The Data Visualisation Observatory has featured in a BBC film where it was used to support a unique experiment on immunity in the fight against Covid-19.
In The Truth about Boosting your Immune System Professor Sheena Cruickshank, The University of Manchester's academic lead for Public Engagement with Research and an immunologist, appears alongside presenter Dr Ronx Ikharia, an emergency medicine doctor.
In the programme they recruit a group of volunteers with busy lifestyles who are not as healthy as they could or should be, such that their immune system is not at its best. They then give them an ‘immune makeover' by changing their diet, exercise and sleep habits for six weeks in order to test the impact on their immune health and discover how we might all benefit.
They discover just how easily our immune system can be damaged and the surprising ways it can be strengthened, from a relaxing massage to modifying your food. "It's all about how our modern day lifestyles are damaging to our immune system making it misfire and not worth optimally," Cruickshank explains. "Simple changes such as a healthy varied diet, moderate exercise and a healthy sleep routine can improve our immune health and it's something we can all do."
High-quality images
In the making of the film a segment was filmed on campus in the Observatory, and it's an example of how the Observatory allows users to visualise raw high-quality images using an immersive environment.
For instance the visualisation package is of particular use to cultural institutions wishing to digitise collections, and facilitates the viewing of any high-quality image by curving the image according to the 320 degree arc of the Observatory.
It also enables the viewer to see 2D content in 3D by adding the depth dimension automatically as appropriate, and enables visualised content to be changed in a few quick steps.
You can watch the programme on BBC iPlayer.
Find out more about the Data Visualisation Observatory >>
