field, creating 3D laser scanners that collect heat information to take temperatures of people walking past them, to help prevent the disease from spreading. It has also been adopted in the construction field, helping build safer homes, and rebuild roads.

Final Thoughts

There are so many ways this technology has helped our world, there is no wonder why this technology is being rapidly adopted. Researchers all over the world have picked up 3D laser scanners and are continuously finding new ways to use it to create a better quality of life for consumers.

Entire companies are developing and updating the software that allows new advancements in this field at a rapid pace. Because of the progress, the market for this product is booming like we never would have believed. Soon more museums will see the benefits of using this technology and providing virtual ways for people to walk through their halls.