Archaeologist Daria Dabal is bringing the past to life, with an assist from NVIDIA technology.
Dabal works on various archaeological sites in the U.K., conducting field and post-excavation work. Over the last five years, photogrammetry - the use of photographs to create fully textured 3D models - has become increasingly popular in archaeology. Dabal has been expanding her skills in this area to create and render high-quality models of artifacts and sites.
With the help of her partner, Simon Kotowicz, Dabal is taking photogrammetry scans to the next level with a pair of NVIDIA graphics technologies.
Using NVIDIA RTX GPUs, Dabal can accelerate workflows to create and interact with 3D models, from recreating missing elements to adding animations or dropping them into VR. And with the NVIDIA Omniverse real-time collaboration and simulation platform, she can build stunning scenes around her projects using the platform's library of existing assets.
All for the (Photo)Gram Dabal quickly learned that good photogrammetry requires a good dataset. It's important to take photos in the right pattern, so that every area of the site, monument or artifact is covered.
Once she has all the images she needs, Dabal builds the 3D models using Agisoft Metashape, a tool for photogrammetry pipelines. Dabal loads all her photos into the application, and the software turns that data into a point cloud, which is a rough collection of dots that represent the 3D model.
Recently, Dabal and Kotowicz were approached by The Flow State XR, a company that delivers immersive experiences and applications. They were tasked with a new photogrammetry project that rocked their world: creating a 3D model of The Crobar, an iconic, heavy-metal bar located in the heart of Soho in London.
The Flow State XR sent images of The Crobar to the duo, who used the photos to model the bar from scratch, then created texture maps using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Substance Painter. Dabal and Kotowicz are currently finishing the 3D model, but once the project is complete, The Flow State XR plans to use it as an interactive mobile app and a VR hangout for music fans.
The Crobar VR scene. Image courtesy of Dabal. RTX Shapes 3D Modeling Workflows Dabal uses an NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 GPU to significantly speed up her 3D modeling and rendering workflows. Processing a sparse cloud model with her older generation GPU would take two days, she said. With the upgraded RTX card, a similar point cloud takes only 10 hours.
With NVIDIA RTX, the millions of points on a model can be rotated and zoomed much more easily. The team can also use their 4K monitor to view the models, which they couldn't do previously because it was difficult to navigate around the point clouds.
Dabal and Kotowicz have also experienced faster performance in creative apps like Autodesk 3ds Max. They can iterate quicker and see textures in graphics without needing to render as often.
The NVIDIA RTX card has helped us achieve the model we need much faster, said Dabal. We're spending less time in front of the workstation, and we're getting to the rendering stage a lot quicker now.
Textured 3D model of the Neath Abbey Ironworks. Image courtesy of Dabal. Omniverse Makes Space for Sharing Assets, Building Scenes Dabal got the chance to use the advanced features of NVIDIA Omniverse when she entered the first Create With Marbles design competition. After exploring the platform, Dabal sees great potential in how it will transform traditional workflows and images in archaeology.
Dabal's submission for the NVIDIA Omniverse Create With Marbles design competition. Currently, there isn't a tool that enables archaeologists to quickly upload assets in one place, and share or collaborate with others on the same projects.
With an open platform like Omniverse, archaeologists have a virtual space where they can easily upload photogrammetry artifacts and share assets with one another, no matter what location they're working from. Or they could place models in Omniverse and create a stunning scene by adding extra elements, like trees or farm fields.
Right now, most archaeological 3D models look fake, floating in their black backgrounds. It would take too much time to add the extras, but it would be so easy in Omniverse, said Dabal. When I was in Omniverse, I really enjoyed taking premade objects and moving them around to create a scene. It was super easy.
Dabal says that if archeologists had access to a library of extra assets, as well as all their own photogrammetry scans, it would be game-changing.
With Omniverse, archaeologists can share their projects with others around the world as well as simulate fire or weather conditions to bring their 3D models and sites to life.
Explore more of Dabal's work, and learn more about NVIDIA RTX and NVIDIA Omniverse.
And join NVIDIA at SIGGRAPH, where we'll showcase the technologies driving the future of graphics. We'll announce the winners of the latest Create With Marbles: Marvelous Machines contest winner, and premiere a documentary highlighting how Omniverse was used to create the NVIDIA GTC 2021 keynote.
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
Archaeologist Daria Dabal is bringing the past to life, with an assist from NVIDIA technology.
