1st March 2007, 07:26 PM
Funny enough, I spent part of this morning viewing a computer programme that can be used, amongst its many other uses, to 'wrap' rectified photographic images over archaeological survey plans, in any dimension, size or scale.
Said programme loads up data straight from the TST, without having to transform raw data into shape files first and with PenMap type tablet facility allows surveyor/illustrator (perhaps there is room for a new job title there) to largely prep finished drawing in the field. It seemed to me there were an infinite variety of textures, colours, stipplings in the programme, so more than adequately covering those minor details that illustrators have used pens and pencils for over the years. The ability to wrap a photograph over the survey data means of course that in effect 'total reality' can be achieved. Which might answer some of the suggested disadvantages of firing 60,000+ loaded questions at a listed building.
(Although I dont see how it can possibly reproduce that degree of 'cut'you can manage with a sharpened 6H pencil into thick permatrace, the one that makes ink from a Rotring pen run around an outlined image on the page, unless of couse it were linked to some kind of laser powered Etch-a-Sketch machine).
It certainly seemed to provide an advantage (at least in efficiency of producing the illustrated end-result) over the ArchView/ArchGIS programmes we use in the field at present. But perhaps not as efficient and good as if you could use full works AutoCAD in a field situation (that may only be a matter of time coming though.)
Bluetooth facility in TST allows surveyor to be standing in field whilst laptop is immediately sending survey data via mobile phone link to elsewhere (illustrator in office, English Heritage inspector in [u]cozy</u> office, county archaeological advisor/conservation officer at home in bed, consultant lazing on Bermudan beach etc etc)
Some disadvantages, such as finding TST with built in Bluetooth, finding appropriate connection lead for TST without Bluetooth, the flimsiness of supplied penmap tablet (could possibly last as long as 5 minutes on a real archaeological site), making sure that there is mobile phone coverage in the area you are working, but I guess these are minor points really.
My first thought was (strangely anticipating Trowelfodders question even from a distance of a thousand miles or more) how useful the programme could be for standing building recording, as well as, what we will probably use it for, producing topographic models from archaeological site survey data. My second thought was, how few standing building recorder and illustrator jobs there might be if this technology became widely used.
To answer Gog's point regarding interpreting the image and does someone have to go out with a pen and sketch and make notes all over over a survey plot. I think the answer is that in time the surveyor/illustrator/recorder post becomes multi skilled, but even at the worst (with traditonal roles maintained) the technology allows for technical questions over quality of interpretion to be answered immediately (i.e illustrator/interpreter at one end of a link asks surveyor/recorder to straight away check any detail that is not clear or obvious). In a field situation excavators with palm pilots rather than drawing boards could be sending record/plan data to supervisor in the site hut as soon as or even whilst, it is compiled (I know, I know.... how will you ever get them out of the site hut thereafter?)
Those archaeological units that still have dedicated 'site planners' may find themselves at the crest of a new wave. Those of us who have long predicted the 'paperless archaeological archive' hide smug grins this evening...[8D]
Said programme loads up data straight from the TST, without having to transform raw data into shape files first and with PenMap type tablet facility allows surveyor/illustrator (perhaps there is room for a new job title there) to largely prep finished drawing in the field. It seemed to me there were an infinite variety of textures, colours, stipplings in the programme, so more than adequately covering those minor details that illustrators have used pens and pencils for over the years. The ability to wrap a photograph over the survey data means of course that in effect 'total reality' can be achieved. Which might answer some of the suggested disadvantages of firing 60,000+ loaded questions at a listed building.
(Although I dont see how it can possibly reproduce that degree of 'cut'you can manage with a sharpened 6H pencil into thick permatrace, the one that makes ink from a Rotring pen run around an outlined image on the page, unless of couse it were linked to some kind of laser powered Etch-a-Sketch machine).
It certainly seemed to provide an advantage (at least in efficiency of producing the illustrated end-result) over the ArchView/ArchGIS programmes we use in the field at present. But perhaps not as efficient and good as if you could use full works AutoCAD in a field situation (that may only be a matter of time coming though.)
Bluetooth facility in TST allows surveyor to be standing in field whilst laptop is immediately sending survey data via mobile phone link to elsewhere (illustrator in office, English Heritage inspector in [u]cozy</u> office, county archaeological advisor/conservation officer at home in bed, consultant lazing on Bermudan beach etc etc)
Some disadvantages, such as finding TST with built in Bluetooth, finding appropriate connection lead for TST without Bluetooth, the flimsiness of supplied penmap tablet (could possibly last as long as 5 minutes on a real archaeological site), making sure that there is mobile phone coverage in the area you are working, but I guess these are minor points really.
My first thought was (strangely anticipating Trowelfodders question even from a distance of a thousand miles or more) how useful the programme could be for standing building recording, as well as, what we will probably use it for, producing topographic models from archaeological site survey data. My second thought was, how few standing building recorder and illustrator jobs there might be if this technology became widely used.
To answer Gog's point regarding interpreting the image and does someone have to go out with a pen and sketch and make notes all over over a survey plot. I think the answer is that in time the surveyor/illustrator/recorder post becomes multi skilled, but even at the worst (with traditonal roles maintained) the technology allows for technical questions over quality of interpretion to be answered immediately (i.e illustrator/interpreter at one end of a link asks surveyor/recorder to straight away check any detail that is not clear or obvious). In a field situation excavators with palm pilots rather than drawing boards could be sending record/plan data to supervisor in the site hut as soon as or even whilst, it is compiled (I know, I know.... how will you ever get them out of the site hut thereafter?)
Those archaeological units that still have dedicated 'site planners' may find themselves at the crest of a new wave. Those of us who have long predicted the 'paperless archaeological archive' hide smug grins this evening...[8D]