{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,3]],"date-time":"2026-06-03T19:04:07Z","timestamp":1780513447381,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,19]],"date-time":"2025-11-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763510400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study presents the development and preliminary validation of AutoScan3D, a portable and low-cost device for three-dimensional surface digitization of skulls using photogrammetry. The growing demand for accessible digitalization methods has encouraged the use of photogrammetry as a practical complement to high-end imaging technologies such as micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), which, although capable of visualizing internal structures with superior resolution, remains expensive and requires specialized facilities. AutoScan3D automates photographic capture through a smartphone camera, stepper motors, and an Arduino UNO controller. The system integrates a camera positioning module and an object rotation module to standardize image acquisition at fixed intervals. Its performance was evaluated by comparing the resulting 3D models with reference models derived from micro-CT scans to verify geometric accuracy and surface reconstruction fidelity. The results indicate that AutoScan3D reliably reproduces external morphology with realistic photographic textures and compact file sizes that facilitate subsequent manipulation in modeling software. Although its spatial resolution is lower than that of micro-CT, the device\u2019s total hardware cost (\u2248USD 90) and ease of operation make it suitable for educational, demonstrative, and museographic contexts where external morphology is the main focus. Planned improvements include enhanced lighting control, compatibility with higher-resolution cameras, and a dedicated user interface. AutoScan3D thus provides a reproducible and affordable framework for surface-based three-dimensional digitization, expanding access to digital morphology tools in resource-limited settings.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0336996","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,19]],"date-time":"2025-11-19T18:29:31Z","timestamp":1763576971000},"page":"e0336996","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["AutoScan3D: A low-cost, portable photogrammetry system for automated 3D digitization of anatomical specimens"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Javier","family":"Rivera","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2273-0904","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Paulo","family":"Salinas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,19]]},"reference":[{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0336996.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0236417","article-title":"A rapid and cost-effective pipeline for digitization of museum specimens with 3D photogrammetry","volume":"15","author":"JJ Medina","year":"2020","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0336996.ref002","author":"MSW Webster","year":"2017","journal-title":"The Extended Specimen: Emerging frontiers in collections-based ornithological research. CRC Press"},{"key":"pone.0336996.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.daach.2022.e00245","article-title":"3D digital dental models\u2019 accuracy for anthropological study: Comparing close-range photogrammetry to \u03bc-CT scanning","volume":"27","author":"C Scaggion","year":"2022","journal-title":"Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0336996.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0275732","article-title":"Cost-effective micro-CT system for non-destructive testing of titanium 3D printed medical components","volume":"17","author":"SF Cobos","year":"2022","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0336996.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1093\/gigascience\/gix027","article-title":"Laboratory x-ray micro-computed tomography: a user guideline for biological samples","volume":"6","author":"A du Plessis","year":"2017","journal-title":"Gigascience"},{"key":"pone.0336996.ref006","first-page":"201","author":"J Mathys","year":"2013","journal-title":"Comparing 3D digitizing technologies: What are the differences? 2013 Digital Heritage International Congress (DigitalHeritage). Marseille, France"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0336996.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1007\/s11692-019-09478-6","article-title":"3D Photogrammetry of Bat Skulls: Perspectives for Macro-evolutionary Analyses","volume":"46","author":"G Giacomini","year":"2019","journal-title":"Evol Biol"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0336996.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1323","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mri.2012.05.001","article-title":"3D Slicer as an image computing platform for the Quantitative Imaging Network","volume":"30","author":"A Fedorov","year":"2012","journal-title":"Magn Reson Imaging"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0336996.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1816","DOI":"10.1111\/2041-210X.13669","article-title":"SlicerMorph: An open and extensible platform to retrieve, visualize and analyze 3D morphology","volume":"12","author":"S Rolfe","year":"2021","journal-title":"Methods Ecol Evol"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0336996.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0094346","article-title":"Capturing natural-colour 3D models of insects for species discovery and diagnostics","volume":"9","author":"CV Nguyen","year":"2014","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0336996.ref011","article-title":"Optimization of a Novel Automated, Low Cost, Three-Dimensional Photogrammetry System (PHACE)","author":"JK To","year":"2023","journal-title":"medRxiv"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0336996.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pbio.3001931","article-title":"Open hardware: From DIY trend to global transformation in access to laboratory equipment","volume":"21","author":"T Wenzel","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLoS Biol"},{"key":"pone.0336996.ref013","first-page":"281","author":"M Assad","year":"2018","journal-title":"Biocompatibility evaluation of orthopedic biomaterials and medical devices: A review of safety and efficacy models. Elsevier"},{"key":"pone.0336996.ref014","first-page":"9892152","article-title":"Recent Development in X-Ray Imaging Technology: Future and Challenges","volume":"2021","author":"X Ou","year":"2021","journal-title":"Research (Wash D C)"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0336996.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2580","DOI":"10.3390\/s21082580","article-title":"Low-Cost Prototype to Automate the 3D Digitization of Pieces: An Application Example and Comparison","volume":"21","author":"R Gonz\u00e1lez-Merino","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sensors (Basel)"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0336996.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2314","DOI":"10.3390\/s24072314","article-title":"A Comprehensive Review of Vision-Based 3D Reconstruction Methods","volume":"24","author":"L Zhou","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sensors (Basel)"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0336996.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1260","DOI":"10.1111\/1556-4029.14319","article-title":"Photogrammetry vs CT Scan: Evaluation of Accuracy of a Low-Cost Three-Dimensional Acquisition Method for Forensic Facial Approximation","volume":"65","author":"L Donato","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Forensic Sci"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0336996","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,19]],"date-time":"2025-11-19T18:29:36Z","timestamp":1763576976000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0336996"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Laura Beatriz","family":"Porro","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,19]]},"references-count":17,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,19]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0336996","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,19]]}}}