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CSIC NM054- System for three-dimensional localization and drawing of unearthed finds in paleo-archaeological sites using a network of acoustic sensors
A team of scientists with the Spain National Research Council has invented and developed an acoustic system to localize and draw objects, remains and fossils in archaeological excavations. It consists of a sensor network and a mobile device to be positioned over the object of interest. The researchers team is looking for a company to license that patent
Specification sheet:
DESCRIPTION

The localization of unearth objects in archaeological excavations is achieved, in most cases, by dividing the workspace with ropes in order to define squared cells of 1 meter side. A metric tape is used to measure the position of the objects with about centimetre accuracy. Other devices applicable such as RTK-GPS, total stations or photogrammetry, all suffers from some disadvantages that make it poorly suitable, in general, for this application.

This developed localization system is a functional prototype that consists of a network of acoustic sensors distributed within the excavation, as well as some wireless pointing devices that the operator has to use to firstly point to the unearthed object and then to measure its 3D coordinates. The pointing device is a mobile bar 2 meters long that has some acoustic transducers installed at its top. The acoustic signal propagation occurs at a height higher than the excavation level, this fact provides the system with the advantage of precision and operability. The use of multiple transducers along the bar allows the localization of the lower tip of this bar (on the object of interest) after finding out its spatial orientation without using additional sensors (inclinometers or compass). A methodology based on the multiple emission and reception of acoustic signals allows accurate measurement even in the presence of airflows.

The system can be used to make the task of positioning each object in the excavation more efficient and accurate. If needed a drawing of the object can be sketched, and the information can be automatically transferred into a computer containing a database with all the data extracted from every objects found in the excavation.

INNOVATIVE ASPECTS

Some of the innovations included in this patent are:
The system is capable of locating and drawing objects in three dimensions (XYZ coordinates), therefore it captures the size, shape and spatial orientation of each objects under registration.
The system can be used for measuring object’s coordinates even though the surroundings of the excavation are filled with large tools and people (in that conditions other techniques such as photogrammetry, total stations, and so on, could not be used properly).
Location accuracy in 3D is less than 1 cm, and its resolution is about 5 mm.
The equipment works with objects located in places with limited access, since the pointing device can be tilted without affecting the estimation since the bar pose is calculated with great precision.
It allows a simultaneous location of various pointing devices, therefore several users can be working together using each one its own bar.
It incorporates a self-calibrating procedure in order to locate its own network nodes. Procedure to make estimations independent of airflows in the working area.
The prototype can be applied in other areas apart from archaeology, in applications that require the precise location of vehicles or objects in local or restricted environments.
This invention is particularly useful instead other local positioning methods that are not sufficiently accurate or operational.
Location degradation affects GPS in narrow valleys where the visibility to satellites is poor, or in places with many reflectors in the environment that cause many positioning errors due to multipath effects.
Photogrammetry is affected by occlusions caused by rough terrain or the presence of people in the environment.
The latter problem also affects the proper measurement using total stations.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

The competitive advantage for the enterprise is the acquisition of a unique technology and know-how at international level. This technology would satisfy the demands of many archaeological sites around the world which wish to acelerate and give more reliability to the process of measuring spacial parameters in excavations.

KEYWORDS

Archaeologic localization, automatic registration of find’s provenance, acoustic sensor networks

PATENT

200302312 applied for 2003-10-06

CONTACT

Juan Llabrés
email: llabres.juan@orgc.csic.es
phone: +34 91 585 49 58

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