The future of acupuncture education: 3D Augmented Reality (AR) acupuncture model for Chinese Medicine

Abstract

Acupuncture is a therapeutic modality in Traditional Chinese Medicine which aims to improve the flow of Qi (chi) or energy around the body by applying needles to specific points on the skin. Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches that Qi must flow freely through the body’s meridians, or channels, to ensure health and well-being. Traditionally, Chinese Medicine practitioners used a wooden, copper or bronze acupuncture model to show the points where needles should be applied to the skin and the meridians through which Qi flows around the body. However, as traditional models depict acupuncture points which are too rigid for teaching purposes, understanding the descriptions of acupuncture points from textbooks in 2D is also another hurdle for beginners to apply them to the human body in 3D. With modern computing and 3D-printing technologies, this article introduces a realistic human model in the form of a 6-foot copper acupuncture sculpture with over 370 virtual acupuncture points using state-of-the-art Augmented Reality (AR) and metal 3D-printing techniques for enhanced teaching, learning, and demonstration of acupuncture principles. It will be a new training model for Western and Chinese medical practitioners as well as for the public to gain interactive acupuncture experience that is beneficial to their own health.