Author Dr. Brian Anthony, Director of MIT’s Master of Engineering in Manufacturing Program
At first glance, medical and manufacturing professionals might seem worlds apart. Doctors focus on healing individuals, while manufacturers emphasize efficiency and mass production. Clinicians work with unique, ever-changing patient conditions, whereas manufacturers aim for controlled, repeatable processes to ensure product uniformity.
Yet, when it comes to imaging technology, these fields have more in common than one might think. By sharing insights and approaches, professionals in both industries can unlock innovations that improve diagnostics, quality control, and efficiency. Here are some key areas where medical and manufacturing imaging techniques can intersect to drive progress:
Diagnostics
The term “CT scan” has become so commonly used in medicine that most people likely don’t even know what it means. (It stands for “computed tomography.”) Clinicians rotate an X-ray beam around a patient’s body during a CT scan, capturing multiple images from various angles. These images are then combined through computer processing, resulting in detailed cross-sectional images of the body. Just as CT scans aid physicians in diagnosing patient issues, this type of non-destructive imaging could assist manufacturers in detecting defects in products. The technology holds significant promise for castings and complex assemblies. By using scanning to identify flaws earlier in the process, manufacturers might reduce waste and enhance quality control.
Controlled environments
Factories often provide an ideal setting for controlled imaging because manufacturers control the factory environments. This means, for example, that they can paint a factory wall a certain color to provide maximum contrast between the product and its surrounding environment. Medical imaging, by contrast, is often more variable and qualitative. Consider ultrasound imaging: The patient and doctor are moving, and as a result, the process typically does not produce precise or repeatable images. However, healthcare could improve precision by integrating additional sensors that measure movement, pressure, or other contextual data, making medical imaging more reliable despite the uncontrolled environment.
Surface mapping
In aviation manufacturing, quality control involves scanning large surfaces for paint imperfections or material defects — a challenge reflected in dermatology, where clinicians assess a patient’s entire body for skin irregularities indicative of disease. Instead of relying on expensive multi-camera arrays, both industries could benefit from mobile Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technologies combined with motion-capture cameras to capture and stitch together high-resolution images efficiently. Such approaches provide more cost-effective, scalable, and accessible solutions.
Motion capture
Motion analysis is integral to physical therapy, particularly gait analysis, enabling clinicians to diagnose neurological and musculoskeletal conditions accurately. Therapists can objectively evaluate patient mobility and monitor improvements over time by employing a minimal setup of cameras and specialized software. Similarly, the manufacturing industry can leverage these motion-capture technologies to improve worker safety, proactively identify ergonomic risks, and streamline workflows, resulting in enhanced workplace safety, reduced injuries, and greater productivity.
Photoacoustics
Unlike traditional ultrasound imaging, photoacoustics does not require physical contact, opening up new opportunities and possibilities for imaging in medicine and manufacturing. In healthcare, pulsed laser beams may generate and detect sound waves through human tissue, giving clinicians an additional way to see inside the body with the benefits of ultrasound but without contacting the patient. In industrial settings, manufacturers can use this contactless approach to precisely inspect materials such as aluminum and steel, enhancing quality control and inspection processes.
Cross-industry collaboration: A path to innovation
Breakthroughs often arise at the intersection of different disciplines. By fostering collaboration between imaging specialists in medicine and manufacturing, both fields can benefit from fresh perspectives and novel technology applications. However, these exchanges don’t happen by chance — they require deliberate effort, interdisciplinary dialogue, and opportunities for professionals to engage beyond their traditional domains.
By stepping outside their silos, imaging experts in both industries can discover transformative solutions that would be difficult to achieve in isolation. The future of imaging — whether for diagnosing diseases or optimizing manufacturing processes — may depend not just on technological advancements but on the willingness of professionals to learn from one another.
Dr. Anthony is the director of MIT’s Master of Engineering in Manufacturing Program, co-director of the Medical Electronic Device Realization Center, and associate director at MIT.nano. He is also the lead instructor of the MIT Professional Education course, Imaging Systems & Machine Learning in Medicine and Advanced Manufacturing. With over 20 years of experience in product realization — Dr. Anthony won an Emmy (from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences) in broadcast technical innovation — Dr. Anthony designs instruments and techniques to monitor and control physical systems. His work involves systems analysis and design and calling upon mechanical, electrical, and optical engineering, along with computer science and optimization, to create solutions.
