Digital Reconstruction of a Primate Skeleton and Development of a Scalable 3D-Printed Educational Model


Akta A., Gündemir O.

The Young Generation of Veterinary Anatomists (YGVA) Congress, Sarajevo, Bosna-Hersek, 22 - 24 Temmuz 2026, ss.11, (Özet Bildiri)

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Sarajevo
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Bosna-Hersek
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.11
  • İstanbul Üniversitesi-Cerrahpaşa Adresli: Evet

Özet

Osteological specimens are essential in veterinary anatomy education and comparative anatomy, yet access to real skeletons is often limited by ethical, financial, and supply constraints. This study aimed to create a scalable, reproducible digital osteology resource by digitally reconstructing the complete skeleton of the Rhesus Monkey (Macaca mulatta) and enabling downstream 3D printing and re-scaling for education and research. One naturally deceased individual was obtained through a wildlife unit. Each bone was separated, identified, and digitized individually using three different 3D scanning systems. Scanner selection was guided by bone size and surface complexity: small, high-detail elements (e.g., carpal bones) were scanned effectively with Artec Spider 2, whereas larger elements such as the skull and mandible were captured efficiently with EinScan Shining 3D. All outputs were saved and archived as polygon meshes in PLY format. All skeletal elements were successfully modeled in 3D and transferred to an electronic repository as PLY files. The creation of a complete digital skeleton archive for M. mulatta provides an ethical and sustainable alternative to repeated handling or acquisition of rare osteological materials. Because the models can be re-scaled and repeatedly 3D printed, the dataset supports flexible use in teaching, training, and future research by any investigator with access to standard 3D printing workflows.