The Allen Brain Atlas provides most of their tracked brain data as 3d-files in the VTK-format. I found it difficult to find a converter for this format that would give me e.g. an obj-file. I came across the Graph Toolbox for Matlab which can read vtk-files and write obj-files. However, their importer did not work for that particular version of the vtk-format. Here is read_Allen_vtk.m, an m-file that I derived from read_vtk.m, which is able to extract all vertices and face-data from the vtk-files. You can then save them using write_obj() and open them in the 3d-tool of your choice. In the upper image you see the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex of the mouse in Blender.
Hi Martin,
I am currently attempting to download VTK files of the whole and specific brain areas from the Allen Brain Atlas Brain Explorer program. I have been having a lot of difficulty finding where the actual VTK files are stored. From your blog, it appears as though you have had success doing this. I was curious if you would be able to share the procedure with me so I can download the files and eventually convert them into a Blender friendly format.