Processing of cross-sectional image data for reconstruction of human developmental anatomy from museum specimens

A project is described (The Visible Embryo Project) to develop software strategies for the creation of large-scale databases of 3-dimensional image data on human developmental anatomy. The issues discussed relate to the processing of serial-section image data for the purpose of reconstructing volumetric models of individual embryos from museum specimens. Attempts were made to fully automate the processes of image registration and artifact correction, in order to allow for the eventual unattended reconstruction of thousands of such embryos from such resources as the Carnegie Collection of Human Embryology. Tools were also developed to allow the real-time interactive visualization of the massive databases that this type of reconstruction project creates. The implementation of a 3-D model of a human embryo in a viewer-centric virtual reality environment is also described.

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