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Medical Technology & Imaging Physics

Understand how MRI machines align proton spins, how ultrasound maps tissue boundaries, and how ECG electrodes reconstruct the heart's electrical conduction — all with interactive physics.

5 simulations Wave Physics · EM Fields Fourier · Signal Processing

Simulations

Open any simulation — runs instantly in your browser

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★★☆ Moderate
Wave Equation — Ultrasound Physics
2D wave equation solved with finite differences. Adjust frequency, medium boundaries and impedance mismatch to model how ultrasound reflects off tissue layers.
Wave EqReflectionGLSL
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Popular★★☆ Moderate
Fourier Series & Transform
Draw any shape and watch the Fourier epicycles reconstruct it. Core of MRI k-space reconstruction, ECG spectral analysis and CT sinogram back-projection.
FFTFrequencyCanvas
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★★★ AdvancedNew
Double Slit — X-Ray Diffraction
Quantum wave-particle duality and diffraction patterns. X-ray crystallography uses the same interference principles to determine protein and DNA structures.
DiffractionQMGLSL
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★★★ Advanced
Schrödinger Equation — NMR Spin
1D split-operator method solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Directly models nuclear spin precession — the quantum basis of MRI signal acquisition.
QMSpinFFT
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★★☆ Moderate
Disease Spread Simulation
Agent-based SIR/SEIR with adjustable R₀, vaccination rate and hospital capacity. Models real epidemiological dynamics and intervention strategies.
SEIRAgentsMonte Carlo
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New★★★ Advanced
MRI / NMR Physics
Bloch equation simulator — RF pulses tip the magnetisation vector, T1 and T2 relaxation shape the FID signal. Tissue presets for water, fat, muscle, brain GM/WM and CSF.
Bloch EqSpink-Space
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New★★☆ Moderate
ECG Simulator
Interactive 12-lead ECG with Gaussian P-QRS-T synthesis. Presets: normal sinus, tachycardia, bradycardia, atrial fibrillation, ventricular fibrillation and VT.
P-QRS-TCardiacSignal
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★★☆ Intermediate New
Lung Mechanics
Interactive pulmonary mechanics simulation. Visualise tidal breathing, pressure-volume loops, airway resistance and compliance. Compare normal, COPD and ARDS patterns.
Compliance P-V Loop Canvas 2D

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About Medical Technology Simulations

Imaging, biomechanics, prosthetics, and diagnostic modelling

Medical technology simulations model the physics and computational methods underlying medical imaging and therapeutic devices. MRI k-space simulations fill a 2D Fourier-space matrix with encoded spin-echo signals and apply an inverse FFT to reconstruct the image, showing why motion artefacts appear as ghosting along the phase-encode direction. CT back-projection simulations assemble cross-sectional images from sinogram data using filtered back-projection.

Ultrasound beam-pattern simulations compute the pressure field of a phased-array transducer using Rayleigh–Sommerfeld diffraction, showing how beam steering and focusing are achieved by applying time delays across elements. Prosthetic limb biomechanics models compute ground-reaction forces and joint moments during gait cycles, informing socket-interface and actuation design. These simulations are used in biomedical-engineering curricula and medical-device R&D programmes.

Each simulation in this category is built with accuracy and interactivity in mind. The underlying mathematical models are the same ones used in academic research and professional engineering — just made accessible through a web browser. Changing parameters in real time and observing the results is one of the most effective ways to build intuition for complex scientific and engineering concepts.

Key Concepts

Topics and algorithms you'll explore in this category

MRI PhysicsSpin precession, Larmor frequency, k-space encoding
Ultrasound ImagingPiezoelectric pulses, echo timing, B-mode sweep
CT TomographyRadon transform, filtered back-projection, Hounsfield units
ECG Signal ModelP-QRS-T wave generation and arrhythmia patterns
X-Ray AttenuationBeer-Lambert law and contrast-agent physics
PharmacokineticsOne- and two-compartment ADME drug models

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this simulation category

What medical imaging topics are simulated?
MRI (spin precession, k-space trajectory), ultrasound (B-mode sweep, echo timing), CT (filtered back-projection reconstruction), X-ray attenuation (Beer-Lambert), and ECG waveform generation including arrhythmias.
How does the MRI simulation work?
The simulation demonstrates spin precession at the Larmor frequency, excitation with a 90° RF pulse, and the echo signal that forms k-space. You can see how gradient encoding maps spatial position into frequency.
Can medical students use these for study?
Yes — they are designed to give intuitive understanding of physics principles behind diagnostic imaging modalities, complementing theoretical coursework in medical physics and radiology.