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Anthropological Facial Approximation in Three Dimensions ( AFA 3D): Computer‐Assisted Estimation of the Facial Morphology Using Geometric Morphometrics
Author(s) -
Guyomarc'h Pierre,
Dutailly Bruno,
Charton Jérôme,
Santos Frédéric,
Desbarats Pascal,
Coqueugniot Hélène
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.12547
Subject(s) - morphometrics , face (sociological concept) , artificial intelligence , landmark , facial reconstruction , computer vision , computer science , forensic anthropology , texture (cosmology) , software , 3d model , pattern recognition (psychology) , mathematics , image (mathematics) , biology , medicine , geography , social science , surgery , archaeology , fishery , sociology , programming language
This study presents Anthropological Facial Approximation in Three Dimensions ( AFA 3D), 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. AFA 3D, integrated in the TIVMI software, is available freely for further testing.