Using Vision to Think: Development of Visualization Media for Human Anatomy
Ewa Soliz
Ahmet Sinav
Richard T. Ambron
Pat Molholt
Curriculum Design Studio
Office of Scholarly Resources
Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology
Columbia University, New York
Abstract:
The history of visual description has
changed over time, especially with the advent of new multimedia technological
capabilities. The efficacy of media
used to achieve understanding varies
the nature of the information and the subject being studied. The study of human anatomy can be approached
from a variety of perspectives. At the
most basic level, it is a description of the structures of the body. At the second level it is the 3-dimensional
interrelationships among these structures, and at the highest level it is an
understanding of the function of each structure and how these are integrated to
serve the whole. Our goal was to
develop computer programs that would facilitate the learning of the first two
levels. As the work progressed, however, it appeared that the users of the program not only achieved the
original goals, but also acquired a knowledge of function. We call this emergent property
"cognitive visualization.".
We hypothesize that by visualizing anatomical relationships in interactive
ways, students can acquire an intuitive understanding of the function and form
of many of these structures. Our
research plans include testing this hypothesis. We will illustrate this new form of learning by showing a
prototype program designed to teach and learn the structure of the human
orbit. We used a combination of digital
photography, anatomical illustrations, animations and interactivity. In conclusion, computers can fuse separate
media into one meta-medium and give rise to new capabilities, providing a
clearer understanding of the image, subject, and content being studied.
Benefit in Attending
Session:
A demonstration of a highly interactive
teaching/learning program using mixed media. This new computer-based fused
medium offers the accuracy of photography, the detail of artistically rendered
illustrations, and the multi-layered capabilities of interactive animation and
labeling. Combining these techniques
with a 3-D visualization gives rise to a completely NEW MEDIUM.
PRIMARY AUTHOR’S INFORMATION
Ewa Soliz, M.S, M.A.
Curriculum Design Studio, Office of
Scholarly Resources, Columbia
University Health Sciences
701 West 168th Street, HHSC 201
New York, NY 10032
Telephone Number: (212) 305-6319
Fax Number: (212) 305-8388
E-mail Address: es189@columbia.edu
Web Site (if available) http://www.columbia.edu
CO-AUTHOR’S
INFORMATION
Ahmet Sinav, MD,
Richard T. Ambron, Ph.D.,
Pat Molholt, Ph.D.,
Department of Anatomy & Cell
Biology, Columbia University
630 West 168th Street, P&S 12-402
New York, NY 10032
Department of Anatomy & Cell
Biology, Columbia University
630 West 168th Street, BB 1204
New York, NY 10032
Office of Scholarly Resources, Columbia
University Health Sciences
701 West 168th Street, HHSC 201
New York, NY 10032
Telephone Number(s)
(212) 305-6025
(212) 305-5725
(212) 305-3688
Fax Number(s)
(212) 305-3970
(212) 305-8388
E-mail Address(es)