3D digitization in the cradle of Humankind, South Africa

Since January 2009, IMA Solutions made several 3D scanning missions in South Africa on the Sterkfontein and Kromdraai archeological sites. These sites are part of the “Cradle of Humankind” UNESCO site.

These expeditions are conducted in collaboration with Pr. José Braga from CNRS FRE 2960 Bioanthropology laboratory, Pr. Ron Clark from Witswatersrand University, geologist Laurent Bruxelles from INRAP, Dr. Gérard Subsol from LIRMM Laboratory and Pr. Jean-Pierre Jessel from IRIT Laboratory.

What have been done so far :

• 3D scanning of the Little Foot Australopithecus fossil inside the Sterkfontein cave before its excavation. All anatomical links of the bones have been recorded in 3D.
• 3D scanning of the Kromdraai archeological site using long range 3D scanning.
• 3D scanning of the hominid fossils of the Broom room collection housed in Pretoria.

These missions conducted us to 3D scan in hard environments inside caves. We were able to validate many new concepts in 3D scanning in difficult situations.