Video on virtual unrolling manuscript

"Reading the Unreadable"
This is an excellent video describing sophisticated image-processing
techniques for reading rolled scrolls without unrolling.

   "Dr. Brent Seales, professor of computer science at the
    University of Kentucky, reveals new research that may make it
    possible to read ancient scrolls and manuscripts that are rolled
    up and unable to be physically unrolled. By scanning the
    objects, we may be able to virtually unroll these delicate
    objects without harming them."

Conservators interviewed and participating in the project include:

    Leyla Lau-Lamb
    Dr. Cathleen A. Baker
    Shannon Zachary

The video is available on the Research Channel:

    <URL:http://www.researchchannel.org/
        prog/displayevent.aspx?rID=26821&fID=345>

An audio-only version is also available.

The video is also available at

    <URL:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ8v69wJ3K4>

In response to a question from me Shannon Zachary adds:

   "There have been a number of imaging projects aimed a deciphering
    lost or inaccessable text. In the recently announced NEH grant
    projects

        <URL:http://neh.gov/news/archive/20090309.html>

    listed under Utah) is another project, based at Brigham Young
    University, that will do multi-spectral imaging of 400 illegible
    or legibly problematic papyri from several different
    collections.

   "The greatest challenge for imaging is reading carbon-black ink
    on rolled-up carbonized papyrus---such as the rolls from
    Herculaneum. Dr. Richard Janko, in the Department of Classical
    Studies at the University of Michigan, has been searching for
    technologies that might accomplish this."


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 22:55
                  Distributed: Friday, March 27, 2009
                       Message Id: cdl-22-55-004
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