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The Universal Test Target, a new approach

The Universal Test Target (UTT) is a single test target which is designed to provide insight into the complete image quality of all types of high end cameras and scanners following the current ISO-standards. The target is available with various options in the DIN sizes A3 to A0. This makes the UTT suitable for all kinds of digitization projects, preservation and access, carried out by libraries, archives and museums.

Cooperation KB, IE and FMI

Metamorfoze, the Dutch national program for the preservation of paper heritage, has formulated guidelines for preservation imaging established in September 2007. The goal of these guidelines is to digitize vulnerable library and archival materials in a structured and technically sound way. To achieve this goal a number of so-called technical targets were required. These targets were captured and analysed with special software to provide information on technical aspects such as OECF, MTF, noise and color accuracy. Metamorfoze is coordinated by the National Library of the Netherlands KB. With the UTT the National Library of the Netherlands, in cooperation with Image Engineering Dietmar Wueller IE and Fachverband für Multimediale Informationsverarbeitung e.V. FMI, has now designed a new test target in order to reduce the number of required targets from five to one.

UTT saves time and improves quality

The advantage of working with a single test target is primarily that it saves time in the digitization process. The cooperation of the National Library of the Netherlands and Image Engineering Dietmar Wueller with Fachverband für Multimediale Informationsverarbeitung e.v. also offers a great advantage. The FMI consists of manufacturers of digitization equipment and service providers for digitization. Never before have scanner manufacturers, digitization companies, libraries and archives used one and the same target to evaluate the technical quality of scanners and cameras. This will greatly improve the communication between the different parties and therefore also the technical quality of the digital files.

UTT is an open standard

The Universal Test Target will be available from September 1st 2009 and will first be produced by Image Engineering Dietmar Wueller (IE). But since the UTT is an open standard other manufacturers may join in the near future. On this website the technical specifications of the UTT are available. This enables a broad use of the target. Other manufacturers of technical targets and analysing software will be able to produce the UTT themselves and include it in their software packages. Besides this, the website provides a discussion platform on which the technical quality of the various types of digitization equipment, software and test targets can be discussed.

Software

The National Library of the Netherlands and Image Engineering Dietmar Wueller are also developing and producing software that will be able to analyse the UTT. The analysis will be carried out according to the Metamorfoze Preservation Imaging Guidelines. Metamorfoze is a co-operation between the National library of the Netherlands and the National Archives of the Netherlands.

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