Putting Pompeii's pieces together, with the help of a robot

A view of the "Insula dei Casti Amanti" at the archaeological site of Pompeii as researchers work to develop a robotic system that will help archaeologists reconstruct fragmented frescoes buried for centuries, combining advanced image recognition, AI-driven puzzle-solving, and ultra-precise robotic hands, in Pompeii, Italy, November 27, 2025. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

POMPEII, Italy (Reuters) -Pompeii's ancient Roman frescoes, shattered and buried for centuries, could get a second life thanks to a pioneering robotic system designed to support archaeologists in one of their most painstaking tasks: reassembling fragmented artefacts.

The technology, developed under an EU-funded project called RePAIR, combines advanced image recognition, AI-driven puzzle-solving, and ultra-precise robotic hands to accelerate traditionally slow and often frustrating restoration work.