Pretty impressive quarterly report
Just got the quarterly letter from F. Michael. Looks like Smithsonian CD is on track for Sept and follow up projects should be confirmed this quarter. We'll also get to see their software in action this month. KnowledgeLink will be using Synthonics software to showcase equipment for Acoustic Research. If this is good I don't see why they wouldn't use it for others. Some of KnowledgeLink's other clients include:
* Kenwood
* NHT
* Jensen
* Advent
* Pioneer
* Labtec
Numbers will be reported this quarter with the SEC via a 10Q filing. There is also an actual company looking to help with funding, Markwood Capital Alliance. I don't know how good they are but at least they're based in Southern Ca. rather than Puerto Rico.
Included below is the letter from the Smithsonian Provost Dennis O'Conner which is scheduled to be published in the July Smithsonian Research Report, with a nice mention of potential of the technology and Synthonics.
Certainly seeing the deliverables as they unfold this quarter will be a nice reward for those who have been patient. It should also put to rest any of Harry's vaporware charges. Any other views on the report?
Cheers
John B.
The Smithsonian's acquisition of the Vidal Collection in 1997 provides an outstanding example of the challenges in building, conserving, and presenting Smithsonian collections. It illustrates, in particular, how new technologies help preserve fragile objects and at the same time make these objects available to a vast public--far beyond the reach of most museums.
When philanthropist and businessman Tedoro Vidal of San Juan, Puerto Rico, generously donated 3,264 objects representing the arts, culture, and history of Puerto Rico, no one could have predicted the profound impact it would have at the Smithsonian and how that would resonate beyond the National Mail. Since many pieces from the collection were several hundred years old and in need of preservation treatment, the Smithsonian's expertise in conserving material culture was a key factor influencing Mr. Vidal's decision to donate his collection.
Specialists at the Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education (formerly the Conservation Analytical Laboratory) immediately began to assess several of the pieces with stateof-the-art technology. Examination via x-rays, ultraviolet light, xeroradiography, and scanning electron microscopes uncovered many hidden clues about these objects' history and construction. The resulting data was critical for determining how best to conserve these objects for future generations.
Technology, however, is not just a tool for our conservators. Technological advances have revolutionized the way in which scholars and researchers can access and utilize the collections. For example, an extraordinary new photographic imaging technique pioneered by Synthonics Technologies, Inc. in Los Angeles has recently captured objects from the Vidal Collection in a most unprecedented and engaging fashion. While other computer graphic methods generate mere 2D representations of an object, this new technology produces an exact photo replica in three dimensions that can be viewed on a common laptop computer.
Though one can never replace or underestimate the thrill of seeing the "real McCoy" in a museum., this technology has untold ramifications for how people will experience the national collections. Because the computerized likenesses are exact, researchers from around the world can extract accurate measurements of the artifacts--without ever leaving their homes. The 3D feature allows for magnification, rotation and manipulation of each museum piece so that, for the first time, people can actually "handle" some of our collections and physically compare them to others without risking damage. This-technology also permits the x-rays taken by our conservators to be superimposed onto the 3D image versions, allowing users to penetrate and interact with our artifacts as never before.
What has been done experimentally with the Vidal Collection is what the Smithsonian hopes to systematically achieve with more of its collections. These images are in file formats easily transmitted across the Internet so that they will be available not only to scholars, but also to families, educators, and children in their classrooms and at home. Text combined with images provides an added tool for powerful teaching with museum objects, and the computer interface even allows viewers to interpret and create their own "exhibitions." Imagine teachers having the ability to fashion customized lessons with images their students can manipulate and compare.
New technologies undeniably help the Smithsonian better care for its collections and clearly complement the traditional museum visit with an experience which can be more accessible, personal, and comprehensive than viewing artifacts in a display case. Technology and the arts do not have to be mutually exclusive and--in the singular instance of the Vidal Collection--can make a marriage that is wonderful indeed. |
