Ballarat’s Federation University will be the first institution in Australia to use a new virtual autopsy technology.
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The virtual technology replicates the body’s functions and diseases, and would allow students to handle the body the same way they would a cadaver, Acting Vice Chancellor Andrew Smith said.
Funding for the technology, along with a resource centre for students with learning difficulties, was announced by the state government on Thursday.
“It’s essentially a visual device and what it enables students to do is investigate the human body in a way that previously could only be done with cadavers, or at least with very expensive plastic replicas of cadavers,” Professor Smith said.
“And whilst you don’t have a body in front of you, it enables you to do so much more than you would if you had a cadaver in front of you.”
The new technology is cheaper and less difficult than sourcing cadavers or plastic replicas, Professor Smith said.
Plastic cadavers, which have “superseded” the use of bodies, can cost several hundred thousand dollars and have a limited lifespan.
The virtual autopsy body exploration table will be used in the university’s nursing, sports and health sciences and physical education programs.
“It’s quite a big step forward and at the moment these are quite rare,” he said.
“Ballarat Health Services are very interested in coming to use it for their ongoing professional development so we think it will get a lot of use and as we increase our offerings in the health area these things will become a lot more used into the future.”
Funding will include specialist equipment to support students with learning difficulties like dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia and memory difficulties.
“It means we can support a much broader range of students, particularly in the IT area,” Professor Smith said.
“”We always have, particularly in our college, a number of students who found it difficult at school and then they come to us to study foundational programs and this equipment will help us teach them better and enable them to overcome their difficulties more effectively.”
Buninyong MP Geoff Howard said the virtual autopsy table would give students a head start in their careers.
“Access to new high-tech equipment will help students at Federation University to attain skills that put them at the forefront of technological advances when they enter their career.
“The new virtual autopsy table changes the way people can interact with medical information to gain a deeper understanding and insight into the functions and processes inside the human body.”