Imagine touring a medieval castle without ever leaving your room. That may soon be possible thanks to the efforts of Professor Michael “Bodhi” Rogers and a team of students from Ithaca College.
Rogers and four students traveled to County Meath, Ireland, in June to use a laser scanner to map Trim Castle. Built during the 12th century, it is the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland and was used to film scenes in the film “Braveheart.” Over the course of a month, they mapped part of the outer wall that encircles the castle, as well as the outside of the castle itself.
The research team expects that it will take multiple trips over the course of at least two years to complete scanning the outside the castle, and Rogers hopes to get permission to scan the interior during a return trip to the site.
The laser scanner used by Rogers and his team pulses 50,000 times per second to take a reading every five millimeters, while simultaneously taking digital photos. Computer software is then used to create a 3D model of the structure.
