Ice Scans develops methods of capturing the ephemeral geometries of ice fragments through three-dimensional scanning. Transparent materials confound standard photogrammetry systems, so digitizing ice requires the adaptation of techniques. Laser scanning technology adapted from automotive applications in tandem with surface treatments are capable of capturing the topology of ice despite its complex optical properties. Ice fragments begin to deteriorate as soon as they leave their frozen environment, so each scan session must be conducted under strict time constraints before the geometry deforms through melting. Surface treatments enable accurate capture, and the scanning parameters must be adjusted to account for the transparency and internal refraction. The resulting scan data retains the geometry at a resolution that is sufficient for the physical reproduction of the forms at altered scales. The mesh data preserves the surface detail (fracture planes, crystal boundaries and melt-edge profiles) that would otherwise be lost. The protocols developed here for scanning optically challenging materials carry over to subsequent projects in which the scanned ice fragments are translated into permanent sculptural forms through additive manufacturing. This investigation remains ongoing.
Photography: Phillip C. Reiner
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