Reasonably priced CAT scan machine constructed with an Arduino

A CT (computed tomography), or CAT (computed axial tomography), scan is a kind of medical imaging approach through 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 trouble 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 when you 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 whole object and there isn’t any option to seize a real cross-sectional slice. However by snapping X-ray pictures of an object from many various angles, it’s doable to create what appears to be like like a 3D view. It’s even doable to make use of these to assemble a 3D mannequin.

The X-ray emitter and display screen for this mission got here from an outdated mammography machine. After the X-rays go via the imaged object, they collide with the particular display screen that emits gentle. That display screen makes it straightforward to take photos 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 via 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 pictures. By changing these into frames of a video, one finally ends up with a reasonably cool clip that offers viewers a “3D” X-ray look into the item. With a nifty program akin to photogrammetry software program, one may even create a real 3D mannequin from the photographs — although it is extremely low-resolution.