Computers don't byte

Episode 4: Joost Batenburg: detecting fingerprints with tomography

Published on 23 March 2026 - Created by Michiel van Poelgeest, Dimitra Kouimtzidou, Marcel Tichelaar

Enter the realm of tomography, the work field of 'digital archaeologist' Professor Joost Batenburg. Tomography is a technique to peer into objects without taking them apart, akin to the familiar CT scan. Two-dimensional images are converted into three-dimensional images using algorithms. 

Now Professor Batenburg has created a portable device that goes around objects, capturing their insides. No longer constrained by size, this device unveils the unseen, revealing secrets within sculptures and artifacts. This provides art historians with a wealth of valuable information about the creation of these artworks.


Listen to the full episode on Spotify.