One of the benefits animations offer to the world of healthcare is the ability to explain and simplify a range of processes and procedures, even of the most complex, and sometimes intimate, in nature.

Put on gloves animation

But how do we go about capturing a human-related task, and translating it clearly and accurately into an animation?

Using the specific technique of correctly putting on a pair of surgical gloves as an example, we explain the different stages we followed to create this animation for Medical Aid Films…

1. The first step is to understand and perform the process in real life. In this instance, a medical professional demonstrated how the gloves should be put on, in order to minimise the threat of infection transmission. In the studio, we then performed the process ourselves.

2. Photographs covering each key stage of the process were taken (see below) and a series of individual images drawn in the first person to re-create each intricate movement.

3. Finally, these images are combined and timed to create the animation using Adobe Animate and After Effects.

Voiceovers can be added to verbally explain the process, if necessary. This allows the same animation to be used to different audiences across the world.

This animation was created for Medical Aid Films (MAF) as part of a wider project they are delivering on infection control practices.

As MAF explains: “This instructional video seeks to show the technique for catheter insertion into the urinary tract in order to help prevent infection. This might be a difficult or delicate procedure to film, so animation is a great way to clearly demonstrate the process and improve understanding.”

As you can see in this example, using 2D animation to explain a procedure, is essentially bringing a diagram to life and putting it in motion to engage and educate your audience.

Read about the full animation process here.