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New Digitizing Techniques:
MALLISON, HOHLOCH, & PFRETZSCHNER

Plain-Language &
Multilingual  Abstracts

Abstract

Introduction

Materials

General Outline of Mechanical Digitizing Methods

Extracting Virtual Bones from
CT Data

Accuracy of Mechanical Digitizing Data

Benefits and Limitations of Mechanically Digitized Data

Conclusions

Acknowledgements

References

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Appendix E

 

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MECHANICAL DIGITIZING FOR PALEONTOLOGY
- NEW AND IMPROVED TECHNIQUES

ABSTRACT

Three-dimensional digitized representations of bones offer several advantages over real bones or casts. However, creation of 3D files can be time consuming and expensive, and the resulting files are difficult to handle due to their size. Mechanical digitizing was hitherto limited to large bones. Here, new and improved data collection techniques for mechanical digitizers are described, facilitating file creation and editing. These include:

- Improvements to the in-program digitizing procedure, reducing time and financial demands.
- Specifics for an easy to assemble and transportable holder for small fossils.
- A significant increase in the size range of digitizable bones, allowing both exact digitizing of bones only a few centimeters long and bones larger than the range of the digitizer. This increase allows the study of assemblages including both small and large bones.
- Complex shapes such as costae and vertebrae can now be digitized with ease.
- Step-by-step directions for digitizer and program use to facilitate easy acquisition of the techniques.

3D-files of fossils digitized with these methods can be added to online databases easily, as small-scale preview and complete files. The file formats are common and the file sizes relatively small in comparison to CT or laser-scan data. Pointcloud files can be used interchangeably with laser-scan files of similar resolution. Other possible uses for mechanical digitizing data are described.

Additionally, techniques to extract and edit comparable data from CT scans are briefly described. CT-based data is used to check the accuracy of mechanically digitized data.

Heinrich Mallison. Institut für Geowissenschaften, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Sigwartstrasse 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Current address: Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
Alexander Hohloch. Institut für Geowissenschaften, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Sigwartstrasse 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Hans-Ulrich Pfretzschner. Institut für Geowissenschaften, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Sigwartstrasse 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany

KEYWORDS: mechanical digitizing; methods; computer; vertebrates

PE Article Number: 12.2.4T
Copyright: Society for Vertebrate Paleontology August 2009
Submission: 22 December 2008. Acceptance: 3 May 2009
 

Next Section

New Digitizing Techniques
Plain-Language & Multilingual  Abstracts | Abstract | Introduction | Materials
General Outline of Mechanical Digitizing Methods | Extracting Virtual Bones from CT Data
Accuracy of Mechanical Digitizing Data | Benefits and Limitations of Mechanically Digitized Data
Conclusions | Acknowledgements | References |
Appendix A | Appendix B | Appendix C | Appendix D | Appendix E
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