An Interactive Voxel Model Posing and Anthropometric Morphing Tool

ABSTRACT: Electromagnetic (EM) devices are used increasingly in society, with applications in communication, medicine, security, and defense, among others. To study safety and potential health hazards of EM devices, high-fidelity voxelized anatomical body models have been used in conjunction with sophisticated EM and thermal solvers to predict energy absorption rates and tissue temperature elevation. However, available voxel models are limited in postures and anthropometry which are well known to have significant effect on model prediction. The goal of this study is to develop an interactive software tool to manipulate the pose and morph the shape of voxel models according to anthropometry parameters and 3D body scans. In the Phase I, we will demonstrate the capability of using a combined geometrical and elasticity deformation approach for fast deformation of voxel models. This novel approach allows for interactive user operation with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and produces nearly conserved volume during posing. In the Phase II, automated process of matching voxel models to 3D anthropometry body scans will be developed. Model verification and validation, software optimization, and interface development and integration with other AFRL software will also be conducted in Phase II. BENEFIT: This work will result in an interactive software tool for generating anthropometric voxel models with realistic postures. The models and software developed can benefit biomedical scientists, health and medical physicists, and bioenvironmental engineers who study the effect of EM devices on safety and health hazards. The software tool has broad applications on communication, medicine, security, and defense. In civilian application, these models and tools can be used to study risks of accidental and job duty RF overexposures over a broad set of exposure conditions. In medicine application, the techniques developed could be very useful in a surgery planning tool. In military application, the anthropometric voxel models can be used to design non lethal weapons and novel directed energy systems and additionally they can be used for projectile penetration injury analysis and design of protective body armors.