Complex Measurements made easy. – An interactive Workshop on computer-assisted morphometry
(Organiser: Irwin ROVNER, USA)
This workshop will introduce heritage professionals to an easily applied, revolutionary computer-based method of morphological analysis. An impressive arrayt of complex measurements, many literally impossible with conventional methods, can be obtained rapidly and accurately. Simultaneous measurement of whole assemblages of objects are possible and massive databases can be quickly created. Virtually the entire range of field and laboratory materials and features, from microscopic and macroscopic to megascopic, can be addressed using digital images.
Because measurements alone have no significance until they are interpreted, participants are asked to interact proactively by preparing digital images of their own archaeological, cultural and/or heritage materials of interest (scale marker included) to be transmitted (tiff or pict only, 10 mb limit per attached file) to the workshop facilitator well in advance of the session — minimally one month. These will be assessed, processed, measured and data returned to the participant for interpretation. Each participant will be asked to present a brief oral assessment of measurement significance and meaning at the workshop for general discussion.
Each participant will be instructed in hands-on methods of generating morphometric data. A free demonstration CD version of the Fovea Pro software program will be available to download to each participant’s personal laptop computer (Windows or Macintosh OS) A recent version of Adobe Photoshop (e.g. CS 1, 2 or 3) is required to operate Fovea Pro and should be previously loaded into each computer. Fovea Pro will operate with other programs similar to Photoshop, but this cannot be guaranteed.
N.B. The workshop facilitator uses the Fovea Pro program in his own relevant research. It is provided for instruction purposes only. He is not employed by the software parent company and receives no compensation.