Digital people

The new 3D mapping technology, represented by the "digital people" application, marks a new phase in the future training of surgeons.

Thanks to 3D mapping technology, people can see New York's central park, walk on the Great Wall in China or enlarge the Big Dipper star image without leaving home. Recently, BioDigital has released new mapping technology, allowing users to explore parts of the body, such as bones, muscles, brain and heart. According to The New York Post, " BioDigital Human " (BioDigital Human English name) application works similarly to Google Maps about the human body. This means that users can rely on available 3D models to freely zoom in, zoom out and closely observe all angles, thereby grasping the functions of the different systems of the body.

3D simulation of human body on mobile phones - (Photo: BioDigital)

BioDigital director of 3D technology Aaron Oliker said the ultimate goal of this application is to help people easily acquire medical knowledge, and have a more specific concept of abnormal body conditions, from developing acne to coughing. According to Director Oliker, the company created 3D animations for medical and educational organizations and gradually collected all maps of each part of the body. Since then, the company has created a platform to enhance understanding of the human body, like Google Maps or Google Earth. BioDigital's work now plays an increasingly important role in health and medicine, including changing the way to foster future generations of anatomists. For example, Smile Train nonprofit organization, the US company has just established the first 3D model to teach practice doctors in developing countries.

For a long time, surgeons in India and China and African countries had to practice in poor conditions, with outdated materials and knowledge not being updated. If only looking at the videos, the doctors were framed in a perspective, and the animations were time-consuming to prepare and were expensive, providing only one aspect of the problem. Meanwhile, images are built on a completely different 3D platform, as viewers can rotate images at all angles to closely observe the condition of the incision. And since this tool is located on the web, anyone can access it for free in any corner of the globe. There are many models of surgery simulation, but few users because of the high cost, while "digital people" are free to download at https://www.biodigitalhuman.com/.

Dr. Court Cutting, retired plastic surgeon Professor of New York University (USA), is leading the development of Smile Train internship program. Thanks to the support of new technology, Smile Train is expected to launch the 1 million th surgery in April 2014. BioDigital is currently working on 3D simulations for other areas of medicine and health care, from dental surgeries to fitness and physical therapy and yoga. Over time, programmers and researchers continue to add to the 3D map of the body, to actually turn it into a 'living document' that serves the needs of anatomists worldwide.