Parametric Human Body Reconstruction Based on Sparse Key Points.

We propose an automatic parametric human body reconstruction algorithm which can efficiently construct a model using a single Kinect sensor. A user needs to stand still in front of the sensor for a couple of seconds to measure the range data. The user's body shape and pose will then be automatically constructed in several seconds. Traditional methods optimize dense correspondences between range data and meshes. In contrast, our proposed scheme relies on sparse key points for the reconstruction. It employs regression to find the corresponding key points between the scanned range data and some annotated training data. We design two kinds of feature descriptors as well as corresponding regression stages to make the regression robust and accurate. Our scheme follows with dense refinement where a pre-factorization method is applied to improve the computational efficiency. Compared with other methods, our scheme achieves similar reconstruction accuracy but significantly reduces runtime.

StereoPasting: interactive composition in stereoscopic images.

We propose "StereoPasting," an efficient method for depth-consistent stereoscopic composition, in which a source 2D image is interactively blended into a target stereoscopic image. As we paint "disparity" on a 2D image, the disparity map of the selected region is gradually produced by edge-aware diffusion, and then blended with that of the target stereoscopic image. By considering constraints of the expected disparities and perspective scaling, the 2D object is warped to generate an image pair, which is then blended into the target image pair to get the composition result. The warping is formulated as an energy minimization, which could be solved in real time. We also present an interactive composition system, in which users can edit the disparity maps of 2D images by strokes, while viewing the composition results instantly. Experiments show that our method is intuitive and efficient for interactive stereoscopic composition. A lot of applications demonstrate the versatility of our method.

Influence of anisotropy on peri-implant stress and strain in complete mandible model from CT.

This paper reveals the influence of elastic anisotropy for the peri-implant stress and strain in personalized mandible. First, from CT data, the individual geometry of the complete range of mandible was well reproduced, also the separation between cortical and cancellous bone. Then, by an ad hoc automatic mesh generator integrated with anisotropic material assignment function, high quality anisotropic finite element model of the complete mandible was created, with two standard threaded implants embedded in posterior zone. The values of principal stress and strain in surrounding bone were evaluated under buccolingual oblique loading, and compared to that of the same FE model with equivalent isotropic material. Results of the analyses demonstrated that the percentage increase of stress and strain in anisotropic case reached up to 70%. It is concluded that anisotropy has significant effects on peri-implant stress and strain and careful consideration should be given to its use in biomechanical FE studies.

Anisotropic finite element modeling for patient-specific mandible.

This paper presents an ad hoc modular software tool to quasi-automatically generate patient-specific three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model of the human mandible. The main task is taking into account the complex geometry of the individual mandible, as well as the inherent highly anisotropic material law. At first, by computed tomography data (CT), the individual geometry of the complete range of mandible was well reproduced, also the separation between cortical and cancellous bone. Then, taking advantage of the inherent shape nature as 'curve' long bone, the algorithm employed a pair of B-spline curves running along the entire upper and lower mandible borders as auxiliary baselines, whose directions are also compatible with that of the trajectory of maximum material stiffness throughout the cortical bone of the mandible. And under the guidance of this pair of auxiliary baselines, a sequence of B-spline surfaces were interpolated adaptively as curve cross-sections to cut the original geometry. Following, based on the produced curve contours and the corresponding curve cross-section surfaces, quite well structured FE volume meshes were constructed, as well as the inherent trajectory vector fields of the anisotropic material (orthotropic for cortical bone and transversely isotropic for cancellous bone). Finally, a sensitivity analysis comprising various 3D FE simulations was carried out to reveal the relevance of elastic anisotropy for the load carrying behavior of the mandible.

[Establishment of a three-dimensional finite element model of mandible with dental implants for immediate loading].

PURPOSE: To establish a three-dimensional finite element model of mandible with dental implants for immediate loading, which will provide a basis for study of the biomechanical characteristics of the immediate loading implant-bone interface. METHODS: A female edentulous mandible was adopted for CT scanning, the scanned data were saved with the form of DICOM, and then input into compute. Universal Surgical Integration System which was developed by ourselves and ANSYS 10.0 were used to divide mesh and establish finite element model. Three dental implants simulating the real shape of ITI thread implant were embedded in the anterior region of the mandible, of which implant-bone interface was granted with situation of smooth friction simulating the case of immediate loading. RESULTS: The accurate finite element model of mandible with dental implants for immediate loading was established, which included 127811 tetrahedron elements with 182252 nodes. A single dental implant model comprised 13924 elements with 21420 nodes, the thread of it was continuous and smooth. CONCLUSION: The biomechanical similarity, the geometrical analogy and clinical indication of the model were quite good. The three-dimensional finite element model developed by this method can apply for precise analysis of the rule of biomechanics on the implant-bone interface for immediate loading.

Efficient volume preserving approach for skeleton-based implicit surfaces.

This paper presents an efficient way to preserve the volume of implicit surfaces generated by skeletons. Recursive subdivision is used to efficiently calculate the volume. The criterion for subdivision is obtained by using the property of density functions and treating different types of skeletons respectively to get accurate minimum and maximum distances from a cube to a skeleton. Compared with the criterion generated by other ways such as using traditional Interval Analysis, Affine Arithmetic, or Lipschitz condition, our approach is much better both in speed and accuracy.