Augmented Anatomy

Florida Atlantic University’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute (SNBI) introduced a new state-of-the-art educational tool that puts the inner workings of the human body at a student’s fingertips – no scalpel required.

Anatomy X is an augmented reality (AR) platform that displays an interactive, three-dimensional model of the entire human anatomy system. After donning a set of AR goggles, users encounter the model just an arm’s length away. Using a few strokes of their fingers, they can manipulate the model: turning, zooming in or out, slicing, and peering into the inner workings of the body.

The model is based on a customized lesson. For instance, users could be presented with the whole body, with specific organs like the brain, heart or lungs, or with systems such as the circulatory or nervous systems. The program is typically used for anatomy and physiology courses in medical schools as a supplement to cadaver work. But SNBI is rolling it out through its community- based ASCEND program for middle and high school students.

ASCEND (Advancing STEM-Community Engagement Through Neuroscience Discovery) is a unique educational program designed to address the national shortage in STEM career-oriented students. The goal of the program is to make science accessible and exciting to young minds through hands-on learning led by professional neuroscientists and their trainees.

“Anatomy X utilizes the latest technology for teaching advanced anatomy concepts,” said Nicole Baganz, Ph.D., director of community engagement at SNBI. “By introducing these lessons to students as early as middle school, we hope to open their eyes early to the possibilities of scientific inquiry.”

The program offers flexibility to customize lessons, which ensures the experience will be approachable for students at every level. ASCEND educators can opt for controlled, highly structured lessons where they take the lead or less structured, self-guided experiences with integrated learning modules.

“It’s important that the students have the opportunity to manipulate the model,” Baganz said. “We don’t want students to just sit back and watch the instructor. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity, so we want them to feel empowered to explore the model, ask questions and feel the excitement of discovery.”

Anatomy X is also being introduced in select courses at the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College. For instance, students taking Human Morphology and Function, used the Anatomy X system for a lesson on bone anatomy. The students followed a self-guided view of the skeletal system where they identified different bone types, bones associated with specific parts of the skeleton, and bone markings on major skeletal structures, and inferred bone function based on shape, markings and position in the body.

“Anatomy X has been revolutionary for our classroom,” said Daniel Nemeth, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow at SNBI and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine who teaches the laboratory course for Human Morphology and Function. “After our first use with Anatomy X, many students raved about how this experience was like no other and that it strongly reinforced the material from their lectures in a way that made anatomy just ‘click’. I cannot wait to implement this into our coursework further.”

ASCEND programs are free and available to students in Broward and Palm Beach counties and throughout the Treasure Coast. SNBI hosts field trips at its headquarters on FAU’s John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter and brings lessons directly to schools and community programs via its pair of MobileMinds vans. Learn more at fau.edu/brain/community.