By 
OMAGH Men’s Probus Club resumed activities after the summer recess with an open meeting in the Silverbirch Hotel on Wednesday last week
The guest speaker was Roger Johnston, CEO of AXIAL 3D (and nephew of club member, Brian Duncan).
Mr Johnston’s topic was the art of creating 3D models from two-dimensional images such as X-rays, CT and MRI scans. This is achieved using state-of-the-art computer processing and AI (Artificial Intelligence).
Mr Johnson illustrated his talk with 3D models of a human heart, a child’s kidney, a brain tumour and blocked arteries. He reported that surgeons in some 500 hospitals in 35 countries are using the technology to enable pre-surgical planning, leading to tailor-made procedures and improved patient outcomes.
Among the impressive statistics quoted during his lecture was the fact that an X-ray or CT scan can be emailed to his company, processed and returned as a 3D image in as little as two minutes.
AXIAL 3D operates from a recently-opened 3D printing centre in Belfast, and is a world leader in this field. The meeting was attended by over 40 members and guests from other Probus Clubs and the wider community.
After a lively Question and Answer session which showed that there had been great interest in the topic, a vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Dominic Pinto MBE, and heartily-endorsed by all present.
Omagh Men’s Probus Club is open to all men over the age of 55 who are retired or partly retired.