Midterm

1. DESMA 9
Art + Science + Technology
Spring 2012
Professor Victoria Vesna
Section [1E]
Title:
[Muscle Imagining System:
Imagine a Better You]
Name: [Ivey Schmitt]

2. ABSTRACT
[Athletes are prone to serious. career threatening
injuries, many of which are often preventable
(Thomas). Before the injury occurs, there can be signs
of tightness, strain, and/ or weakening that are
frequently ignored by the athlete prior to a major injury
(Sports Injuries). The Muscle Imagining System will
highlight these areas in different colors to alert the
athlete to the risk. A system combining the technology
of BOD POD and CAT scans will be able to assess the
muscle density and apprehend the weak areas.]

3. CONCEPT / TOPIC
[Specifically, I am interested in capitalizing digital art to educate individual athletes
on their own bodies. An injury is recorded by the NCAA when an athlete misses
at least 1 day of practice or competition. About 12,500 injuries occur yearly
(Thomas). For many athletes, these injuries can continue to interfere with their
health and quality of life after their athletic career has ended. Preventative
medicine is always the most preferred medicine to treating injury, and the Muscle
Imagining system will be a strong aid in anticipating weaknesses that could
foretell an injury (Currie).]

4. CONTEXT & PRECEDENTS
[As medicine has evolved over centuries, technology has been
increasingly incorporated to further medicine’s level of helpfulness
and success. Previously considered an art, medicine has just recently
begun to utilize technology and already great strides have been
made, such as the development of CAT scans (Vesna). CAT scans
are able to create cross-sectional images of the internal body
(Vordqvist). BOD POD uses air displacement to determine body
volume and weight. Body density is then computed by using an
equation to find fat and muscle percentages (How does BOD POD
work?. ]

5. PROJECT PROPOSAL
[The Muscle Imagining machine will appear as a cross between a BOD POD and CT
scanner. Instead of sitting as in a BOD POD, the enclosure will more closely resemble a
CT scanner. The technology will be a combination of the two, with X rays being sent
through the body. Using an increasingly specific technology derived from the air
displacement used in BOD POD, the integrity of the muscles and ligaments will be
determined. ]

6. [The patient will recline in a narrow tunnel, with their head cradled in place to prevent
movement. Just as in a CAT scan, the machine will send X-rays to create a cross-
sectional view of the body, but the combined technology of the BOD POD will also
create an intra-muscular view (Mayo Clinic Staff). The hope is that the Muscle
Imagining System will be able to not only identify muscle, but be able to assess the
density of the muscle as well as any weakness or irregularities. As well, the Muscle
Imagining System should be able to include the tendons and ligaments that bind
muscles and assess their integrity. The images will then appear on the computer with
highlighted areas depicting weaknesses, strengths, and irregularities. ]
Project Proposal (cont.)

7. [Under the advice of a trained professional, an athlete will be able to
create a performance plan to overcome weaknesses and build strength
evenly. Instead of having to worry about gaining full functionality post
injury by starting from the beginning, a trainer would be able to build
upon what strength an individual already had. This would help prevent
an injury by preparing the body to withstand a greater amount of stress
to it (Rehabilitation).]
Project Proposal (cont.)

8. Conclusion
[College athletics see a large number of serious injuries. These injuries can be
potentially fatal, for the athlete's career, their life, and any hope at a pain free existence.
The body is a work of art and, as any piece of art, requires dedication and attention to
detail. The Muscle Imagining System will not only provide images of what the current
state of the body is, but will also allow the individual to realize their full potential.
Hopefully, the use of the Muscle Imagining System will decrease the number of injuries
and increase the quality of life lived by athletes. Due to the nature of this project, it is
hoped that eventually all college athletic trainers will purchase a Muscle Imagining
System. Ultimately, this product would be a great fit not just for college athletes, but for
both higher and lower level programs such as professional teams and family gyms. The
demand for this product has great potential.]

9. References
Currie, Donya. "Prevention Saves Lives as Well as Money, New
Research Confirms." Medscape. WebMD, 2010. Web. 30 Apr.
2016.
How Does the BOD POD Work? N.p.: BYU, n.d. PDF.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "CT Scan." What You Can Expect. Mayo
Clinic, 25 Mar. 2015. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
"Rehabilitation Exercises for Sports Injuries." Rehabilitation
Exercises for Sports Injuries. Sports Clinic, n.d. Web. 30 Apr.
2016.
"Sports Injuries." Fast Facts About. NIH, Nov. 2014. Web. 30 Apr.
2016.
Thomas, Jim. "Frequency of Injury Among College Athletes.”
LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 22 June 2015. Web.
30 Apr. 2016.
Vesna, Victoria. "Medicine Pt 1." Unit 4 View. UCLA, Los Angeles.
30 Apr. 2016. Lecture.
Vordqvist, Christian. "CT Scan (CAT Scan): How Do They Work?”
Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 5 Feb. 2016.
Web. 30 Apr. 2016.

10. Bibliography / LinksChris Illiades, MD. "7 Reasons to Add Strength Training." Everyday Health.
Everyday Health Media, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
CT Scanner. Digital image. BD Medical Parts. BD Medical Parts, n.d. Web.
30 Apr. 2016.
Feature, Matthew Hoffman MDWebMD. "How to Prevent and Treat the
Seven Most Common Sports Injuries." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 30
Apr. 2016.
Franco, Eduardo L. "Preventive Medicine." Elsevier. Elsevier B.V., n.d.
Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
Illiades, Chris, MD. Strength Training. Digital image. Everyday Health.
Everyday Health Media, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
Ingraham, Paul. "Strength Training and Pain Management." Pain Science.
PainScience.com, 6 May 2011. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.

11. Bibliography Cont.Kerr, Zachary Y., PhD. "College Sports–Related Injuries
— United States, 2009–10 Through 2013–14
Academic Years." Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 11 Dec. 2015. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
Lawrence, David. "Injury Prevention Web - Home." Injury
Prevention Web - Home. IPW, n.d. Web. 30 Apr.
2016.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "What You Can Expect." Mayo Clinic.
Mayo Clinic, 25 Mar. 2016. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
"Overuse Injuries and Burnout in Youth Sports Can Have
Long-term Effects." Overuse Injuries and Burnout in
Youth Sports Can Have Long-term Effects. N.p., 23
Jan.2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
Peterson, Kristina. "College Athletes Stuck With the Bill
After Injuries." The New York Times. NY Times, 15
July 2009. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
Bibliography

12. Bibliography
Pukutian, Margot. "Mind, Body and Sport:
How Being Injured Affects Mental
Health." NCAA.org. NCAA, 05 Nov.
2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
Straus, Lindsey Barton, JD. "Sports Injury
Recovery." Moms Team. Moms Team,
12 Apr. 2015. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
Strong, Lydia. BOD POD. Digital image.
University News. University News, 20
Sept. 2010. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
Vorvick, Linda. "Tendon vs. Ligament:
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
Image." U.S National Library of
Medicine. U.S. National Library of
Medicine, 17 Aug. 2016. Web. 30 Apr.
2016.