100%

Scanned image of the page. Keyboard directions: use + to zoom in, - to zoom out, arrow keys to pan inside the viewer.

Page Options

Download this Issue

Share

Something wrong?

Something wrong with this page? Report problem.

Rights / Permissions

This collection, digitized in collaboration with the Michigan Daily and the Board for Student Publications, contains materials that are protected by copyright law. Access to these materials is provided for non-profit educational and research purposes. If you use an item from this collection, it is your responsibility to consider the work's copyright status and obtain any required permission.

September 25, 1984 - Image 3

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Michigan Daily, 1984-09-25

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, September 25, 1984 - Page3
p
CO mputer catches art forgeries,

By ERDAG GOKNAR
Would-be forgers of paintings had better beware of
a new computer designed at the University that will
help the experts distinguish between worthless copies
and priceless originals.
The computer's development was part of a joint
project between the Metropolitan Museum of Art in
New York, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the
University to improve existing techniques for spot-
ting phony works of art.
USING INFRARED light to make photographs of
paintings, detailed studies of pictures can be made.
But according to Yi Lu, a doctoral student in com-

puter science who worked on the project, the
photographs are hard to make using conventional
methods which can be susceptible to human error.
The museums asked the University to design a
system that would eliminate these problems. Elec-
trical Engineering Prof. Ramesh Jain headed the
project which took about two years to develop.
The new system utilizes a computer to give the in-
frared pictures better resolution, allowing a more
thorough analysis of the paintings.
To detect a forgery with the system, experts look

for the initial sketches underneath the layers of paint
that are made visible by the infrared techniaues.
Jain says that in many cases a forged painting will
lack these initial sketches because a forger already
knows what he's going to paint, unlike the artist who
may only have a mental picture.
Gary Carriveau, a senior research assistant at the
Detroit Institute of Arts, says the initial sketch can be
revealing.
"A sketch is like a signature, it is done in a
characteristic style, and it is the freest expression of
the artist's creativity," Carriveau said.

Associated Press
An unidentified man who tried to block the entrance to the General Electric
Space Division Headquarters in King of Prussia, Pa. is removed by police
early yesterday morning. The man was part of a group that staged a
blockade to protect General Electric's involvement in the manufacturing of
satellites and systems that the group says may be used in nuclear war.
Weapons production

spurs Mass
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (UPI) - Nearly
50 peaceful demonstrators protesting
the production of nuclear weapons
guidance systems were arrested
yesterday at the Draper Laboratories
and charged with trespassing, police
said.
It was one of 25 demonstrations
planned nationwide since last weekend
to protest NATO war games and the
Reagan administration's policy on
establishing nuclear first-strike
capability.
"WE WANTED it close to the election
period," said Judy Freittwirth,
spokeswoman for the coalition of -Civil
Disobedience, a group of peace
organizatons protesting the nuclear
arms production and escalation.
Police said the demonstration which
started at 7 a.m. was peaceful.

protest
"They were there early this morning
and sat in front of doorways," said
police spokesman Timothy Toomey.
"They weren't interfering and sat for
about 30 minutes then were warned to
leave and arrested when they did not."
MANY LAY on sidewalks in front of
the sprawling Draper Complex forcing
police to carry them to waiting police
wagons, Toomey said. There were
about 150 demonstrators in all, police
said.
Freiwirth said the nationwide
demonstrations were timed with the the
"Fulda Gap" war games being staged
in Europe and there were simultaneous
protests scheduled for West Germany
and England.
She said protesters regard Draper as
the "think tank for America's newest
generation of missiles."

Nerve gas spawns debate

MARLBORO, Mass. (AP)-Cam-
bridge officials asked a state judge
yesterday to halt the testing of deadly
nerve gas and other chemical warfare
agents at a private laboratory bor-
dering a busy intersection less than two
miles from Harvard University.
Attorneys for the city asked Marlboro
Superior Court Judge Robert Hallsey
to rule that the city has the right to or-
der a halt to the tests, being conducted
by the Arthur Little consulting firm un-
der contract with the Defense Depar-
tment.
"You're talking about some of the
deadliest substances known to mankind
that are produced to kill," said Cam-
bridge City Solicitor Russel Higley.
Lawyers representing Little, which
is trying to develop ways of neutralizing
obsolete chemical weapons, said the
company has met all federal safety
requirements.

