Khaberni - Robotic arms from the "RePAIR" project succeeded in restoring a collection of shattered artifacts that date back to an archaeological site in Pompeii, according to a report published by "Reuters".
The robotic arms combine a range of different technologies, including advanced image recognition and puzzle solving with sophisticated artificial intelligence, as well as ultra-precise robotic hands to speed up the normally time-consuming restoration work.
The project began for the first time in 2021 in collaboration with Ca' Foscari University in Venice, and its fruits were displayed for the first time in recent days before a group of international research teams.
Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of the archaeological site who witnessed the robot's trial for the first time, says that the pilot project "actually started from a very tangible necessity to reassemble parts of mural paintings that were destroyed during World War II".
Researchers in this project focus on the murals preserved in a fragmented state inside Pompeii’s warehouses, including two large ceiling panels that were damaged during Pompeii's initial volcanic eruption and later shattered by bombing in World War II.
In order to preserve the original artifacts, the university research team tested the robotic arms with replicas of the shattered mural pieces.
Experts liken the task of reassembling the mural paintings to trying to solve a giant cut-up picture puzzle without any reference images to show the final form, and with missing pieces from the puzzle.
This robot provides a solution to one of the most intractable challenges in the world of artifact restoration, as the process of restoring shattered mural paintings and artifacts is among the most challenging in the field of artifact restoration.
