---
title: 3D Gaussian Splatting and Future Digital Twins
description: Demonstration of 3D Gaussian Splatting with optical phantom technology to create detailed digital twins for accelerating fluorescence imaging development.
image: https://blog.quelimaging.com/hubfs/QUEL_FluoFlowColon.gif
---

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### View of Field

 Nov 14, 2025 10:45:00 AM

# 3D Gaussian Splatting and Future Digital Twins

![Picture of Ethan LaRochelle](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/925081a77283a399dbd145b49b251212) [Ethan LaRochelle](https://blog.quelimaging.com/author/ethan)

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This week, we shared a five-day series of 3D Gaussian splats created in collaboration with [OpsiClear](https://www.opsiclear.com/), who have been developing an advanced 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) pipeline to transform clinical specimens and physical phantoms into detailed, true-to-life digital twins.

At QUEL Imaging, this work aligns closely with [our mission](https://www.quelimaging.com/about): to advance quantitative fluorescence imaging by creating phantoms and simulation tools that tightly couple physical measurements with computational modeling. Well-characterized 3D models — when paired with [Monte Carlo simulations](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40443945/) — become the backbone of powerful digital twins that can accelerate system design, performance testing, and translational research.

Below is a recap of the modeling technology, along with insights into how 3DGS fits into our broader vision for hybrid physical–digital phantoms.

|  |
| --- |
| Interactive Depth Target 3DGS |
|  |
| Interactive Mouse Phantom 3DGS |

## Why 3D Gaussian Splatting Matters for Phantom Development

3D Gaussian Splatting offers a fast, flexible way to create dense, photorealistic 3D reconstructions from real objects. For optical phantom development, this presents several key advantages:

- **Capturing geometry with high fidelity:** Phantoms often encode anatomical or structural details that matter for optical behavior. 3DGS preserves these fine features
- **Providing realistic visualization and interactive exploration:** Researchers and system designers can view phantoms from any angle, examine structural complexity, and understand light paths intuitively.
- **Supporting digital twin workflows:** When combined with QUEL Imaging’s Monte Carlo fluorescence simulations, 3DGS-derived meshes become the foundation for predictive modeling — merging the physical and virtual domains.
- **Accelerating system development:** Digital-first prototyping (via splats + simulations) helps teams evaluate imaging performance before building physical prototypes, improving both speed and iteration quality.
  
  This week’s splats highlighted these concepts across a range of phantom geometries, from simple performance targets to complex organ models.

|  |
| --- |
| Interactive 3DGS of the Prototype FluoFlow® Colon Phantom |
|  |
| Design concept and demonstration of the Prototype FluoFlow® Colon Phantom |

## 🔬 Spotlight: QUEL’s FluoFlow**®** Product Line

Our [FluoFlow**®**](https://shop.quelimaging.com/product/fluoflow/) platform is designed to introduce dynamic fluorescence behavior into tissue-mimicking phantoms. Instead of static fluorophores or embedded targets alone, FluoFlow**®** allows researchers to:

- simulate blood flow, perfusion, and in-flow/out-flow kinetics
- evaluate dynamic imaging performance, including temporal sensitivity and motion-related artifacts
- test quantitative fluorescence imaging algorithms under controlled, reproducible flow conditions
- integrate dynamic experiments with Monte Carlo simulations for hybrid digital-physical studies

The Colon FluoFlow® Phantom featured on Friday is a perfect example: a colon-mimicking optical structure paired with controlled flow channels to evaluate fluorescence signal dynamics in real time.

Paired with 3D Gaussian Splatting, FluoFlow® systems can be reconstructed as 3D digital twins, enabling simulation-driven design iteration, dynamic modeling, and advanced visualization — all from the same physical phantom.

## Closing Thoughts

This week’s collaboration with OpsiClear gave us a glimpse of what’s possible when physical phantoms and advanced 3D representations converge. Whether for visualization, simulation, or developing digital twins, 3D Gaussian splats offer a powerful complement to our optical phantom technologies.

We’re excited to continue exploring the intersection of well-characterized physical models, 3D reconstruction, and computational simulation — and to keep sharing what we discover along the way. Please let us know how we can help accelerate your clinical translation by [reaching out!](https://shop.quelimaging.com/resources/#contact)

[concepts](https://blog.quelimaging.com/tag/concepts), [fluorescencefriday](https://blog.quelimaging.com/tag/fluorescencefriday), [clinical translation](https://blog.quelimaging.com/tag/clinical-translation)

## Related posts

[![Fluorescence image of an ICG-equivalent concentration sensitivity phantom](https://blog.quelimaging.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Log_concentration_example_crop.png?height=200&name=Log_concentration_example_crop.png)](https://blog.quelimaging.com/performance-evaluation-for-fgs-systems-phantoms)

[standardization](https://blog.quelimaging.com/tag/standardization)

## [Performance Evaluation for FGS Systems: Phantoms](https://blog.quelimaging.com/performance-evaluation-for-fgs-systems-phantoms)

![Picture of Ethan LaRochelle](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/925081a77283a399dbd145b49b251212) [Ethan LaRochelle](https://blog.quelimaging.com/author/ethan) 

 Jul 14, 2023 10:46:33 AM

Two key components of TG311 focus on developing recommendations for measuring clinically-relevant...

[Read more](https://blog.quelimaging.com/performance-evaluation-for-fgs-systems-phantoms)

[![QUEL Imaging's Skin Tone Multi-material Phantom](https://blog.quelimaging.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202025-10-27%20at%209.37.18%20AM.png?height=200&name=Screenshot%202025-10-27%20at%209.37.18%20AM.png)](https://blog.quelimaging.com/optiblox-qx-overview)

[optical properties](https://blog.quelimaging.com/tag/optical-properties), [tissue optics](https://blog.quelimaging.com/tag/tissue-optics), [optiblox](https://blog.quelimaging.com/tag/optiblox)

## [Heterogeneous Optical Tissue Phantoms using Multi-Material Manufacturing](https://blog.quelimaging.com/optiblox-qx-overview)

![Picture of The QUEL Team](https://blog.quelimaging.com/hs-fs/hubfs/QUEL_Q.png?width=50&name=QUEL_Q.png) [The QUEL Team](https://blog.quelimaging.com/author/quel) 

 Oct 27, 2025 5:30:00 AM

Traditional optical phantoms have limitations. They're homogeneous blocks of material with uniform...

[Read more](https://blog.quelimaging.com/optiblox-qx-overview)

[![Use of Phantoms for common applications](https://blog.quelimaging.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PhantomsOverview.png?height=200&name=PhantomsOverview.png)](https://blog.quelimaging.com/tissue-optical-phantoms-essential-tools-for-advancing-fgs)

[concepts](https://blog.quelimaging.com/tag/concepts)

## [Tissue Optical Phantoms: Essential Tools for Advancing FGS](https://blog.quelimaging.com/tissue-optical-phantoms-essential-tools-for-advancing-fgs)

![Picture of Ethan LaRochelle](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/925081a77283a399dbd145b49b251212) [Ethan LaRochelle](https://blog.quelimaging.com/author/ethan) 

 Nov 12, 2024 3:30:37 PM

Fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) gives surgeons enhanced precision by illuminating specific...

[Read more](https://blog.quelimaging.com/tissue-optical-phantoms-essential-tools-for-advancing-fgs)

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---

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