CompuServe Messages

Wayne: This doesn't have much to do with the project this guy needs solving, but it was so, …uh…., fascinating I thought I'd bring it to this thread. There's something going on called 'the visible human' project. Sponsored by the Nat'l Center for Atmospheric Research (of all places), they took a cadaver and performed a full body MRI of the corpse. Next, they froze it in big blocks, and using a giant macrotome (they use microtomes to cut cellular samples for Electron Microscopy) they shaved off 1mm thick samples, starting at the head and moving down to the feet. After each shaving, they took a color picture. Pretty macabre, eh? The resulting database is a complete human figure, resolved IN COLOR, and as a 3D dataset. Resolution is as accurate as .3x.3.1mm! They were showing how it could be used as a virtual patient for operations. I guess they're working on 'the visible woman' for release in '96. (At .3x.3x.3mm resolution!) The weirdest part is that the whole dataset is supposed to be freely available in the internet?!? (If I ever come across the site, I'll post it.) Now that y'all are totally grossed out, I return you to the previous thread…… Keep On Toastin' Erik Flom – ELF Works 3D Construction Co.