Inexpensive CAT scan machine constructed with an Arduino

A CT (computed tomography), or CAT (computed axial tomography), scan is a kind of medical imaging approach during which a number of X-ray “slices” come collectively to type a pseudo-3D mannequin. CT scanners are the sorts of medical gear which might be so costly that producers don’t even hassle itemizing costs on their web sites. Suffice it to say that new CT scanners can value a number of million {dollars} — not precisely inside the finances of many hobbyists. So Pyrotechnical used an Arduino to construct his personal CT scanner.

Disclaimer: X-ray emitters are doubtlessly harmful. Don’t play with them if you happen to don’t know what you’re doing!

Pyrotechnical’s CT scanner design depends on taking X-ray “slice” photos rotationally, versus a stack of slices like a resin 3D printer. The reason being that X-ray photos penetrate a complete object and there isn’t any strategy to seize a real cross-sectional slice. However by snapping X-ray photographs of an object from many various angles, it’s doable to create what seems to be like a 3D view. It’s even doable to make use of these to assemble a 3D mannequin.

The X-ray emitter and display for this venture got here from an outdated mammography machine. After the X-rays cross by means of the imaged object, they collide with the particular display that emits gentle. That display makes it straightforward to take footage of the X-ray projection. The Arduino Uno board performs three capabilities. First, it spins a stepper motor to rotate a turntable on which the scanned object rests. Second, it prompts the X-ray emitter’s energy provide by way of a relay. Third, it prompts a Bluetooth distant by means of one other relay and that Bluetooth distant tells Pyrotechnical’s smartphone to snap a photograph.

Capturing an X-ray picture each eight levels of rotation yields 45 photographs. By changing these into frames of a video, one finally ends up with a fairly cool clip that provides viewers a “3D” X-ray look into the thing. With a nifty program akin to photogrammetry software program, one may even create a real 3D mannequin from the pictures — although it is vitally low-resolution.