A 3D scan of Michelangelo’s David, captured in Hexagon scanners. It serves as the foundation for the 3D-printed and hand-finished replica of the artwork sent to Expo 2020 Dubai. Image courtesy of Hexagon.

Michelangelo’s David Gets a Digital Twin

3D Scanning a classic artwork

Hexagon's technology helped create a digital replica of Michelangelo's David

In the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, Michelangelo's Renaissance sculpture David made appearance. The David that went to Dubai wasn't the original marble artwork in Florence. Rather, it's a 3D-printed replica based on a digital scan. 

The scanning was done with the hardware from Hexagon: an AICON StereoScan neo structured light scanner and a Leica Absolute Tracker with handheld scanner, according to the company's press release.

We present here a series of photos (courtesy of Hexagon) revealing the complicated 10-day scanning process to capture David's anatomy in high resolution.

More Hexagon Coverage

Accelerating Your Journey to Smarter Industrial Facilities: Design
Transform your design processes for this new digital world by identifying efficiencies that can be gained that can help improve project delivery and overall quality in your projects.
Hexagon Launches HxGN Alix
Company says new AI-powered assistant to assist industrial enterprises in digitally transforming heavy asset operations.
Online FEA and CFD Classes Becoming the Norm
Virtual classrooms make specialist skills more accessible.
Leica BLK ARC Reality Capture Device Available
This announcement includes software integrations to deliver a new laser scanning workflow for the agile mobile robot.
Hexagon Unveils Digital Solution to Optimize Factories
By connecting asset digital twins to an accurate and up-to-date Digital Factory, companies can plan and operate more productive, flexible and sustainable future factories.
Hexagon Introduces HxGN SDx2 SaaS Solution
Solution designed to deliver a connected, insightful digital backbone for industrial facilities, Hexagon reports.
Hexagon Company Profile

Share This Article

Subscribe to our FREE magazine, FREE email newsletters or both!

Join over 90,000 engineering professionals who get fresh engineering news as soon as it is published.


About the Author

Kenneth Wong's avatar
Kenneth Wong

Kenneth Wong is Digital Engineering’s resident blogger and senior editor. Email him at kennethwong@digitaleng.news or share your thoughts on this article at digitaleng.news/facebook.

      Follow DE
#25188