R&D Engagement and Science Communication

Interactive, aesthetic, and participatory public engagement and science communication: towards an accessible and diverse research and development landscape. The Institute's scientists are committed to raising awareness about how digital medicine and related STEM sciences influence healthcare. They develop experiential SciArt projects to stimulate critical dialog and ownership of new technologies, reach new audiences and foster a diverse future R&D landscape. The digital extension of human decision-making processes is not perfect and has its limits just as much as purely human interactions. It is a matter of uniting the specific capabilities of both worlds and adapting technological processes to human needs and abilities. Human-centered digitalization can explain, visualize and help manage complexities. Our concern is to make these new procedures understandable and accessible in our science communication. We also address topics artistically, utilizing or uniting digital medical image data, anatomical-medical illustration, and volume renderings to develop visuals and illustrate the R&D performed at the Institute. Our focus is on diverse, life-long education, collaborative production, and scientifically inspired art. Laypersons and experts are invited to get involved, learn, and exchange ideas eye-to-eye with the scientists. Engagement is a two-way process involving attention and interaction for mutual understanding and benefit. The aims are:

• making the outcome and impact of R&D accessible and stimulating critical dialog within society
• fostering diverse and equal ownership of future technology
• bolstering digital sovereignty for cooperating partners, universities, schools, employees, the media, and the broader public
• creating meaningful interactions between diverse players in society and STEM scientists in digital medicine
• shaping the future of digital medicine with the next generation of scientists
• promoting "first-in-family" academics
• supporting evidence-based discussions by learning and co-creation to build confidence in digital medicine and related STEM sciences

This short movie shows the dynamic reconstruction of the blood flow of a healthy human heart. New imaging methods for flow visualizations as shown are integrated into software assistants to help doctors determine how the blood flow changes due to heart diseases without using a catheter. They help calculate how the blood pressure and shear forces on the wall of the blood vessels change for patients with heart valve problems. Additional patient-specific numerical flow simulations could help estimate the benefits provided by a new heart valve before an intervention.