In June 2011, INFOVALLEY's Digital Autopsy Technology was featured in a documentary entitles Mummifying Alan: Egypt’s Last Secret, produced by Blinks Film for BBC channel 4. The documentary was first aired on October 24th, 2011. For the first time in the history, the inside and the outside of the freshly mummified body could be visualized digitally using a digital visualization technology developed by a Malaysian Company, iGene Sdn. Bhd., a subsidiary of INFOVALLEY Group. Quite recently, the documentary, won The Royal Television Society Award for Science & Natural History, UK Award.
Group of experts including Archeologist, Chemist, Scientist and Forensic Pathologist was involved in replicating the way the Egyptians preserved bodies during the 18th century. Professor Dr. Peter Vanezis, the world-renowned UK Forensic Pathologist involved in removing the external organs of Alan. He also examined the mummy both physically and digitally using Digital Autopsy Technology and stated that it is a history made and in the making as the world could now understand and continue to learn about the science of mummification in years to come without having to destroy the invaluable body of Mr. Alan Billis.
A CT scan of Alan was performed prior to the embalming process, and after the mummification process ended. Alan’s body was scanned using standard CT scanner with a specific protocol developed by iGene for pre and post-mummified visualization. He was scanned at a thickness of 625 microns (0.625mm), several times thinner than the 750 microns slices used to create the 3D visualization of the last Egyptian Mummy, King Tutankhamen.
Next, the raw data was loaded into the Digital Autopsy Software System, which provided accurate details of the new age mummy. The first complete full body data of Alan was visualized using iDASSTM (Digital Autopsy Software System). The mummy was rendered in 3D volume by reconstructing thousands of slices of CT scan raw images in an elegant manner. A high definition 3D volume of Alan which allows researchers to distinguish finer details of the body was generated by
iDASSTM. This allows the research team (forensic pathologist, chemist and forensic anthropologist) to analyze and have meaningful visualization of the mummy, most importantly, without invasion and destruction to the physical body. The mummified body of Alan has also presented an opportunity for further study using the Digital Autopsy Technology to appreciate changes in tissues and structures over the period of mummification. The advanced medical imaging technology as introduced by iGene has made what was not possible before a real possibility today.
About the Documentary:
Title: Mummifying Alan: Egypt’s Last Secret
Channel: Channel 4, aired 24th Oct 2011, 9pm
Cast and Crew - Blinks Films
Director: Kenny Scott
Executive Producer: Justine Kershaw, Gillian Mosely
Executive Producer: Gillian Mosely
Producer: Laura Jones
Visualization Technology: iGene Sdn. Bhd. (a subsidiary of INFOVALLEY group)
By Syazana Jalaludin, Forensic Scientist - R&D
Full Report of Mummifying Alan
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