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iPad App Review: Leonardo da Vinci Anatomy


App Name: Leonardo da Vinci Anatomy

Cost: $13.99    

What does it promise?  This app offers high-definition renderings of some of da Vinci’s most famous anatomical drawings.

da Vinci anatomyDoes it deliver? Yes. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II made her collection of da Vinci notebooks available to the app developers so that millions could have the opportunity to view and study them. All 268 pages from Leonardo’s notebooks are presented here at high resolution, optimized for the pin-sharp retina display of the new iPad. For the first time, it is possible for anyone with an iPad to own and explore this remarkable testament to the artist’s genius.

Users can touch any of da Vinci’s extensive notes to read in situ a typeset English translation. Adding perspective to da Vinci’s drawings, experts in the medical field from institutions like the Royal College of Surgeons of England discuss the significance of the artist’s anatomical discoveries, right next to the actual drawings. Students can see just how accurate his drawings are via the integrated 3D anatomical models from world-leading medical animators Primal Pictures. These models are carefully matched to Leonardo’s illustrations and made interactive using Touch Press rotational technology.

Can I use it in my classroom?  Given that this app offers anatomically correct drawings, it isn’t appropriate for younger students. It is, however, appropriate for the middle- or high-school levels. The app has a place in health, science, history or art classrooms.

All apps can be found in the iPad apps store under education.

Related resources

Explore the use of the iPad App Store in the classroom.
See additional EducationWorld reviews of iPad apps.
See other product reviews in our Tech in the Classroom archive.


Article by Jason Tomaszewski, EducationWorld Associate Editor
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