This is an assembly which includes 3 separately 3D printed parts: a skull section, the cerebellum and cerebrum. The skull is printed with white PLA plastic and sectioned horizontally from the nasal cavity to the bottom half of the forehead. The cerebellum is printed on black PLA plastic and sits inside the skull, underneath the cerebrum, which is made of silicone and sectioned vertically behind the frontal lobe. There is also an empty space on the front left side of the brain where a tumor would have been located.
Accession Number: 2017.ihpst.42
Alternative Name: Bespoke Brain
Primary Materials: PLA, Silicone
Markings:
Dimensions (cm): Length: 18.5 Width: 15.5 Height: 12.5
This model served a demonstrative purpose for 3D printing anatomical models.
Fair. Silicone cerebrum shows some signs of deterioration, dust and particle accumulation on the surface. This model is missing parts, including a red 3D printed brain tumor, the top part of the skull, and outer skin (see additional references).
Associated Instruments:
Manufacturer: Critical Making Lab
Date of Manufacture:
This model was acquired from the University of Toronto’s Critical Making Lab. The lab is directed by Matt Ratto, and affiliated with the Faculty of Information’s Semaphore research cluster. It has hosted a number of projects which use 3D printing as a form of “critical making”. As described on the lab’s website:
“The critical making laboratory is a shared space for opening up the practice of experimentation with embedded and material digital technology to students and faculty in the Faculty of Information. The lab provides tools, materials, and training for building devices such as wearable computers, RFID systems, ubiquitous computing networks, and other physical computing technologies. However, while the critical making lab organizes its efforts around the making of material objects, devices themselves are not the ultimate goal. Instead, through the sharing of results and an ongoing critical analysis of materials, designs, and outcomes, the lab participants together perform a practice-based engagement with the pragmatic and theoretical issues around information and information technology”.
This model was made as part of a project by Joshua Qua Hiansen and Phoenix Yu Wilkie entitled “Bespoke Brain”.
As described on the project’s web page:
“The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the viability of low cost printing tech towards the development of patient specific medical models, using a variety of printing technologies and materials to simulate not only patient specific anatomy, but also specific pathologies, pathophysiologies, and tissue properties. For example, a patient specific head model was developed, with different materials used to simulate the material properties of the epidermis, skull, brain, cerebellum, and tumor.”
The project description can be found at: http://semaphore.utoronto.ca/projects.php?p=263 (accessed October 30th 2017)
A video of the complete assembly in its’ original condition can be found here: https://twitter.com/jquahian/status/690200106516271104 (accessed October 30th 2017)
For more information on the Critical Making Lab, please visit: http://criticalmaking.com/about/ (accessed October 30th 2017)
Historical Notes:
Themes:
- Donated to UTSIC