INHERIt: INtelligent HypERspectral Imaging

艺术品成像是艺术品保护、技术艺术史和艺术品鉴定的重要方面。近红外（NIR）成像的许多形式目前被文物保护者，考古学家，法医科学家和技术艺术历史学家用来检查绘画的底画，检测损坏和破坏，增强褪色或过度着色的铭文，研究艺术家的技术，检查有问题的文件，并作为非破坏性的分析工具用于识别某些颜料。我们建议使用红外光学参量振荡器（具有特殊光谱纯度的中红外光的非常广泛的可调谐光源）来探索油画，丙烯酸和水彩画，特别是实现一个自动化系统，可以扫描艺术品并确定其真实性。一旦在这一具有挑战性的应用中得到验证，我们将开发的技术将在安全成像、化学传感和环境监测等更广泛领域的一系列多样化、有效和及时的最终用途应用中发挥作用。

Imaging of artwork is an important aspect of art conservation, technical art history, and art authentication. Many forms of near-infrared (NIR) imaging are currently used by conservators, archeologists, forensic scientists and technical art historians to examine the under-drawings of paintings, to detect damage and restorations, to enhance faded or over-painted inscriptions, to study artists’ techniques, to examine questioned documents, and as a non-destructive analytical tool for identifying certain pigments. We propose using an infrared optical parametric oscillator (a very broadly tunable source of mid-infrared light with exceptional spectral purity) to explore oil, acrylic and water colour paintings, specifically to realise an automated system than can scan in an artwork and detrmine its authenticity. Once proven in this challenging application, the technology we will develop will find utility in a range of diverse, impactful and timely end use applications in the wider fields of imaging for security, chemical sensing and environmental monitoring.