Virtual Ear Worth A Thousand Pictures
University of Illinois ChicagoA three-dimensional view of the fine bones, nerves, and hollow spaces in the human ear--from any vantage point inside or outside the organ-- is now possible, thanks to a virtual model constructed by a team of researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The model--explored using a wand and a special pair of eyeglasses while facing a 20-square-foot screen--allows surgeons to familiarize themselves with the complex spatial relationships of structures composing the ear.