N. Trent Chamberlain 2025 Spring Internship

Hello Readers! This week at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center (BVMC) has been a busy one, even beyond our usual 3D digitization work. While we continued our efforts to scan more fascinating artifacts, a significant part of my time was dedicated to creating descriptive write-ups for some of the museum's unique pieces. I had the opportunity to research and write about two particularly interesting items. One was the Dr. Lyon's Tooth Powder, which represents an important stage in the evolution of oral hygiene products, predating the widespread use of the softer, paste-like formulations we recognize today. This product was manufactured by the R.L. Watkins Company, a firm founded in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1866 by Dr. J.W. Lyon. While modern consumers are accustomed to toothpaste dispensed from tubes, Dr. Lyon's product was a powder. The shift from powder to paste began to gain traction around 1892, when a dentist in Connecticut adopted the painter's collapsible tube for denta...

 Hello, readers! Welcome to my Week 10 update on my summer internship at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center (BVMC). This week was a bit shorter for me as I had to leave early to register for the SURF showcase. Despite the abbreviated schedule, I continued to assist with the 3D scanning of various objects in the collection. One of the most notable items we scanned was a helmet worn by the Fedayeen Saddam. The Fedayeen Saddam was a paramilitary organization loyal to Saddam Hussein's government in Iraq. Established in 1995 by Saddam's eldest son, Uday Hussein, the group was tasked with various roles, including suppressing dissent, enforcing internal security, and acting as a propaganda tool. They were known for their distinctive black uniforms and reliance on unconventional tactics during conflicts, particularly in the lead-up to and during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The organization gained a reputation for brutality and fanaticism, playing a significant, albeit often controvers...

 Hello, readers! Welcome back for my week nine update on my summer internship at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center (BVMC). This week, Eric and I had the exciting opportunity to work with some advanced 3D scanning technology. We used high tech scanners from UCF called the Artec Spider. These scanners are a significant investment, costing around $24,000, so we were keen to see how their capabilities compared to the other methods we've been using. A major advantage of the Artec Spider is its ability to create very detailed high quality scans on the fly. While we performed the initial scans in real-time this week, in the future, we plan to scan the objects and then create the full, high-quality models on a more powerful computer back home. This method provided excellent results in terms of quality. However, considering the cost and complexity, we will likely focus on training the museum staff on how to use the KIRI mobile app. KIRI is a free and user-friendly application, making it ...