Dynamic facial soft tissue analysis system.

描述（由申请人提供）：本二期STTR申请的主要目标是完成用于静态分析（在一期完成）和软组织运动动态分析（计划在二期完成）的无地标定量4D面部分析系统的开发。潜在的目标应用范围很广——用于培训和教育目的的识别模拟面部识别；电影的动画产业；以及先天性畸形、牙面不和谐、面部创伤和神经问题患者的医疗诊断、治疗计划和结果评估。这些患者有面部残疾，需要治疗以改善其面部软组织的美感和运动。他们将从客观测量和面部特征/地标分析中受益匪浅，以帮助医生确定他们的治疗计划。由于正在进行的NIDCR临床试验，我们在动态客观测量方面有丰富的经验，以检查手术对唇腭裂（CL/P）患者环口功能的影响。3dMD和Trotman博士将使用CL/P患者进行“概念验证”和技术开发。此外，在第一阶段，“概念验证”已经完成，从而开发了用于静态条件下面部软组织自动3D评估的新型软件。第二阶段扩展了动态面部软组织运动的自动四维评估技术。第二阶段的具体目标如下：1)收集CL/P患者和无已知面部问题的对照组以60帧/秒的速度拍摄的按年龄和性别分层的4D动态面部图像。从这些图像中，验证能够区分运动受损患者和正常“未受损”受试者的算法。2)将项目第一阶段开发的表面提取算法和软件扩展到从四维动态图像中自动提取面部特征3)完善3dMD的四维动态面部捕获系统的开发，用于分析动态表面运动，并评估该系统在临床环境中的使用。最终，一种用于牙科治疗和面部重建的实用工具将被开发出来，为牙医和外科医生提供一个客观的标准，通过这个标准来预测软组织的结果，指导和评估治疗。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The primary goal of this Phase II STTR application is to complete the development of a landmark-free quantitative 4D facial analysis system for static analyses (completed in Phase I) and dynamic analyses of soft tissue movement (planned for Phase II). The potential target applications are wide-ranging-facial recognition for identification simulation for training and educational purposes; the animation industry for movies; and medical diagnosis, treatment planning, and outcome assessment for patients with congenital abnormalities, dentofacial disharmonies, facial trauma, and neurological problems. These patients have facial disabilities and require treatment to improve their facial soft tissue esthetis and movement. They would benefit greatly from objective measures and facial feature/landmark analysis to assist doctors in determining their treatment plan. We have extensive experience with dynamic objective measures due to an ongoing NIDCR clinical trial to examine the effects of surgery on circumoral function in patients with cleft lip and palate (CL/P). 3dMD and Dr. Trotman will use patients with CL/P for the 'proof of concept' and technology development proposed here. Moreover, in Phase I, 'proof of concept' was completed that led to the development of novel software for automated 3D assessment of facial soft tissues under STATIC conditions. The Phase II extends the technology for automated 4D assessment of dynamic facial soft tissue movements. The Phase II Specific Aims are as follows. 1) To collect age- and gender-stratified 4D dynamic facial images taken at 60 frames per second from patients with CL/P and control subjects with no known facial problems. From these images, validate algorithms that will enable differentiation between patients with impaired movement and normal 'non-impaired' subjects. 2) To extend the surface extraction algorithms and software developed in Phase I of the program to the automatic extraction of facial features from 4D dynamic images 3) To refine the development of 3dMD's 4D Dynamic Face capture system for analysis of dynamic surface movement and to evaluate the system for use in a clinical setting. Ultimately, a practical tool for use in dental treatment and facial reconstruction will be develope to provide dentists and surgeons with an objective standard by which to predict soft tissue outcomes and guide and assess treatment.