An anatomically accurate biomechanical model of the human face for simulating facial expressions (Video) 
(Seminars)
13 March 2012
4 - 5pm
Venue: Ground Floor Seminar Room (G010), UniServices House, 70 Symonds Street, Auckland
A Bioengineering PhD Exit Seminar by Alice Hung, Auckland Bioengineering Institute
Facial animations are often generated using geometric techniques that disregard the underlying mechanics of facial structures. In this talk, I will be presenting an anatomically accurate biomechanical model of the face for simulation of facial expressions.
The proposed computational model was formulated using the Finite Element method based on finite elasticity theory for predicting large deformations of soft tissues. This model uses highly accurate geometric descriptions of skin, facial muscles and the skull surface based on segmentation of cryosections from the Visible Human.
Accurate fibre orientations of muscles were embedded inside the facial model using a 3-component (vector) Finite Element field. Active contraction was modelled by modifying the passive stress tensor that resulted from the constitutive relation. Frictionless contact constraint was imposed via the penalty method to prevent penetration of facial soft tissues into the skull. A customisation framework was developed to streamline the process for generating subject-specific models of facial structures.
Facial expressions were successfully generated for a number of individuals and the results will be presented.
Watch the high-resolution version of this video.
