The Suitability of 3D Data: 3D Digitisation of Human Remains

The use of 3D data in the analysis of skeletal and fossil materials has conveyed numerous advantages in many fields; however, as the availability and use of 3D scanning equipment are rapidly increasing, it is important for researchers to consider whether these methods are suitable for the proposed study. The issue of suitability has been largely overlooked in previous research; for instance, casts and reconstruction methods are frequently used to increase sample sizes, without sufficient assessment of the effect, this may have on the accuracy and reliability of results. Furthermore, the reliability of geometric morphometric methods and the implications of virtual curation have not received sufficient consideration. This paper discusses the suitability of 3D research with regard to the accuracy, reliability, and accessibility of methods and materials, as well as the effects of the current learning environment. Areas where future work will progress 3D research are proposed

3D digitisation of cultural heritage: copyright implications of the methods, purposes and collaboration

3D technology is increasingly used in the digitisation of cultural heritage and while parties engaging in such projects need copyright as an incentive, the copyright status of such 3D models are unclear. It is usually assumed they would not be protected, as the scans of existing objects are less likely to be original compared to the 3D models created from scratch. However, it is often overlooked that these projects vary greatly in terms of the chosen method (whether it is laser scanning or photogrammetry), the project’s purpose (if it is for identical copying or if there is any restoration or creative contribution involved) and the collaboration of different people (ranging from employees to volunteers). This article will discuss the copyright implications of the chosen method, purposes and the level of collaboration, in order to show that each of these factors impact the category, originality and the authorship of the resulting work. It will be argued that it is possible, and in some instances very likely, for 3D projects to lead to protectable outcomes under the EU copyright law

STEREOPHOTOGRAMMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE HUMAN FACE: A TOOL FOR MODERN MORPHOLOGISTS

The introduction of new technologies has provided, in the last years, a significant contribution to anthropometry. In this context, facial anthropometry has greatly benefited from optical instruments such as laser scanners and stereophotogrammetry. The latter technique has proven to be accurate, repeatable and fast; therefore, taking into consideration its non-invasive nature, it has been increasingly applied to medicine, due to the relevant support that anthropometry can provide to this field. A facial anthropometric assessment can provide reliable morphometric details about the presence of deformities and peculiar features connected to underlying pathological conditions, not always easily recognizable. In the case of certain neurologic diseases, it can also provide new insights about the genotype/phenotype correlation taking the close relationship between facial and cerebral development into consideration. Furthermore, the three-dimensional morphometric evaluation of the face can reveal objective parameters useful for the planning and assessment of maxillo-facial and dental treatments, thus facilitating the clinical decisions and increasing the patients\u2019 compliance. The facial morphometric evaluations presented in the current thesis were performed through the VECTRA M3 3D stereophotogrammetric system (Canfield Scientific, Fairfield, NJ, USA). All the patients and control subjects involved were marked with a set of facial landmarks (adapted according to the different study purposes), before the acquisitions. Once the three-dimensional models were obtained, they were elaborated through the software of the stereophotogrammetric system. Data were analysed through different statistical techniques, according to the type of study executed. The morphometric evaluations were divided in two groups: facial morphometric analyses performed through a landmark-based approach and through a surface- based approach. The first group included the studies: 1) \u201cThe face of adult patients affected by Dravet Syndrome: a 3D stereophotogrammetric preliminary assessment\u201d, 2) \u201c3D Craniofacial morphometric analysis of GLUT-1 DS patients\u201d and 3) \u201cStereophotogrammetric analysis of a case of holoprosencephaly\u201d. The second group included the studies: 4) \u201c3D stereophotogrammetric assessment of labial symmetry in a girl treated for a lymphatic malformation\u201d and 5) \u201cFacial reanimation assessment performed through 3D-3D superimposition: a new method\u201d. 7 For both assessed syndromes, study 1 and 2 allowed the individuation of facial features common among the patients, whose recognition can have a role in the diagnosis of the disease, both in children (study 2) and in adult cases (study 1). Study 3 allowed the identification of the presence of dysmorphic facial features in a girl affected by holoprosencephaly with an apparently normal aspect, thus sustaining the potential of the 3D stereophotogrammetric facial analysis in the morphometric characterisation of the face. Study 4 and 5 showed the usefulness of this technique for performing an objective surgical follow-up and final evaluation of maxillo-facial treatments, helping clinicians in their decisions and motivating the patients. In conclusion, all the studies sustained the usefulness, for medical purposes, of an anthropometric assessment of the human face, performed through a three-dimensional stereophotogrammetric analysis. Moreover, they highlighted its applicability to different categories of patients, including children and people with intellectual disability; thus again justifying the increasing diffusion of stereophotogrammetry in clinical and research centres

The use of computer-aided design techniques in dynamic graphical simulation

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