“The quality of the 3D models produced by Realt圜apture is excellent,” says McDonald. The Unreal Engine export preset is used in Realit圜apture to get the optimal results, producing an OBJ mesh at the correct scale for use in Twinmotion. The result is a high-quality textured model ready for import to Twinmotion. The model is then simplified to reduce the triangle count to a manageable level, before normal maps and textures are extracted from the original data by Realit圜apture and applied to the mesh. Using Z+F laser scanners, together with DSLR cameras and drones, the team collects massive amounts of point cloud and photographic data from the site, which Realit圜apture is able to process and merge into a single, very high-resolution 3D model. The product is now part of the Unreal Engine ecosystem that includes Twinmotion, after its makers Capturing Reality joined the Epic Games family in March 2021. To capture the heritage sites and digitally reconstruct them, the team uses Realit圜apture-powerful photogrammetry software that enables you to create ultra-realistic 3D models from sets of images and/or laser scans. Recreating heritage sites with Realit圜apture Rüther’s team includes Chief Scientific Officers Roshan Bhurtha and Ralph Schroeder, who have been with the project since year one, and Bruce McDonald, who joined five years ago. Today, that digital documentation is taking the form of beautiful and engaging 3D animations and immersive experiences, with the help of Twinmotion and Realit圜apture. Over the past 17 years, in collaboration with significant heritage organizations such as UNESCO and the World Monuments Fund, the Zamani Project team-led by Rüther as Principal Investigator-has digitally documented over 65 sites in 18 countries. The initiative also plays a key role in educating the public about the importance of heritage conservation. In recognition of the dire consequences of losing these influential and history-rich areas, in 2004 Professor Heinz Rüther of the University of Cape Town conceptualized the Zamani Project, a non-profit initiative that enables worldwide access to high-quality, accurate digital doubles of heritage sites, with a focus on Africa. These sites also face other threats: natural disasters, rising sea levels, vandalism, cultural terrorism, and mass tourism. However, heritage sites around the globe often have limited documentation resources, or none at all. Awareness of heritage helps to develop cultural identity, and promote tolerance and acceptance of others. Heritage provides a window into the past, helps us understand our present, and encourages us to plan for our future.

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