Anthropological Facial Approximation in Three Dimensions (AFA3D): Computer‐Assisted Estimation of the Facial Morphology Using Geometric Morphometrics |
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Authors: | Pierre Guyomarc'h PhD Bruno Dutailly MSc Jérôme Charton MSc Frédéric Santos MSc Pascal Desbarats PhD Hélène Coqueugniot PhD |
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Institution: | 1. Université Bordeaux 1, UMR 5199 PACEA, CNRS, MCC, Anthropologie des Populations Passées et Présentes, , F‐33615 Pessac, France;2. Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, Central Identification Laboratory, , USA‐96853 Joint Base Pearl Harbor‐Hickam, HI;3. Laboratoire Bordelais de Recherche en Informatique, Université Bordeaux 1, UMR 5800 LaBRI, , F‐33405 Talence, France;4. Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, , D‐04103 Leipzig, Germany |
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Abstract: | This study presents Anthropological Facial Approximation in Three Dimensions (AFA3D), a new computerized method for estimating face shape based on computed tomography (CT) scans of 500 French individuals. Facial soft tissue depths are estimated based on age, sex, corpulence, and craniometrics, and projected using reference planes to obtain the global facial appearance. Position and shape of the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears are inferred from cranial landmarks through geometric morphometrics. The 100 estimated cutaneous landmarks are then used to warp a generic face to the target facial approximation. A validation by re‐sampling on a subsample demonstrated an average accuracy of c. 4 mm for the overall face. The resulting approximation is an objective probable facial shape, but is also synthetic (i.e., without texture), and therefore needs to be enhanced artistically prior to its use in forensic cases. AFA3D, integrated in the TIVMI software, is available freely for further testing. |
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Keywords: | forensic science facial reconstruction facial reproduction soft tissue depth
TIVMI
computed tomography |
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