This was an old project from October 2015. We were working with a startup to try turning sonograms into 3D printable models. The process was pretty simple, import the photo into Photoshop, and create a depth map in 3D settings. Then you adjust the z height until the super high peaks look to be about the right height.

Unfortunately it was very difficult to make the 3D versions not creepy. None of the mothers we’d talked to seemed interested in getting one for themselves. The data is 3D, but it’s sliced at a certain depths so the baby’s head is shown as hollow. It seemed like the way to go was to make prefabricated baby fetus models and then re-position them to match the pose in the picture. That wasn’t really what we were going for so the project ended there.