Supporting the Cultural Heritage community with innovative imaging solutions is integral to Digital Transitions’ business, and because of the impact on the study and preservation of important cultural objects, it’s something we care deeply about. An important addition to the Digital Transitions portfolio of products is multi-spectral imaging. Digital Transitions has partnered with R.B. Toth Associates LLC and Equipoise Imaging LLC to provide the next-generation Multi-spectral Imaging Systems for the world’s libraries, museums and universities.
Information that is obscured to the naked eye is clearly visible using multi-spectral imaging.
Multi-spectral imaging is a technology pioneered by physicist Dr. William Christens-Barry and technologist and systems engineer Mike Toth. This multi-spectral imaging solution uses special LED lights designed by Dr. Christens-Barry that produce very specific and narrow bands of illumination. This narrow-band UV, visible spectrum, and near infrared energy illuminates materials and substrates differently at each frequency. Combined with a specialized multi-spectral camera solution available from DT or Toth & Equipoise, the result is the ability to illuminate and photograph information that is invisible to the naked eye. Text and drawings hidden in a palimpsest, artwork or damaged manuscript appear almost magically in the integrated digital capture and processing. This solution has been used to successfully image Archimedes and Galen Palimpsest folios, papyrus mummy masks, American and Danish archival records, printed books, burnt music scores, Nordic maps and more.
The Dream Team of Multispectral Imaging
The partnership between Digital Transitions, R.B. Toth Associates, and Equipoise Imaging brings together the three leading players in multi-spectral imaging. Digital Transitions is the leading provider of integrated hardware solutions for digital imaging. This includes camera bodies such as the Phase One iXr or our DT RCam Multispectral and RCam Reprographic Camera bodies, plus a wide range of Phase One digital backs, and their own brand of capture cradles and copy stands such as the DT Atom. The specially designed narrow-band LED lights and custom tailored spectral image processing tools are provided by Equipoise Imaging. System Integration and support services are led by Mike Toth of R.B. Toth Associates. Mr. Toth ensures that the systems are integrated with existing institutional data infrastructures and that the staff are trained in best practices with an efficient workflow. Additional training on the cameras, software and hardware is provided by the Digital Transitions team of experts. This partnership and integration ensures that the image collection software, data storage and access, and image processing software all work seamlessly.
Imaging the Syriac Galen Palimpsest
Phase One IQ260 Achromatic Camera
The IQ260 Achromatic Camera from Phase One is the ideal camera for multi-spectral imaging. The camera has very good thermal management, meaning that there is a high signal-to-noise ratio. Because the multi-spectral images are layered, the 60 megapixel image size is the perfect balance between desired resolution and file size. Phase One cameras are extremely popular and enjoy a wide user base in cultural heritage digitization suites around the world, meaning that your investment is compatible with your other Phase One camera bodies and lenses. Plus, the purchaser of a multi-spectral imaging system can swap to a full spectrum Phase One digital back and capture full-color pictorial renderings with ease with the same platform.
The multi-spectral imaging solution offered in this partnership is a game-changing, cutting edge technological imaging solution that empowers institutions of cultural heritage with a turnkey solution for the forensic analysis of important objects for future generations. Because of the high-level of expertise and attention to detail in the implementation, the system is efficient, highly versatile and manageable by in-house staff.
Meet us at the ALA Expo
The multi-spectral imaging solution will be on display at the ALA Annual Conference and Exhibit on the Digital Transitions booth. Mike Toth of R.B. Toth Associates will be in Booth 921 answering questions and demoing the system during show hours from Saturday afternoon through Monday.
Want to Learn More?
To read more about spectral imaging, click here.
To read the detailed press release regarding the partnership, DT Toth Press Release June 15.
To inquire about purchasing a multi-spectral imaging solution for your institution contact [email protected]