Questions / Methods / Limits
Questions Around the Missing Fragment
Careful answers begin by separating what is observable, what is inferred and what remains unknown.
Can AI recover the exact missing sculpture?
Not from plausibility alone. AI can propose forms, but an exact historical claim requires independent evidence specific to the object. A convincing completion may be only one of many possibilities. See reconstruction approaches.
Is a scan the same as the original object?
No. A scan is a measured and processed representation with limits in coverage, scale, material response and accuracy. It does not fully capture material history, cultural significance or inaccessible surfaces.
Does a complete mesh prove complete capture?
No. Software can fill unobserved regions. Coverage records and processing logs are needed to distinguish measurement from generated surfaces. Our capture guide explains how to retain that distinction.
When is symmetry a reasonable method?
Symmetry can be a useful hypothesis when surviving features support it, but mirrored regions remain inferred and may conceal intentional differences. Preserve the original side and mark the mirrored addition separately.
How should uncertainty be displayed?
Use separate layers, labels and patterns as well as color. Explain support region by region and show alternatives where evidence permits several forms. Avoid numerical confidence claims without a defensible method.
Does this site run an AI reconstruction tool?
No. The layer comparison is a local schematic demonstration. It neither processes uploads nor generates new geometry. Its purpose is to make the boundary between evidence and proposal visible.
Can a digital proposal be used for physical treatment?
Not automatically. Fabrication and physical intervention require separate professional assessment, permissions and conservation decisions. A model suitable for education may not meet the requirements for manufacture or treatment planning.
May collection scans be uploaded to an AI service?
Only with appropriate authority and a review of rights, confidentiality, cultural restrictions and the service’s retention and training terms. Being able to download a scan does not automatically grant permission for every subsequent use.
What should be preserved with a reconstruction?
Preserve sources, raw capture where permitted, processing history, versions, assumptions, alternatives, review notes and component-level rights. The records guide provides a practical structure.
Does the contact tool send my message?
No. It creates a local text preview that you can copy or download. Send it separately using your own email application. The page does not upload the draft.