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CAT in Context
Learning with the Spatial Model
BA-Diploma 2025 - Aimée Martinez
Grasping anatomical relationships in three dimensions poses a central challenge in veterinary medical education. Students must not only understand theoretical content but also translate it into practical scenarios. Conventional teaching tools often provide only limited support in this regard.
In collaboration with the Vetsuisse Faculty Zurich, an interactive prototype was developed based on three-dimensional CT scan data of a domestic cat, illustrating the anatomy of its abdomen as an example. The model actively engages students in the learning process and explores visual and didactic approaches to make spatial–anatomical relationships comprehensible and tangible.
The project unites design, didactics, and science in a tool that makes complex content accessible, creates orientation within the anatomical context, and provides new impulses for contemporary teaching.
Mentorship: Simon Tschachtli, Alessandro Holler
Collaboration: Prof. Dr. Nicole Borel, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich (UZH)
Lung animation – transparent lung surface reveals the bronchial tree inside.
Interactive Demo of the Prototype:
Interactive Demo of the Prototype:
The interactive prototype allows students to isolate organs, switch perspectives, and explore spatial anatomy. The interface was developed through iterative sketches and tests, refining usability for a teaching context.
Prototype in use:
App_1.mp4Interface sketches & final design:
Volume Renderings:
Volume Renderings:
Path-tracer renderings from CT data, offering highly realistic insights into soft-tissue structures and spatial depth. They bridge schematic models and real anatomy.
Tripartite view of abdominal and dorsal region: Left: View of the abdominal cavity with partial skin coverage. Top right: Lateral view of the right half of the body with intestine, liver, and kidneys. Bottom right: View from the back with spine, showing the spatial organization of the internal organs.
Color-coded variations for clarity: Different renderings of the same perspective test how color enhances the readability of organs and tissues.
Volumetric renderings – perspectives & color variations: A curated selection of renderings exploring spatial readability through different viewpoints and color codings.
Design Process:
Design Process:
From CT scan to interactive tool: segmentation, layering, and iterative design steps shaped the prototype.
Editing of an organ model in 3D Coat: The stomach is extracted from the volume and optimized at the surface level.
Editing of an organ model in 3D Coat: The stomach is extracted from the volume and optimized at the surface level.
Making-of video:
MakingOf_V14.mp4Design Experiments:
Design Experiments:
Exploring form, light and interactivity in Cinema4D and Spline and cloud compare.
Cinema 4D – Light & toon shading
Exploring light, toon shading and material reduction to improve spatial readability.
Spline – Stylized shading experiments
Testing simplified styles and linework for clarity and structure.
CloudCompare – Point cloud experiments
Explorations of spatial density and alternative rendering aesthetics.
Diploma Exhibition:
Diploma Exhibition:
The project was exhibited at ZHdK, combining the interactive prototype, process video, and large-scale renderings. Together they highlighted the interplay of design, didactics, and science.
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