The Second Life of Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen: from 3D scan to a talking AR model

6. April 2020 News

3D scan · Animation · Augmented reality

Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen as a 3D model

For the 175th birthday of Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, Klostermann, the German Röntgen Museum and EXCIT3D brought the physicist to life digitally. The 3D scan of his bust became an animated figure that tells the story of the discovery of X-rays in augmented reality. We documented the project day by day in April 2020.

Partners
Klostermann, German Röntgen Museum
Scan
15.3 million measuring points
Result
Talking 3D figure in AR
Occasion
175th birthday, 2020

Days 1 to 4: the scan

Röntgen bust during the fringe projection scan
Fringe projection on the Röntgen bust. Image: Klostermann

The official bust of Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, created by Reinhold Felderhoff, stands in the Röntgen-Gymnasium in Remscheid-Lennep. Klostermann was allowed to digitize it for the first time by fringe projection, using an ATOS III TripleScan with a resolution of 8 megapixels; the smallest pixel measures 8 thousandths of a millimeter, about the size of a human hair.

To capture the dark, reflective surface well, the bust was frosted white with chalk spray. The result: 15,345,459 measuring points. The data was cleaned, thinned out and reduced from more than 800 to just under 90 megabytes.

Days 5 to 7: from scan to figure

New animatable topology for head, hair and beard
New geometry for head, hair and beard. © EXCIT3D GmbH

From the scan data our 3D artist created a base mesh: the shape of the scanned head was retained, while head, hair and beard were given a new, animatable topology.

We then decided to animate not just the head but the whole person. For his style of clothing and appearance we researched books, publications and archives together with the German Röntgen Museum.

Days 8 to 11: voice, facial expressions and gestures

Textures and colors of the Röntgen model
Textures and colors, the basis for lip synchronization. © EXCIT3D GmbH

Next came textures and colors, lip synchronization and facial expressions matching the spoken text, followed by gestures, hands and body.

We developed the monologue about the discovery of the rays with Dr. Uwe Busch of the German Röntgen Museum. It was spoken by David Annel, whose voice is well known from German television (ZDF).

The project diary

  1. 01
    26 March: start of the project “Röntgen lebt” (Röntgen lives) with Klostermann and the German Röntgen Museum
  2. 02
    30 and 31 March: fringe projection scan of the bust and processing of the point cloud
  3. 03
    1 April: import of the scan data at EXCIT3D and a new base mesh; the Remscheider General-Anzeiger reports on the project
  4. 04
    3 April: text and speaker: a monologue about the discovery of the rays, spoken by David Annel
  5. 05
    5 April: decision to animate the whole body; research into his style of clothing
  6. 06
    7 and 8 April: textures, lip synchronization, facial expressions, then hands and body
  7. 07
    10 April: Röntgen gesticulates in front of a historical photo of his laboratory
  8. 08
    11 April: the complete monologue as a video from the recolored laboratory
  9. 09
    12 April: Röntgen in augmented reality in front of his birthplace in Remscheid-Lennep

Day 12: Röntgen in front of his birthplace

For the animated model we created an augmented reality app. With it, Röntgen can appear in any environment via the smartphone camera. We made the first test on 12 April 2020 in front of his birthplace in Remscheid-Lennep, a few steps from the German Röntgen Museum. At that time the museum was closed because of the corona pandemic; for its reopening the project partners planned to show Röntgen there in virtual and augmented reality.

Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in AR in front of his birthplace in Remscheid-Lennep. © EXCIT3D GmbH

What happened next

Since then Röntgen has appeared in several projects: as a character in the hiking app of the Bergische Drei (in German), among the Bergisch protagonists in 3D and AR (in German) and in 2024 as an illuminated bust from the 3D printer on Kurfürstendamm.

Partners: Klostermann Ingenieurbüro und Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH (3D scan, contributions by Christian Klostermann), German Röntgen Museum (Dr. Uwe Busch). A project in the Röntgen anniversary year 2020: 125 years of X-rays and the 175th birthday of Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen. German version

Historical figures in 3D

We bring historical figures to life as 3D characters for AR, VR and exhibitions, based on scans, photos and paintings.

3D characters · EXCIT3D GmbH, Solingen
info@excit3d.de · +49 212 26049777

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Frequently asked questions

How was the 3D model created?

Klostermann scanned the official Röntgen bust by Reinhold Felderhoff using fringe projection. EXCIT3D turned the data into an animatable figure with body, clothing, facial expressions and lip synchronization.

What does Röntgen say in the model?

A monologue about the discovery of X-rays, developed with Dr. Uwe Busch of the German Röntgen Museum and spoken by David Annel.

Can Röntgen still be seen in 3D today?

Yes, for example as a character in the hiking app of the Bergische Drei and as a transparent, illuminated bust from the 3D printer on Kurfürstendamm in Berlin.

More on this topic: Röntgen bust on Kurfürstendamm · 3D modeling · AI avatars and 3D characters · Augmented reality. Topics: 3D scan, fringe projection, 3D animation, augmented reality, museum, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, Remscheid

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About EXCIT3D GmbH

We develop applications where 3D technology, augmented reality, virtual reality and software development meet. For industry, culture and public clients we build solutions from the first idea through 3D data processing and user interface to live operation. We are based in Solingen, Germany.