Google Body Browser: Explore The Human Anatomy In 3D

Google just launched "Body Browser," a WebGL application that lets users explore a high resolution, interactive 3D model of the human anatomy--from the skin down to the nervous system.

By scrolling through the Body Browser navigation bar, the user can peel away layers of the model to reveal what's underneath. For example, removing the skin (Eek!) exposes the body's muscles, which can be examined by zooming in and out. Clicking on a body part calls up its dedicated label and isolates that part by dimming the surrounding area. Users can also locate a specific part of the body by using the handy search bar, which functions similarly to Google's Web search, complete with predictive results.

"Perhaps best of all: no plug-ins," PopSci extols. "No Flash, no Java. The application runs right in any WebGL supported browser." As Google explains in a blog post, you'll need to download Chrome 9 Beta or Firefox 4 beta to play around with this new addition to the Google Labs.

If you're already running a WebGL-enabled browser, you can try out the Body Browser for yourself. If not, you can click through the slideshow (below) to see the different views the Body Browser affords.