Laser scanning and visualisation of an Australian icon: Ned Kelly's armour

This paper will present the results of a project to acquire multi-purpose three dimensional data of a very significant cultural artefact for conservation and visualisation purposes. The artefact in question, known as Ned Kelly's Armour, is associated with one of the most famous (or infamous) folk heroes in Australian history. The armour is the manifestation of everything the man represented (both hero and villain), and is a readily recognised icon. Most of the armour is in the possession of the State Library of Victoria, which is in the process of commissioning the Experimedia Virtual Reality and Multimedia space in the historic Library building in Melbourne Australia. The opening exhibition planned for Experimedia will be an interactive 3D production on Ned Kelly's armour. It is for this exhibition, as well as for general conservation documentation, that a digital facsimile is required. The results of the laser scanning survey and the subsequent visualisation and use of the digital model of the armour will be discussed.