UCL to Pioneer Cutting-Edge Technology for Cultural Heritage Analyses

We are excited to announce that UCL will soon become one of the few sites in Europe equipped with a Bruker IRIS combined XRF-Hyperspectral scanner, the most advanced technology engineered for non-invasive analyses of heritage collections.

UCL’s History of Art department, supported by the Institutes of Archaeology and Sustainable Heritage, has successfully secured funding exceeding £300,000 to acquire the Bruker IRIS Combined XRF-Hyperspectral Scanner—a ground-breaking piece of equipment set to revolutionise the analysis of cultural heritage objects.

Spearheading the funding bid, History of Art has ensured UCL will be the first institution in the UK and Ireland to host this state-of-the-art instrument, currently available in only three other European countries. This acquisition represents a major advancement in UCL’s analytical capabilities, firmly placing the university at the forefront of heritage science research.

Michele Gironda, Business Development Director and Global Art&Conservation Segment Manager for Bruker AXS, has commented on this achievement: “We are immensely proud that the prestigious University College London has chosen to integrate IRIS into their laboratory infrastructure. We eagerly anticipate witnessing and learning about the significant contributions it will make to their research endeavours.”

The IRIS scanner integrates two sophisticated, non-invasive analytical methods into a single scanning device. Operating at a safe distance of approximately one centimetre from the surface, it simultaneously maps the distribution of chemical elements across an object while capturing data on how light of various wavelengths interacts with its surface. This dual approach allows experts to reveal detailed information about the composition of pigments, inks, binders, and other materials, offering invaluable insights into the making and condition of artworks, manuscripts, and historical artefacts.

The arrival of this cutting-edge technology marks a significant upgrade to UCL’s Heritage Science Analytical Suite, empowering researchers across disciplines to push the boundaries of material analysis and conservation science. The scanner is expected to unlock new opportunities for researchers across UCL in collaboration with staff from the Petrie Museum, the Art Museum, and Special Collections. Several colleagues from UCL Collections have already expressed excitement about the cross-disciplinary collaborations and object-driven research that the equipment will facilitate.

Furthermore, the acquisition also aligns with wider institutional efforts to strengthen UCL’s profile in heritage science. A growing network of academics is working to map UCL’s expertise in this field, laying the groundwork for a collaborative forum dedicated to advancing research in cultural heritage preservation and analysis.

Finally, the international significance of the Bruker IRIS scanner is already attracting interest from scholars and conservators beyond the UK, eager to partner with UCL academics and harness this technology for cutting-edge research. This landmark acquisition not only affirms UCL’s leadership in the field but is also set to inspire innovative, cross-disciplinary discoveries and enhance the significance of heritage collections at UCL and beyond.

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