SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Today the University of Illinois Springfield unveiled two new Anatomage tables donated by Memorial Health.
The tables allow students to examine 3-D scans of cadaver samples, all through the table's technology. They can study each layer and part of the human body separately to better understand how the body works.
"As we were going through different topics, it was hard for our professors to be able to exactly explain where everything was at," said Kyleigh Blake, an athletic training graduate student. "So having a device like this helps us visually be able to see it."
The table can lay flat or stand up, providing different examples of the postures patients may be in while examined. Each action performed on the table is also visible on screens above it, allowing the entire classroom to see demonstrations without moving from their seats.
"You can have a three dimensional view inside the human body and you can look at skin on it, but you can go all the way in and look at the organs and vital organs from a three dimensional standpoint," said Ed Curtis, President and CEO of Memorial Health. "It's a way to learn about anatomy and physiology on a three dimensional table like this, without having to resort to cadavers."
Instructors at UIS say cadavers are still important, but having the table to use as an option saves times for students and instructors. It also allows experimentation on younger examples, as most cadavers tend to be elderly individuals.
Each table cost $80,000 and was purchased by Memorial Health. It's part of a partnership between UIS and Memorial, which includes scholarship support for students. The tables will be used by undergraduate and graduate students in a variety of programs.
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