Have I mentioned lately that VR is not dead yet, and instead thinks it’ll be going for a walk? Here’s more proof. One of KeckCAVES‘ external users, Marshall Millett, archaeologist and GIS expert, is using high-resolution 3D scanning, based on LiDAR or white-light scanning, to capture and digitally preserve cultural heritage sites, such as the Maidu Indian Museum’s historic site and trail (close to Roseville, CA).

Figure 1: Danny Rey, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, and Marcos Guerrero, Cultural Resources Manager, representatives of the United Auburn Indian Community, viewing a high-resolution 3D scan of the Maidu Historic Trail and Site in the KeckCAVES immersive visualization facility. In the background Joe Dumit of UC Davis’ Science and Technology Studies, and myself. Photo provided by Marshall Millett.

Marshall has been using KeckCAVES software, particularly LiDAR Viewer (about which I should really write a post), and also the KeckCAVES facility itself and related technology, to visualize his high-resolution 3D models at 1:1 scale, and with the ability to experience them in ways that are not normally possible (most of these sites are fragile and/or sacred, and not available to the public). Part of this work were several visits of community representatives to the KeckCAVES facility, to view their digitally reconstructed historic site (see Figure 1).

Marshall presented a poster about his work at last year’s 3D Digital Documentation Summit, held July 10-12, 2012 at the Presidio, San Fransisco, CA, and was just interviewed for a podcast by the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (where, as of 02/21/2013, KeckCAVES prominently features on the front page).