In Search of… Content

If you have uploaded a model to MedReality, you may have been through the process shown below:

Just in case you stumbled on the first icon in the MedReality process and asked “where would I get some realistic anatomical models that I want to view?”, this Blog post (and others to follow) can help to answer that question.

In this post, we will specifically address finding existing models, offering some quick strategies to locate 3D scans that have already been turned into free, freemium and some paid highly detailed models, so that you can get up and running immediately. For those looking for a more personal experience, one of our next Blog posts will cover how you can view your individual anatomy if you have had a recent CT/MRI medical scan.

3D Model Search Engines

3D search engines started arriving over a decade ago, driven first by engineers who wanted vendors to make repositories of 3D models of common components like bearings, bolts, displays and other components used in making products.  Online marketplaces for 3D printable files exploded onto the market in the early 2010’s, and these sites joined marketplaces for digital artists to share their 3D creations.  Along the way, several of these have amassed an engaging selection of 3D anatomy models; here are some searches we did to show search terms and link you to the site so you can see some of the models available:

• https://www.yeggi.com/q/anatomy/

• https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-model/anatomy

• https://www.threeding.com/products.php?words=anatomy

• https://grabcad.com/library?page=1&time=all_time&sort=recent&query=anatomy

• https://3dmdb.com/en/3d-models/3d%20heart%20anatomy/

National Institutes of Health 3D Print Exchange

Visualization is critical in healthcare – the insights gained to the understanding 3D conveys is useful across visualization of molecules, cells, organs, plants and animals.  The US NIH has curated 3D models across molecules to organs, and the home page for this collection is at https://3dprint.nih.gov.  In the video below we will take a guided tour on how to find, download, and use these models to give you quick access to anatomical content.  Some other links within this NIH site to browse include:

• Hearts at https://3dprint.nih.gov/collections/heart-library;

• Neurons at https://3dprint.nih.gov/collections/neuroscience;

• Epidemic virus at https://3dprint.nih.gov/collections/nmnh-outbreak;

• Cool Molecules of the Month: https://3dprint.nih.gov/collections/pdb-mom; and,

• COVID resources: https://3dprint.nih.gov/collections/covid-19-response.

Once you download a model, be sure to sign up for a free 30 day MedReality trial and start bringing medical models into now!

Check out these great model resources and feel free to reach out with more specific content questions at info@medreality.com. We hope you find some models that you want to view in augmented reality, especially now that it is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3D.