Archaeologists are using iPad Pros to better preserve the history of Pompeii

iPad Pro used by archaeologists
(Image credit: Apple)

We all know that the iPad Pro is one powerful machine for creatives, but Apple wants you to know that other professions are using it for some really cool applications.

In Apple's latest press release, the company has highlighted the incredible work that Tulane University professor Dr. Allison Emmerson and her team have been doing to preserve the ancient history of Pompeii. It all comes down to having an iPad Pro as part of their toolkit.

"Dr. Emmerson has made iPad Pro the center of her team's workflow. She believes it will once again reshape the field, thanks to capabilities like enhanced processing speed and battery life, the LiDAR Scanner, and the versatility of Apple Pencil."

She mentions that archaeological digs are often a destructive process that often renders doing multiple digs at the same site impossible. However, the iPad Pro is helping the team "collect data faster, more accurately, and more securely than any other tool."

Before the dig even started, Dr. Emmerson had two goals, which included making a paperless workflow for her team and creating a database so that they could "re-excavate" the site. The team has been able to accomplish this with a combination of taking extensive notes with the Apple Pencil and taking scans of the dig site trenches with powerful modeling apps that have taken advantage of the iPad Pro's LiDAR scanner to create 3D maps of the site.

The iPad Pro might get even more powerful soon

Here at iMore, we often talk about the iPad Pro as the best iPad for creatives and power users. Still, stories like this highlight the remarkable real-world applications technology can offer other essential industries worldwide.

Of course, we're sure that Apple is planning to release an M2 iPad Pro sometime in October, which will be more powerful than the version released last year. Could this be Apple's way of teasing that upgrades to the LiDAR are also coming to the model? Only time will tell. 

Luke Filipowicz
Staff Writer

Luke Filipowicz has been a writer at iMore, covering Apple for nearly a decade now. He writes a lot about Apple Watch and iPad but covers the iPhone and Mac as well. He often describes himself as an "Apple user on a budget" and firmly believes that great technology can be affordable if you know where to look. Luke also heads up the iMore Show — a weekly podcast focusing on Apple news, rumors, and products but likes to have some fun along the way. 

Luke knows he spends more time on Twitter than he probably should, so feel free to follow him or give him a shout on social media @LukeFilipowicz.