Tech Showcase

Friday, July 18 | 3:30 - 5:30 PM

The AMI showcase features presentations and live demonstrations that focus on the integration of new technologies in medical illustration and animation, health education, research, and patient care. It is an opportunity for professionals in the field to network, share knowledge, and explore the evolving landscape of medical illustration and its applications.

Augmented Reality in Medical Visualization: Enhancing Insight with Tilt Five!

Presenter: Ryan Ehredt

Join us for a hands-on tech showcase featuring the Tilt Five augmented reality (AR) system—a new way to experience medical visualization. Through a series of 20-minute demos and games, attendees will explore interactive 3D anatomy and biological models using Tilt Five’s holographic projections. The system offers an affordable, intuitive alternative to traditional AR headsets and supports real-time collaboration and patient-specific case studies using Unity or Unreal Engine. Visitors can drop in throughout the two- to three-hour session to test the technology, see how it handles medical content, and discuss its benefits and limitations. We'll also demonstrate its integration into our own spine anatomy projects and invite you to play interactive games that stress-test the platform—because learning can be fun. Whether you're a medical illustrator, developer, educator, or healthcare professional, you'll walk away with fresh ideas for using AR in your work.

Learning Objectives

Understand how augmented reality can enhance anatomical and physiological visualization:
- Attendees will learn how Tilt Five’s AR technology can provide a way to present interactive, layered views of complex anatomical structures, aiding medical communicators, clinicians, and educators in conveying spatial relationships and details that are challenging to capture in conventional media forms. They will also experience how Tilt Five may make presentations of 3D digital information easier to view together than on Virtual Reality devices.
Explore applications of patient-specific 3D data in medical training and education:
- Participants will gain insights into how patient data (e.g., from MRI and CT scans) can be imported and visualized in 3D, offering realistic models for teaching, surgical planning or communication, and perhaps patient consultations in an immersive AR format.
Identify collaborative opportunities in AR for team-based learning and communication:
- Attendees will explore how Tilt Five can support multi-user interactions in shared AR environments, fostering collaborative educational experiences that benefit medical students, clinicians, educators, and healthcare teams.

Cozying up to ComfyUI

Presenter: Joe Samson

ComfyUI is a modular, node-based interface for Stable Diffusion that integrates with 3D software like Cinema 4D (C4D), Blender, and Maya to enhance biomedical animations. It allows medical illustrators to generate high-quality textures, reference imagery, and concept art using AI models. In this showcase, presenters will demonstrate how to incorporate a C4D animation into the ComfyUI workflow. The process includes rendering an image sequence from C4D and importing it into ComfyUI for enhancement with added textures, lighting effects, and dynamic backgrounds. Users can fine-tune AI outputs with prompt weights and masking tools, then export the enhanced sequence for final editing in software like After Effects. This workflow combines 3D precision with AI-driven refinement to produce visually compelling, scientifically accurate animations.

Learning Objectives

Understand the foundational concepts of ComfyUI and its role in AI-assisted image generation.
Demonstrate the integration of AI-generated assets from ComfyUI into 3D modeling and animation workflows using 3D software.
Apply ComfyUI’s node-based tools for refining textures, generating visual effects, and post-processing 3D-rendered biomedical scenes.
Critically evaluate the use of AI-generated content to ensure accuracy and ethical representation in biomedical illustrations.

Free research resources including the Human Reference Atlas

Presented by: Rachel Bajema and Heidi Schehlein

There is a bounty of open source resources and this tech showcase aims to highlight the best. It will also provide tutorials on how to use resources for research and help with illustrations and animations. It will be mostly focused on the Human Reference Atlas but also include other high-quality resources.

Learning Objectives

Medical education in the Virtual Reality space

Presented by: Kevin Edwards and Grant Pfizenmaier

Once you get past the wow factor of Virtual Reality (VR), have you wondered what to do with it? Using a case study from Mayo Clinic, Kevin Edwards and Grant Pfizenmaier will address some of the benefits and drawbacks of creating medical education in the VR space. Join us as we explore the creation of an immersive experience while demonstrating how to use ShapesXR for VR prototyping, 3D storyboarding, and preventing project scope creep. We will also highlight when it is beneficial to use VR over other applications.

Learning Objectives

Open Mic: Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator Skills

Presented by: Sarah Faris

Pick up something new, share what you know, and level up your professional 2D illustration skills with Adobe PS and AI in this organic Open Mic sharing session. No file prep or equipment needed, but sharing, spontaneity, questions, and good humor encouraged! Sarah will get the presentations started, will fill in any unclaimed time.

Learning Objectives

Open Mic After Effects: Share, Learn, and Inspire

Presented by: Emi Frohn and Caitlin Morris

Join us for an engaging and dynamic session where creativity meets collaboration! This is your chance to dive into the world of Adobe After Effects, share your insights, and learn from fellow professionals. Whether you’re a seasoned expert or just starting out, this session is designed to foster an open and supportive environment. Discover new After Effects techniques and tips for 2D animation and 3D compositing. Presenters will rotate sharing their own unique experiences solving common animation problems. Questions, discussion, and audience presentations are encouraged to make this a lively and enriching experience for everyone.

Learning Objectives