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| A team of surgeons is planning an operation to remove a tumor from the brain of an epileptic patient. The patient's brain has been scanned using MRI, and the entire volumetric data set is being displayed inside a real 3-D image chamber. The surgical team surrounds the display, one per side, and each with his or her own interactive 3-D cursor helps diagnose the condition and plan the surgical procedure. Doctors can now literally see inside the human body without making a single incision. |
| Controllers at a busy metropolitan airport are monitoring air traffic by tracking the positions of miniature airplanes flying around inside a scaled down real three dimensional model of their air space. The display shows real 3-D airplanes as they are picked up by radar, and displays aircraft take-offs, landings, and holding patterns. Early warning of dangerous conditions are visually highlighted by flashing any planes that are approaching too closely. Air traffic control safety is greatly enhanced by the controller's use of real 3-D airspace simulators. |
| A molecular scientist is studying the structure of a new virus that is believed to be a mutated strain of the ebola virus, and resists all known drug therapies. The structural data has been acquired through magnetic resonance imaging, and the scientist is now viewing a real 3-D image of the pathogen, which has been magnified several million times. A clear understanding of the chemical composition of the invading entity allows pharmacologists to design drugs to attack the weakest link of the virus, saving valuable research time, money, and ultimately human lives. |