Collections and Conveyor Belts: A New Way to Look at Artifacts

Summary

The process of labeling, measuring, photographing, and classifying artifacts consumes significant amounts of resources for museums and archaeologists. This poster presents technology developed by staff and students at the Museum of Peoples and Cultures at BYU for high-volume cataloging and processing of artifacts. The current project is an integrated system that will reduce basic cataloging tasks from over 10 minutes per item to less than 15 seconds per item. The system automates artifact labeling, photography, basic measurement, and classification for objects smaller than 12" W x 10" L x 3"H. This significantly reduces manual data entry, reduces classification errors, virtually eliminates typographic errors in object labels, and improves long-term accessibility to artifacts and associated data. Using vision recognition algorithms, the system identifies objects as they pass beneath a calibrated camera. A publication quality image is taken and basic measurements are extracted and written to a database. The system allows for better control over collections by having every item in a collection numbered, photographed, and measured for reference and tracking. Time saved by the system allows staff to focus efforts on other tasks.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords