Visualizing the human skull in 3D

3D human skull reconstructions (right)

Image taken by Federica Landi.

© Federica Landi. All rights reserved.

The author is showing two 3D reconstructions of human skulls from CT-scans. The virtual acquisition and manipulation of specimens through different techniques such as photogrammetry and CT-scans allow us to readily visualise, explore, alter, repair and study digital objects. This set of digital skills, combined with statistical methods, allow archaeologists, paleoanthropologists and biologists to analyse virtually the bones and muscles of modern humans and their ancestors.

These tools for digital acquisition and analysis of biological specimens have led to new insights into human anatomy and its changes during growth and development. These findings have relevant medical applications, including the pre-surgical planning of facial reconstruction.

About

Federica Landi works as Anatomy Lecturer at St George’s University, London, where she currently teaches musculoskeletal anatomy.

Her passions include human anatomy, fossil hominins and primate behaviour. She completed a PhD at the Hull York Medical School, focussing on the analysis of humans and Neanderthals using 3D-reconstructed digital models. She then went on to work at the Peninsula Medical School, where she became a strong believer of the active-learning methodologies. She collaborates in international projects to research human ancestry. Contact

Conservation