For a purchaser, this is a useful guide to the inner workings of a 3D project from start to finish. It’s a good insight into why you can’t change content ad-hoc as a project progresses.

From a suppliers point of view this is a great example of how you should manage your production process. A client needs to be kept informed at all times, they need to know what the process will be and also what their responsibilities are in terms of getting content to the supplier.

Our team has put a lot of thought and hard work into creating a system uniquely designed to meet the needs of purchasers and suppliers of 3D; creating visibility, connections and improving how people work. Feedback on the system is good so far- although you guys will be the judge of how good it  really is. We will be in touch very shortly to allow you to create your accounts and begin testing this software properly.

Once again thanks for bearing with us as we finalise our system. We hope and believe the wait will have been worth it.

Thanks a lot to anyone who sent in their work, it was greatly appreciated.

Enjoy

Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo.

Medical device animations are often commissioned during the very early commercialisation stages of a project, perhaps in the latter stages of regulatory approval. It goes without saying that most of these technologies and processes are highly technical. Most modern construction or industrial products are also technical- however it has to be recognised that there is more to it when it comes to depicting life science technologies using 3D animation. It can often be quite simple to create a usable model of the device, which can be surprisingly simple geometrically and often already modelled in 3D. Also- very often the producer will be able to source good quality models of biological objects from stock libraries – although they some customisation will probably be required. The real difficulty and skill is in understanding and accurately depicting exactly how this device will interact with the human body, and how the different biological/ technical processes interact with each other. Content such as this has to be absolutely correct, and getting this right will take a lot of time and know-how.

A likely purpose of a medical device animation could be to instruct surgeons around the world how it should be used in the operating theatre, so it is critical that everything is clearly and unambiguously illustrated. These animations are generally directed from within the highest levels of the organisation- typically members of the engineering/ design team, marketing and also perhaps independent 3^rd parties such as a worldwide specialist in the area- maybe a professor in a teaching hospital. For the first time this team within the client organisation will be able to visualise the device in operation in 3D within the body, so they will be working through subtle nuances of how things should appear and the 3D supplier will be central to this, working in iterations as the team directs how the scene is refined. In this context it is critical that the 3D professional working on the project comprehends the fundamentals and the details of the scene intimately. While the 3D professional need not necessarily have a medical background (although some 3D artists in specialist firms do), they definitely should have proven themselves and have experience of this type of project.

Another issue that purchasers should be aware of is whether the 3D supplier has the skill set to represent biological processes properly using their particular 3D animation software. While the variety and quality of effects that are available in 3D animation packages ‘out of the box’ and through the use of plugins is increasing, representing biological processes like the flow or coagulation of blood or the composition of platelets often requires specialist programming skills. In the advent that the purchaser is using the best person they can find locally, these skills may not be available- although this is unlikely to be acknowledged at this point in the process by the supplier, or explicitly understood by the purchasers.My advice is that purchasers should educate themselves as to the skills, strengths and niche focus of the various suppliers internationally on the global market. Using a price/ quality comparison niche suppliers of 3D around the world should be broadly in line with each other- although there are also sure to be eye-wateringly expensive operations in developed countries. Finding the best people with the relevant expertise and technical skills to represent your specific technology visually will be time well spent.

I remember seeing some of Alex’s static shots well over a year ago and being blown away. The animated version is even more stunning. Enjoy.

P.S. Make sure you watch it full screen!

The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo.