A tutorial example for building this scene using the Digital Anatomist Dynamic Scene Generator.

  1. Click on the link, "Scene Builder: thorax models".
  2. In the left-hand frame, navigate the FMA part-of hierarchy to find a model to add to the scene. Click the following in order

    At this level you will see several structures that have a black square associated with them. The square indicates that there is a 3-D model "primitive" associated with that concept in the FMA.

  3. To select that primitive for inclusion in the scene click the black box. For example, click the black box to the right of "eighth thoracic vertebra". This structure will now be shown in the top frame. Click the "Add Structure" link to add the selected structure to the scene. The scene will most likely remain blank, but the black box will now be replaced with an X, indicating that the structure is in the scene.

  4. Manipulate the camera. In the right hand frame below the large blank area click the button labeled "Reset Camera". This will cause the camera to point directly at the centroid of the scene, in this case just the eighth thoracic vertebra. You should now see a rendering of this structure. Note that the structure is colored white. This is because the DSG looked up the class of the structure in the FMA (bone) and knows to color all bones white.
  5. Add another structure. In the left hand frame (the FMA browser) click the "eighth thoracic intervertebral symphysis". This will take you to the next level in the part-of hierarchy, where you will see that there is a 3-D mesh associated with the "intervertebral disk of eighth thoracic vertebra". Click the black box beside this structure to select it, then click the "Add Structure" link. Note the structure is colored yellow, which is the color the DSG assigns to structures of type "ligament".
  6. Add a structure subtree all at once. After a very short while it will get tedious to add one structure at a time. In the right hand frame below the camera controls are some text boxes for performing operations on entire subtrees of the FMA. For example, in the box labeled "Structure to display" type "Thoracic vertebral column". In the "Hierarchy to traverse" box select "part of" (should already be selected), in the Operation box select "Add" (default is "New", which will erase the current scene, probably not what you want). Then click "Perform Operation". The entire Thoracic vertebral column (all meshes that are availble for parts and subparts of the Thoracic vertebral column) is added to the scene. Reset the camera to see the entire scene.
  7. Manipulate a structure in the scene. Click on one of the vertebra depicted in the scene, say the "tenth thoracic vertebra". The selected structure will appear in the selection frame at the top of the page. Click Highlight Structure then Unhighlight, then Dissect to remove it from the scene. (Look At seems to have bugs at the moment).
  8. View the scene from other angles. Click the Rotate button to rotate right 45 degrees, or change the values of the rotation paramaters, then click rotate. Zoom does as expected. Reset to return to the full scene view.
  9. Add the aorta. Type "Aorta" in the "Structure to display box, select "part of", select "Add", and click "Perform Operation".
  10. Add the coronary arteries. Click on the scene until you've found the "ascending aorta". This structure might appear in the "Structure to display" box, but if it doesn't, type it in. Select "Branch of" in the "Hierarchy to display" box, select "Add", and click "Perform Operation".
  11. In a similar fashion add:

    12. The scene should look something like this.

  12. Click on any small vessel or bronchus, say the "right medial basal segmental bronchus". Note that every structure is selectable, even small branches. This is because the scene is built up from primitives, and the FMA name of each primitive, as obtained from the 3-D model database, is available to the scene generator. The selected structure can be highlighted.
  13. Add the heart and lungs (note these will hide all the vessels you've already added)
  14. Dissect the right lung so some of the previously added vessels will be visible again (there seems to be a bug when trying to dissect the left lung)
  15. Highlight the right vertebral artery . Click until you find it, then click Highlight.
  16. Save the scene as VRML. Click "Create VRML", wait about a minute depending on the complexity of the scence. Then click on "TreeRoot". If you have a VRML browser installed this should display the scene in your browser. May not work or may be too slow for large scenes.

Last modified 6/4/2004 by jfb