Even more outlandish – and, quite frankly, impressive! – developments from the exciting world of 3D technology. This time, Japanese company Fasotec and Hiroo Ladies clinic are now offering a service that creates 3D models showing the inside of the abdomen during pregnancy.
Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging, they have developed a technique to 3D print the scans of the foetus while still in the womb – it is the world’s first service to provide a 3D scan that you can actually hold.
The model is generated using technology called BioTexture, which processes the image data. This data is then formed by a printer, which prints two sets of resin simultaneously – clear for the mother’s body and white for the child.
“We actually got three expectant mothers to try this out. They said it felt great to see how their babies looked before birth, and to be able to actually hold the inside of their own body.
“At Fasotec, we offer a medical service called Bio-Texture Modeling. This captures images of each patient’s bones and organs using CT or MRI, to obtain 3D data, which is processed and printed in 3D. We can make extremely lifelike models, so physicians and medical students can use them to practice incisions and learn about structures in the body.
We wanted to let the public know about this kind of technology, which was designed for healthcare and industry. So, we’ve started this service as a spin-off.”
Check out the video below showing how the whole process works: