Multilinear Wavelets: A Statistical Shape Space for Human Faces

We present a statistical model for $3$D human faces in varying expression, which decomposes the surface of the face using a wavelet transform, and learns many localized, decorrelated multilinear models on the resulting coefficients. Using this model we are able to reconstruct faces from noisy and occluded $3$D face scans, and facial motion sequences. Accurate reconstruction of face shape is important for applications such as tele-presence and gaming. The localized and multi-scale nature of our model allows for recovery of fine-scale detail while retaining robustness to severe noise and occlusion, and is computationally efficient and scalable. We validate these properties experimentally on challenging data in the form of static scans and motion sequences. We show that in comparison to a global multilinear model, our model better preserves fine detail and is computationally faster, while in comparison to a localized PCA model, our model better handles variation in expression, is faster, and allows us to fix identity parameters for a given subject.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures; accepted to ECCV 201

Reconstruction and analysis of shapes from 3D scans

In this thesis we use 3D laser range scans for the acquisition, reconstruction, and analysis of 3D shapes. 3D laser range scanning has proven to be a fast and effective way to capture the surface of an object in a computer. Thousands of depth measurements represent a part of the surface geometry as a cloud of 3D points and geometric algorithms have been developed to turn such 3D point sets into manageable shapes and shape representations for end users or other algorithms. We use 3D laser range scans to evaluate acquisition and reconstruction systems and algorithms, to fully automate the object reconstruction, to find discriminative face features, for automatic landmark extraction, for face identification with and without expressions, and for the statistical modeling of faces

Automatic bootstrapping of a morphable face model using multiple components

We present a new bootstrapping algorithm to automatically enhance a 3D morphable face model with new face data. Our algorithm is based on a morphable model fitting method that uses a set of predefined face components. This fitting method produces accurate model fits to 3D face data with noise and holes. In the fitting process, the dense point-to-point correspondences between the scan data and the face model may become less reliable at the borders of components. We solve this by introducing a blending technique that improves on the distorted correspondences close to the borders. Afterwards, a new face instance is acquired similar to the 3D scan data and in full correspondence with the face model. These newly generated face instances can then be added to the morphable face model to build a more descriptive one. To avoid our bootstrapping algorithm from needlessly adding redundant face data, we incorporate a redundancy estimation algorithm. We tested our bootstrapping algorithm on a set of scans acquired with different scanning devices, and on the UND data set. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation shows that our algorithm successfully enhances an initial morphable face model with new face data, in a fully automatic manner. ©2009 IEEE

3D whole body scanners revisited

An overview of whole body scanners in 1998 (H.A.M. Daanen, G.J. Van De Water. Whole body scanners, Displays 19 (1998) 111-120) shortly after they emerged to the market revealed that the systems were bulky, slow, expensive and low in resolution. This update shows that new developments in sensing and processing technology, in particular in structured light scanners, have produced a new generation of easy to transport, fast, inexpensive, accurate and high resolution scanners. The systems are now moving to the consumer market with high impact for the garment industry. Since the internet sales of garments is rapidly increasing, information on body dimensions become essential to guarantee a good fit, and 3D scanners are expected to play a major role. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Digital Head Avatars for combat helmet fit

Today’s combat helmet is becoming more than only a means to protect the warriors head. It is increasingly also used as a platform for sensors and has to integrate with other protection devices. As such, the combat helmet is becoming an integrated system with higher demands on combat helmet fit and stability. Combat helmet fit is usually tested in time-consuming field trials. This paper describes a study on the use of digital head avatars for combat helmet fit testing in the quest for less time-consuming trials. A family of seven digital head avatars with various head dimensions was selected from our database of 3D whole body scans of the Dutch Military Forces. Multiple head dimensions were used to select these seven head avatars, which were than printed in 3D. Different helmet configurations were placed onto the resulting digital head avatars (DHAs) as well physically on a set of subjects (male, n = 29) with comparable head dimensions, following the manufacturers guidelines. Each subject and head avatar was scanned with and without the helmet. After digitizing these helmet configurations, the orientation and position of each helmet was analyzed using 3D CAD. The results revealed that the helmet orientation and position was the same for the real subjects and for the DHAs. Hence, the use of helmet fit testing on DHAs has been validated, which opens the path to use DHAs for combat helmet fit testing. Currently this method is applied in the replacement of the Dutch combat helmet. A family of high resolution DHAs was constructed using the 3D head scans from subjects. The family of seven DHAs represent 95% of the Dutch soldier population. These DHAs are used to analyze each helmet fit in a digital manner as well as in a physical manner (using 3D printed versions). Thus it partly replaces field trials with the focus on helmet fit, other aspects such as thermal comfort, pressure points, compatibility with government furnished equipment still has to be evaluated in field trials

Concentration and distribution of nucleic acids in normal and atherosclerotic human aortas

Quantitative determinations of the nucleic acids in normal and atherosclerotic human aortic tissues were carried out. Intima (lesions removed), media (lesions removed), fatty streaks and spots, plaques and atheromas of the thoracic aorta at the various stages of atherosclerosis were separately analysed. A marked decrease was found in the deoxynucleic acid (DNA) level in the intima and the media from stage 0 to stage I. The DNA level in the more advanced lesions was significantly lower than that in the surrounding apparently unaffected tissue. From the observed RNA/DNA ratios it is concluded that the RNA content of the tissue-cells gradually increases in the course of the disease. Copyright © 1972 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinhei

3D Scanning of Dutch Military - Secular Trends in PCA for 18,000 Soldiers

The Netherlands Military Forces started 3D whole body scanning of their recruits in the year 2003. 1D-body dimensions are derived from the scans to supply the best fitting size without human involvement. In order to investigate secular trends in body dimensions, the dataset of 3D scans was cleaned and analyzed for inter-individual differences using principle component (PC) analysis. Changes in body dimensions and body posture were quantified over the period 2003-2012 and digital design extremes were constructed. The original dataset of 18221 scans was cleaned to 15231 male and 2390 female scans (97%). A male and female model was constructed from 200 selected men and 200 selected women. Since the arm position was not standardized during scanning, it was necessary to separate the arms from the torso. The analysis showed that men and women differed most for stature (PC1), mass and inner leg length (PC2) and mass without inner leg length (PC3). These PC values hardly changed over the years. However, the PCs of the arms changed over the years due to changing preferences in posture. The developed model enables quantification of the body shape and posture with only a small number of PCs. This means that the data can be stored and processed effectively. The generated design extremes may serve to optimize products related to the physical shape of soldiers