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 Where disciplines and technologies overlap or cross-pollinate is where knowledge is multiplied by the largest number.
The medical, scientific and artistic communities were early to recognize RP’s utility. They’ve used the technology as a new means of visualization, as a method to produce otherwise impossible items, and in many other ways. Indeed, the use of RP has become fairly routine in a number medical and scientific fields, and artists using the technology are not likely to be any longer looked upon as pioneers. However, there are some areas of scientific visualization using RP that still offer surprise and extend our insights in unusual ways. Many interesting examples were provided over the years by Dr. Mike Bailey’s group when he was at the University of California, San Diego. Looking at, touching and interacting with, for example, a three-dimensional model of a land mass - whether on earth or a distant planet - provides a different kind of understanding than does a computer simulation. The group has modeled a wide range of such items ranging from the tangible to the mathematical.
 The process of creating a hurricane model. They were also able to extend the process to phenomena of a less static nature. It’s a little strange to be able to hold a hurricane in your hand - but you can. Student/intern Dru Clark made this model of Hurricane Luis by turning pixel density values from an infrared satellite photograph into height values and modeling it using laminated object manufacturing. He then sensitized the surface of the model with photographic chemicals and exposed it in register using a projected transparency of the hurricane. The result is certainly an interesting model for scientific study, but it’s hard to deny that this is something of a work of art, as well. After all, no one has ever seen a hurricane quite this way before.
Created from data supplied by Lloyd Treinish of IBM’s Watson Research Center.
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