Research Casting International Digital
Verifiable digital twins for museum specimens.
Providing the single source of truth for museum data.
The problem
Museums and cultural institutions are increasingly responsible for vast digital collections, yet current systems are not built for long-term stewardship.
- Records are fragmented across internal tools and informal workflows
- Provenance and traceability weaken as assets circulate digitally
- Cyber and ransomware threats put collections at risk
- 3D scans can be copied without clear governance
- Legal and licensing frameworks remain uncertain
For the full picture:
Download PDF (May 2024)The solution
We anchor every specimen to a dedicated canister on the Internet Computer — a secure, permanent digital home backed by blockchain. Each canister preserves the specimen's data, context, and usage in a transparent, tamper-resistant record.
- A stable digital anchor for each specimen
- Clear, blockchain-based provenance over time
- Certified, verifiable delivery of data and assets
- Identity-aware access governed at the canister level
- Living digital twins that evolve with research and use
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Read architecturePlatform capabilities
Discover specimens
Browse a public, museum-backed repository of authenticated 3D specimens. Every specimen has its own permanent page and identifier.
- Search by institution, taxonomy, or keyword
- Each specimen has a stable, permanent link (canister ID)
- Basic metadata is openly visible to everyone
Heritage · Since 1987
Built on decades of museum trust
The same standard of care, now on a verifiable digital layer.
Research Casting International has served leading natural-history institutions for nearly four decades — from molding and casting to advanced 3D scanning and printing. Partners include the Royal Ontario Museum, American Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, and Natural History Museum London. We've built one of the largest libraries of paleontological 3D scans. Now, we're putting that asset — and the trust behind it — onto a verifiable digital foundation.
The moment
Why we're doing this now
Digitization created enormous value, but it also fragmented access and made provenance harder to verify. Museums need sustainable ways to steward and share authentic data. RCI Digital gives every specimen a single, auditable digital twin — extending the same commitment to authenticity we've brought to physical specimens for decades.
Three pillars
What we're building toward.
Museums as Living Stewards
Museums stay at the center of our shared cultural memory.
- Steward collections with verifiable provenance.
- Set access, licensing, and attribution on your terms.
Sustainable Revenue
Digital access that funds the next excavation, restoration, and insight.
- Licensed use generates recurring revenue.
- Access that supports conservation, digitization, and research.
Authentic Access for Everyone
Real specimens, real provenance — for researchers, educators, creators, and the public.
- Clear terms and verifiable rights.
- One authoritative place to discover and use certified assets.
Audiences
Access Tiers
Enthusiasts
One place to discover and use real specimen data—clear terms, verifiable provenance. Browse by institution or taxon; view or download only what you're allowed. Each asset is tied to stable rights so you can 3D print, remix, or share without legal grey area.
Use cases
Under the hood
Architecture highlights
How specimen canisters, provenance, certified delivery, and access control fit together—verifiable lineage and identity-aware access without a central gatekeeper.
Core building blocks
Specimen Canister
One specimen, one canister—a living digital twin with a stable, resolvable ID (DOI-like).
- One place for metadata, assets, and lineage.
- Immutable ICRC-3 record; tamper-resistant.
- Better than spreadsheets—single source of truth.
ICRC-3 Provenance ledger
Per-specimen ledger: hash-chained, auditable. Every access, update, and license recorded; tamper-resistant chain of custody without a central authority.
Certified HTTP
Metadata and assets served with Merkle proofs. Verify integrity end-to-end; suitable for research, publication, and pipelines.
Platform & operations
Storage layout
Provenance, metadata, and assets stored and served separately. Range requests for efficient 3D streaming.
Security & access control
Role-based tiers and canister checks. Internet Identity and vetKeys: permissions by role or affiliation, no account sprawl.
Presentation & Orchestrator
Frontend with certified verification; orchestrator canister launches and manages specimen canisters at scale.
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