Tools for Predicting Biomechanical Consequences of Alterations to Orofacial Anatomy

We are extending our biomechanics simulation toolkit, ArtiSynth [Fels 2006], with new methods relevant to surgical planning. Our research directions are focused on upper-airway and cranio-facial anatomy and predicting functional deficits associated with jaw surgery, such as mandible reconstruction [Curtis et al. 1997]. The principle features of ArtiSynth include simulation of constrained rigid-bodies, fast finite-element methods for deformable bodies, contact between bodies, muscle models, and volume preservation. We are adding model editing capabilities and muscle activation optimization to facilitate progress on these research goals.