Although the task of building 3D models from our raw data is only partially complete, we have received many requests for these models. To satisfy this demand, we have created a skeletal archive of 3D models and placed its catalog online. The models in this archive are available to anyone, but for scientific use only, and users must first obtain a license in writing from us. Although these licenses prohibit commercial use of the models, permission for such uses can be obtained by applying to the Italian government. One obvious commercial use is the creation of accurate physical replicas of the statues. Here is a physical replica of the David we built as an experiment.
Although the methodologies needed to create and manage digital archives of two-dimensional artifacts have matured substantially in the last ten years, we are discovering that the jump from two to three dimensions poses new problems. These are problems of both scale and substance, and they touch on every aspect of digital archiving: storage, indexing, searching, distribution, viewing, and piracy protection. To address these problems, we have a pilot research project called Creating digital archives of 3D artworks, sponsored by the National Science Foundation (Digital Libraries Initiative). One outcome of this project is Scan View: a secure client / server rendering system that permits unlicensed users to examine our 3D models, but not extract the underlying data. If you want to fly around our models of Michelangelo's statues but you don't qualify for a license, try this viewer.
