Computer Animations for the Healthcare, Pharmaceutical and Medical Education sectors
February, 2012
A115 Medical Software Team
High-quality, visually stunning computer animations are an excellent modern tool for educating patients about a procedure or a condition. They are also more and more used to help medical students develop a better understanding about a specific procedure or the inner workings of the human body. A top-quality medical animation is created in much the same way an animated feature film is made. The only difference is that computer animations for medical purposes usually need to be created at a faster pace and must be as accurate as possible to be beneficial.
Difference Between Computer Animations and Medical Imaging
It is important to understand that a computer animation for medical purposes is not the same as medical imaging. Each process serves a different purpose. A medical image is an exact image of what is going on inside the body at the moment the image is captured. Some images are real-time images, such as those used for a sonogram or abdominal testing. These images are purely for diagnostic purposes. They are not meant to be pretty or easy to interpret by those without specific medical knowledge or training.
Computer animations, on the other hand, are designed to be understood by medical professionals and patients alike. The goal of computer animation for medical purposes is to present a realistic view of the inner workings of the human body in a way that is clear and concise. Medical computer animations are often used for education purposes to teach medical students and other medical professionals about a specific procedure or illness. The animated presentation is often color-coded to make the process easy to understand.
Computer Animations for Health Care Providers
Computer animation in the health care industry is often used to explain a medical procedure, demonstrate how a medication works in your body or explain the effects of a disease, virus or other medical condition. Complex devices and procedures can be shown in action from any angle thanks to the wonders of animation. It can often be difficult to explain detailed procedures or medical conditions with simple text and dialogue alone.
Researchers often use computer animation to demonstrate how a new drug works inside the human body to resolve or prevent a specific condition. Computer animation is becoming a common way for research facilities to obtain funding by presenting a visual display of what specific medical issue research efforts are trying to solve.
Computer Animations for Pharmaceutical Companies
Drug companies use computer animation to demonstrate how a new product will work inside the human body. In some cases, computer animation can help a new drug gain approval by showing all possible effects a new medication may have on patients. Pharmaceutical medical animation can also help a drug company gain FDA approval for a new product or update to an existing product. This is accomplished by showing specifically how a new drug works or how improvements to an existing drug correct any issues.
Pharmaceutical animation can also train staff on how a new drug or medication works. When marketing directly to the public, computer animations help inform customers about what a medication does and exactly how it works without getting too technical. Animation can also play a vital role in the launch of a new product, especially when it comes to advertising and promotional efforts.
Using Medical Animations for Trade Shows
Computer animation can enhance a trade show booth in ways that are compelling and effective. The goal of a medical or pharmaceutical trade show is to get attention and show why your health-related product or service is better than the competition or solves a problem that currently has no other practical solution. Computer animation can be used to created a compelling visual presentation detailing what problem a product solves, how it works and information on how to obtain it.
Incorporating 3D graphics and views presents several different views of the same product or area of the body affected by the product. Presentations using computer animation can be targeted to specific trade shows. The advent of portable media and social media means that trade show productions can be condensed and used by representatives to present their product directly to doctors and pharmacists. A version of a trade show presentation can be incorporated into a company's website or on various social platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.
Computer Animation as a Learning Tool in Medical Education
Computer based training and 3D medical animation can demonstrate various procedures and concepts that tend to be difficult to grasp any other way. This includes medical education in colleges and universities and medical schools. Presentations can be specific to concepts from how the heart works to how certain medical procedures are performed. Computer animations can be paused or replayed to provide better clarity in an educational setting.
Different views can be incorporated into an animated presentation to further explain procedures and concepts. In a medical school setting, computer animations can be created based on actual cases. This helps explain conditions in depth so students have a better understanding of a particular case and how to handle similar circumstances they may encounter.
Flash or 3D animation brings more depth to the world of health and medicine than what is visible with the naked eye. Since the animation can be in 3D and various techniques such as selective transparency (where the viewer can "see through" a solid object to see what is happening on the other side) can be used, medical animation presents views impossible to get with a physical camera.
