Digitizing ROGeR: Creating a Recommended Osteology Guide for e-Readers Mariana E. Zechini, Jane Holmstrom, Maddeline Voas, Kristina Killgrove Introduction Most anthropology majors at the University of West Florida are required to take Human Osteology. Study material is available in lab as real bones or on reserve in the library in the form of a plastic skeleton nicknamed Roger. The vast majority of UWF students live off campus, however, and studying in the library is not always feasible. In order to solve the problem of access to skeletal material in an ethical manner, we used 3D scanning technology to create a virtual collection of bones. We scanned a total of 95 bones from 6 individuals and an additional 9 bones that exhibited pathologies. The annotated digital models are publicly available on Sketchfab. This project highlights the advantages and disadvantages of creating highquality digital models that can be used as a study tool for students learning human osteology.

Scan this QR code to see the Sketchfab model on your phone!

Results

Digital model of the right patella in Sketchfab. Models that can be downloaded and used to study can be accessed at http://bit.ly/UWFROGeR or by scanning the QR code at right.

Human Osteology + 3D Scanning 3D scanning of osteological material can solve issues related to collections management, storage space, research, and education as it allows anthropologists to record and preserve sensitive or damaged remains without further endangering the object itself. A digital comparative collection of human bone is also beneficial for faculty or institutions that have a limited amount of space to store remains. For students who are unable to study on campus due to long commuting distances, scheduling conflicts, or other obligations such as work and family, 3D digital models of human bone are a great alternative. Students can study the digital models using their smartphones, tablets, or e-readers from virtually anywhere and at any time. Additionally, understanding pathologies is an important component of any Human Osteology course, but representative pathological bones are not always available in university collections. The digital models of pathological bone are a better study tool than two-dimensional photos and allow students or researchers to understand exactly how disease manifests on bone. Such a study tool is vital for understanding skeletal pathologies because they present themselves differently depending on the bone, circumstance, stage of infection, and individual.

Above: Dr. Kristina Killgrove’s Virtebra lab equipped with a NextEngine Desktop scanner which is in the process of scanning a skull. Below: Printed plastic replicas of pathological bone. Clockwise from left: Periodontal disease, Klippel-Feil Syndrome, osteoarthritis of the vertebra, edentulous mandible, osteoarthritis of M1, osteomyelitis, and a healed rib fracture.

A total of 95 human bones were scanned from 6 individuals. Sixteen bones were scanned from Skeleton 5, a middle-aged probable female. One to three bones were scanned from five more individuals in instances where the bones from Skeleton 5 were unusable. Scanned bones include the skull; left and right long bones; representative bones from the hands, feet, vertebrae, and ribs; sacrum; and pelvis. Additionally, 9 pathological bones from the UWF skeletal collection were selected for digitization. These bones show a range of pathologies, including osteoarthritis, dental pathologies, healed fractures, Klippel -Feil Syndrome, and osteomyelitis, which allow students to see how diseases manifest in bone. Although more pathological conditions exist within the UWF skeletal collection, 3D scanning was utilized for pathologies that present themselves more visibly on the skeleton, such as bony protrusions or fused elements. Limitations arise when using cost-efficient 3D scanning technologies, particularly when the elements are thin, shiny, contain small perforations, or are stark-white in coloration. For example, the vertebrae had to be scanned one or two extra times to capture all aspects of the vertebral foramen and spinous process. The articulated hand and foot were the hardest bones to scan because they could not be supported by the mount like the rest of the bones. Therefore, we had to tie a string to connect the articulated hand and foot to the handle of the scanner. Long bones such as the femur and tibia needed to be scanned a total of four times because they were larger than the dimensions of the NextEngine scanner. While there were some initial issues with certain bones, all of these could be worked around using software or hardware. The finalized digital images can be viewed and manipulated in the digital flashcards, can be downloaded onto tablets and computers, and can be 3D printed.

Methos The human osteology teaching collection at UWF has a total of 11 skeletons for students to analyze. The majority of the bones we scanned were from the same individual (Skeleton 5). Due to the condition or limited number of bones in that particular skeleton, though, we scanned bones from five other individuals. Most of the bones were scanned twice horizontally and vertically - using a NextEngine Desktop 3D Scanner and edited using the associated ScanStudio HD software. The innominate and scapula were scanned using a Sense 3D scanner and edited using MeshLab software. In order to create and share annotated 3D models for studying, we used the website Sketchfab. Annotations included the main features of each bone along with a short description taken from White’s Human Osteology textbook. Using a phone, tablet, or PC, anyone can view or download the free 3D models, and manipulate them to see different aspects of each bone.

Conclusion The goal of this project was to create an interactive study tool for human osteology students who are unable to use the teaching collection at UWF. Digital models of human bone solve a wide range of issues involving collections management, education, and space or budget limitations. The digital models can be downloaded onto computers, tablets, and e-readers and studied by students anywhere and at any time. This allows each student to access the teaching collection and to excel in their Human Osteology courses. Left: Jane Holmstrom sets up a humerus for a scan on the NextEngine 3D scanner. Right: Mariana Zechini scans the scapula with the Sense scanner.

Acknowledgements: We would like to thank Dr. Kristina Killgrove for allowing us to scan, edit, and print UWF Department of Anthropology’s human osteology teaching collection using her 3D scanning tools and laboratory space. Additionally, we would like to thank her for her supervision and guidance throughout this project.

Contact: Mariana Zechini ([email protected]), Jane Holmstrom ([email protected]), Maddeline Voas ([email protected]), and Kristina Killgrove ([email protected]). For More Information: Virtebra webpage: www.virtebra.wordpress.com