Professor Rogers, his team of physics students Evan Van de Wall '15 and Ryan Fedora '16, and Dr. Scott Stull used a NextEngine 3D laser scanner to take readings every 0.1 millimeter across various elements of the ceiling. The papier-mâché decorative ceiling at Philipse Manor Hall is one of only two such ceilings still intact in the United States. Other traditional conservation and preservation methods are not helpful due to the fragile nature of the decorative elements.
The proof-of-concept surveys have confirmed that the laser scanning methods record sufficient detail to preserve the features of the ceiling. The team is now using 3D printing technology in Professor Rogers' laboratory to make a relief that can be used to make a plaster mold. The plaster mold can then be used to make replacement elements or a full reproduction. The New York States Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation is interested in making a replica to install in the Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site to restore one of the rooms that had a decorative ceiling to its former state to commemorate an upcoming anniversary in 2017. The IC 3D team is also exploring the option of having a computer controlled wood milling machine directly make a wooden mold similar to the original 1750s wooden molds. The IC 3D team is also conducting a laser scan of the entire house as part of ongoing preservation efforts.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20150802200608138