CNRS Graphoskop Web Transformation – Case Study
Transforming a fragmented, legacy desktop plugin into a modern, highly scalable academic research platform capable of processing hundreds of manuscript...
A robust, scalable browser-based web application transforming a legacy Java desktop plugin into a modern scientific tool. Integrated seamlessly with the ARCA MSS visualization platform to empower research teams with high-precision manuscript analysis, large-scale image processing, and advanced statistical exports directly in-browser.
IRHT, a premier French research institute under CNRS, needed to free its manuscript analysis workflows from a legacy desktop dependency. Their researchers relied on Graphoskop, a specialized Java ImageJ plugin to perform high-precision paleographic measurements on historical manuscripts. We undertook a full migration of the Java-based desktop plugin into a modern browser-based web application, integrating it into IRHT’s existing ARCA MSS manuscript visualization platform and deployed securely on CNRS infrastructure.
IRHT – Institut de recherche et d’histoire des textes
Scientific Research
Enterprise Web Application Development
Legacy Plugin Transformation
We engineered a custom web interface that bridges the gap between complex digital humanities research and a user-friendly browser experience. The platform equips researchers with specialized tools for in-depth manuscript and historical text analysis.
The application supports multiple image formats including TIFF, JPG, PNG, and BMP, making it compatible with the wide variety of file types used in manuscript research. It can handle up to 200 images in a single research session, with optimized memory management ensuring stable performance even across large-scale datasets.
Researchers can precisely measure interline spacing and detect upper and lower stroke heights directly on manuscript images. The tool also supports word spacing and character body ("eye of writing") analysis, alongside comprehensive margin detection covering top, bottom, inner, and outer margins, as well as inter-column spacing for multi-column layouts.
The application accurately detects writing angles and stroke inclinations, with separate analysis available for both upper and lower strokes. Trigonometric-based curvature computation allows researchers to quantify subtle variations in script geometry that would be difficult to measure manually.
Users can detect and measure the active writing surface area within a manuscript image, alongside black pixel percentage analysis to quantify ink density across a page. Region-based rectangular selection enables targeted analysis of specific areas rather than requiring whole-image processing.
A Canvas-based rendering engine delivers high-performance display of manuscript images directly in the browser, without any plugin or desktop dependency. Measurement results are visualized through color-coded overlays, and all measurement lines are interactive and draggable, with zoom support for high-precision placement.
The built-in calibration system converts pixel-based measurements into real-world units, supporting centimeters, millimeters, and custom units defined by the researcher. Image normalization is also available to ensure consistent, comparable measurements across different scans and image sources.
All measurement data is automatically processed to compute mean, standard deviation, and mode, giving researchers instant statistical insight without manual calculation. Cross-image comparative analysis is supported alongside structured data export to Excel (OpenOffice-compatible) and CSV formats, with results organized into both per-image and aggregated global datasets.
The application is deployed exclusively within CNRS's internal infrastructure, keeping sensitive research data fully contained within the institution's environment. Computationally intensive and sensitive processing logic runs server-side, and the architecture is built with role-based access controls ready to be activated for future needs. The entire system is packaged using a Dockerized multi-stage build pipeline, ensuring consistent and reproducible deployments.
We leveraged the latest high-performance frontend frameworks and robust deployment pipelines to build this complex academic application.
Powers the highly interactive, type-safe, and dynamic user interface.
Ensures a clean, modern, and highly accessible user experience through utility-first styling and Radix-based components.
Drives the core rendering engine for ultra-fast image loading and dynamic measurement overlays.
Lightning-fast frontend build tool ensuring rapid deployment and optimal performance.
Utilized multi-stage builds to create a fully containerized, secure deployment pipeline.
Serves as the optimized production server layer for fast routing and high availability.
Let’s discuss how we can transform your desktop-bound software or legacy tools into highly scalable, modern web applications.
Start a conversation with our team to solve complex challenges and move forward with confidence.
Start a conversation with our team to solve complex challenges and move forward with confidence.
Md. Moshiur Rahman is the General Manager of Business Development at Riseup Labs, with over 13 years of experience across sales, marketing, operations, and strategic growth. Over his 8+ years at the company, he has advanced through key leadership roles including Assistant Manager of Training, Management Officer, and Operations Manager (Sales & Marketing). In his current role, Moshiur drives business expansion, client acquisition, and long-term partnerships while aligning technology-driven solutions with evolving market demands.
Md. Rezwanul Haque is the Head of Operations, Admin & Compliance at Riseup Labs, where he oversees administration, finance, budgeting, process improvement, and regulatory compliance. With strong expertise in operations management and strategic planning, he ensures financial discipline and legal compliance while streamlining processes for sustainable growth. Rezwanul also leads recruitment, onboarding, and performance management, and guides compliance frameworks including VAT, taxation, and internal controls.
Maria Santos is the Vice President of Global Sales at Riseup Labs, representing the company from the Philippines to international clients. With expertise in BPO, ITO, and KPO, she helps organizations scale operations, optimize processes, and achieve measurable results. Her career spans outsourcing, technology solutions, and knowledge services, covering the full client lifecycle from acquisition to long-term partnerships. Before outsourcing, Maria worked as a scientist and product developer, sharpening her analytical and problem-solving skills.
Christophe M. David is the Vice President of Business Development for Europe at Riseup Labs, where he drives commercial strategies and client relationships across the region. With a diverse career in executive roles, he combines strategic vision, business effectiveness, and human sensitivity. In the early 2000s, he discovered Bangladesh and was inspired by the humanity, commitment, and resilience of its people. This experience led him to engage in meaningful projects supporting economic and industrial development.
Michael S. Longwell is the Vice President of Sales, North America at Riseup Labs, with more than 20 years of experience in consultative contact center BPO solutions. He helps organizations enhance customer experience and lifetime value through front-office, back-office, and KPO services. Before joining Riseup Labs, Michael was Sales Director for North America at SuccessKPI, a SaaS analytics platform using AI to transform contact center performance.
Hamim Zakaria is the Head of Business Development at Riseup Labs, bringing 17 years of experience across software, game development, staffing solutions, and the BPO industry. Joining the company as a Business Development Manager, he played a pivotal role in shaping its transition into global B2B services and steadily rose to his current leadership role.
Enamul Hoque is the Head of Operations, Growth & Strategy at Riseup Labs, where he drives operational excellence, business expansion, and long-term growth initiatives. With over nine years at the company, he has advanced through roles including Operations Manager and Product Manager, building expertise in streamlining processes and aligning strategies with organizational goals.
Ariful Islam Shakil is the Director of Business Development at Riseup Labs, with 15 years of extensive experience in strengthening local market presence and driving sustainable growth in Bangladesh’s technology sector. He specializes in building strategic partnerships, expanding client networks, and delivering innovative digital solutions tailored to client needs.
Md. Rafiquzzaman is the Director of Product & Technology at Riseup Labs, with more than 15 years of experience driving innovation in digital solutions. A graduate in Computer Science and Engineering from Shahjalal University of Science & Technology, he is skilled in app, game, and web development, product analysis, and project management.
Ershadul Hoque is the Founder & CEO of Riseup Labs, a tech entrepreneur, innovator, and builder with nearly two decades of experience leading digital transformation projects worldwide. He has played a pivotal role in designing and delivering intelligent solutions across software, games, immersive technologies, BPO services, and AI-powered platforms.