The consulting firm has been working
with chemical warfare agents since
March at its Acorn Park complex, a
series of laboratories and offices at the
intersection of two busy roads that feed
commuter traffic in and out of Cam-
bridge, a city of 98,000.
Cambridge Health Commissioner,
Dr. Melvin Chalfen, ordered the com-
pany to stop the testing, but Little went
to court, winning an injunction against
the order.
Company spokesman Pat Pollino said
the Defense Department contract calls
for Little to develop ways of
neutralizing three kinds of nerve gas.
and less toxic "blister agents," in-
cluding mustard gas and Lewisite.
"We want to be able to continue the
testing of hazardous materials both for
commercial and government clients,"
he said.

H APPENINGS-
Highlight
The Department of Anthropology and the Center for Human Growth and
Development sponsor a lecture by anatomy Prof. Phillip Tobias, from the
University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa on "The Kalahari
Bushmen and the Changing Size of Modern Human Beings" at 4:10 p.m. at
the Rackham Ampitheatre.
Films
Alt. Act.; Cinema Guild; Cinema 2 - Berlin Alexanderplatz, parts 4, 5, 6, &
7,7 p.m., Lorch Hall.
MTF - M*A*S*H, 7 p.m.; Brewster McCloud, 9:10 p.m., Michigan
Theater.
Performances
Michigan Voice - Gary Reynolds and friends, bluegrass and swing, Dom-
inick's 812 Monroe.
Speakers
Chemistry - Professor Gerald Small. "Laser Analytical Spectroscopy
and Chemical Physics in Amorphous Molecular Solids," 4 p.m., AMAX Nat-
erials Research Laboratory, 1600 Huron Parkway.
Center for Western European Studies - Bruce Lenman, "Back on the
Bandwagon: The Highland Aristocracy from Culloden to Yorktown," 4
p.m., William L. Clements Library.
Computing Center - CC Consulting Staff, "Chalk Talk: Introduction to
the File Editor," noon, Room 1011, NUBS.
South Quad - "Pre-Election Tuesday," speakers and political awareness
booths, 6:30 p.m., West Lobby.
Meetings
Comic Opera Guild - 7:30 p.m., Ann Arbor Public Library.
(In. n. a ti nicner rg - Sunnnrt Grnn 7:3-l nm. Suite 13. Human

10. Compact Cube 92 12. General Electric
Refrigerator 4.TGenerlOEectric 497
High density insulation. Toaster Oveng no
Walnut grain vinyl. ."ov ed torastig andppE
17AGR Reg. $99.97 Ofldwe.T3G

N. Canon Sure
Shot 128
SCamera 1 2 $
Auto focus. Auto load.
Built-in lens shield.
Auto advance and
rewind. Built-in auto
flash.132032PNN
P. Kodak Disc
3100 299
Built-in flash. Easy to
use camera.
AD31EK

11. Oversize 3897
Locker
Woodbox construction. Brass
plated hardware. 553011LWR
Register to win in our
e$wccpetake,
You could win a 1985 Renault or trips via
American Airlines and Hilton Hotel. No
purchase necessary. Details available at
your nearest showroom or write Found-
er's 50th Anniversary Sweepstakes,
D '1 ine ..Ad.A fl....... I n 11 A

13. Sunbeam Hot Shot 97
Beverage Maker I
12ouncecapacity. Signal light.
17016XU Reg. $19.97

Kodak Processing
Mailer
2ex.color 5
des PK2OEK..
36-exp. color 97
slides PK36EK.
(not shown)
24-exp. color 37
printshDP24EK .
(not shown)
*tfindicates
manufacturer's
rebate available. Paid
directly to the
consumer by the

C EVIE
('~imvicn lmlc

Back to Top

© 2024 Regents of the University of Michigan