Wake Forest plays integral role in effort to revolutionize vehi...(Research (INRETS in France) and Virginia...)

As the primary integration center, Wake Forest researchers will pull together all of the individual body region models from the regional COEs to form a virtual full-body model. Using medical imaging techniques including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT or CT), and laser surface scanning, the integration center will provide detailed anatomy and geometry for the computer model.

"Our job is to make sure all the regions of the body work together to approximate a total human, responding as a human being would in common crash scenarios," said Joel Stitzel, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical engineering and technical director of the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University Center for Injury Biomechanics. Stitzel will be the lead investigator for the integration center at Wake Forest.

"This is a substantial undertaking, bringing together some of the leaders in the field of injury biomechanics and computer modeling to create a world standard model of the human for injury prediction," Stitzel added. "It has the real potential to reduce injuries and save lives in car crashes."

Initially, four different sizes of individuals, two male and two female, will be created in virtual human body model form to cover the wide range of living human body sizes. Future research will include the creation of a variety of models to represent different human body shapes, sizes and ages and, eventually, the GHBMC plans to create a family of virtual humans, from young children to senior adults.

"This research has the potential to lead to different safety systems and im
'/>"/>